by Deborah Hanuscin, Professor, SMATE and Elementary Education, WWU
The belief that “all students can learn” is widely proclaimed in support of high expectations for all students, particularly diverse learners. I, too, have espoused this premise in the past as part of my own pedagogical beliefs. However, it’s a statement I find rings quite hollow to me now.
The premise that all students can learn leads us to problematize the underachievement of students who are able to learn, but may not achieve their potential. Yet, while the premise cautions attributing this to any innate (in)ability of the student, it doesn’t prevent us from attributing it to the students’ own lack of motivation, discipline, or effort (factors which, arguably, we could use to absolve our responsibility as instructors). Furthermore, the premise equates ‘learning’ with what happens in school, confines it to a narrow set of outcomes, and ignores the learning that occurs in every moment of our life as we interact with the world around us.
The fact is, all students DO learn. In our courses, some students learn they are interested in the subject, that it is relevant to their daily lives, and that they could be successful in the field of study. Other students learn that the subject is not relevant to the real world beyond the classroom, that they are not cut out to be successful in the field of study, or that the concepts are incomprehensible for them.
As an educator, I find the premise that all students learn to be more helpful to improving my practice. Rather than focusing all my effort on figuring out whether students have learned, it reminds me to be curious about what they are learning, and use that as a critical lens through which to view my teaching. Consider:
- If students are learning that the subject matter is something that they only need for my course, how can I change my pedagogy to help them learn why it is relevant and useful beyond the quarter?
- If they are learning that this subject is too hard for them, how can I better scaffold and remove barriers to their learning?
- If they are learning that the subject is fascinating, how can I isolate the teaching approaches that are helping them become fascinated, so that I can use them more intentionally?
See also:
- How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom – American University
- Learner Interest Matters: Strategies for Empowering Student Choice – Edutopia
Image Attributions: Eucalyp from the Noun Project (CC-BY)