Change Ruts - Adopt Life-Changing Habitudes

If you approach teaching and learning more as a detective, what would happen? Angela Maiers explores clues and possibilities in her innovative 21st century approach to Classroom Habitudes. Through detective work, Angela shares collected tools to stir imagination, curiosity, perseverance, self awareness, courage and adaptability, -- the six habitudes.

Twenty-first century students, well-rehearsed in fast-paced video games, can out-maneuver me any day with their dexterity and skill. Sound familiar? They think differently because historically, they're oriented to the world through more visual approaches. In fact teens read less than they did in past. Angela Maiers tosses out practical approaches for teachers craving a lifeline to connect to digitally oriented students.

Intriguingly, Angela's new book, Classroom Habitudes, pitches questions, problem-solving, creating, inventing and collaboration as desired skills of today's and tomorrow's businesses. Students do not obtain such skills by completing worksheets or day after monotonous day. Many teachers today are looking for helps past this disconnect because old methods don't work and actually prevent students from tapping their brains. Here're several disconnects...

Student

bored by worksheet - Bombarding students with information can actually shut down learning. To escape, some children daydream. Getting students to "play with ideas" at any age activates the brain for doing rather than passivity.

turned off by teacher talk with no opportunity to respond - Remember lectures that bored you? No wonder brainpower dies daily in our schools. Move Brainpower into Reconfigured Learning.

cringes and shrinks inside when teacher names him/her to gain attentiveness - Yelling or reprimands can trigger cortisol in a student's brain. Angela provides teachers with several "Anchor Lessons" to provide stimulating classroom conversations that engage students so that students are attentive. This leads serotonin, a brain hormone of well-being to flow in learners' brains.

has no opportunity to use multiple gifts and talents - Angela questions tired practice that shuts down many learners... "Couldn't there be an assignment in addition to coloring shapes that maybe included handing them blank sheets of paper and asking them to invent and name a shape that no one has ever hear of before...?"

To zero in on Courage Angela, takes a closer view - with students. She models strategies teachers can use in classes right away by providing lessons and suggested teacher prompts she uses with students. The five lessons:

Looking Fear in the Face
Taking Action
Get Uncomfortable
Courageous Conversation
Everyday Heroes

Maiers challenges, "As learners, you put yourself at risk of falling into learning traps when you do not expose yourself to challenge and discomfort." As I read this, I asked, "Do teachers also need courage to expose themselves to discomfort as they begin to use 21st century methods by giving up the comfort of worksheets, teacher talk, and pointing out a student to gain attention?" What do you think? Here's a list of brainstormed possibilities Angela shares:

• Talk to someone new today
• Ask a question [maybe several throughout the day]
• Challenge something [respectfully] a teacher or person in authority says
• Try a new genre
• Teach a classmate [colleague] how to do something
• Speak publicly - Teach something to a group
• Learn a new skill or strategy
• Draw something to capture idea
• Become a character

You build your courage muscle like any other in your body-the more you stretch it, the more you work it out, the stronger it becomes. Muscle and brain work require lifelong maintenance. Just because you lifted weights once--does not give you strength for life. Stretching and building your courage is a daily, lifelong workout! Happy lifting!... Angela Maiers

Angela, as you challenge others and me to change past practice, you actually encourage us to give our working memory a workout to override ruts. That can be very discomforting. But, as you point out the more you practice doing different activities, the less discomfort you experience. Good news is that the brain's plasticity enables us to change those tired routines that no longer work well in 21st century schools. Students might also benefit from specific software programs as Resources for Teachers and Students in addition to the excellent selected readings.

Thanks for forging ahead to publish Classroom Habitudes. What a huge leap! You model courage, perseverence, imagination and adaptability. Keep up your excellent work.

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