EDUA 5614 Create Space for Open Conversations
CREATING A CLASSROOM SPACE FOR OPEN CONVERSATIONS
Education has traditionally cast the instructor as a “sage on the stage” ––the teacher holds all of the knowledge and incrementally “gives” it to his or her students. In modern education, however, this type of instructional role has begun to fade. The emphasis on one-sided communication, where students take a passive role, has lessened. Teachers have begun to follow a new educational model that focuses on student-centered classrooms in which the teacher acts as “the guide on the side.” In today’s classrooms, teachers provide students with affirmation for what they bring to the conversation, and collaboration is at the center of the learning process. So, what is the teacher’s role in all of this? How can teachers facilitate this process with grace and ease?
This course will introduce you to philosophies, tools, and strategies that you can use to encourage a classroom climate that supports and inspires collaboration while making students feel accepted, successful, and confident enough to express themselves; everyone in the classroom knows that they are an important and valued part of the whole.
Creating a student-centered classroom space for open conversations prepares students for life outside of school and in the workplace, where coworkers critically analyze situations and solve problems on a daily basis. Educators provide tremendous value as they model and facilitate this enlivening momentum.