Student-Centered Learning

What came before student-centered learning? Oh, that's right - I remember it as a student! In teaching, there are many things we learn from our past instructors - like what to do and what NOT to do. During my Master's program I learned quite a bit about student-centered learning and how beneficial it was. I learned this not only from the books and lectures, but simply from my teachers using the methods themselves. During my student teaching experience with 5th graders, I was thrust into the hands of some teachers who were used to doing things the old-school way, and I struggled a bit with their techniques. During science class, the students were not allowed to talk. They were to listen to the lectures, except for Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, there was a guest teacher who brought in hands-on activities relating to science. She would get the kids into groups and distribute the materials amid the excited chatter that was kept at a lull for fear the homeroom teacher would lay down the law. Through the activities, the volume of the chatter would increase, as did their excitement about the science "experiment" they were conducting. The guest teacher was delighted with the noise, but the second she left the room, with her goodies all packed up, the homeroom teacher would yell, and I mean YELL, at these children. What were they thinking, that they should have fun and be excited about learning? YES!!!!

ASCD. "Five Steps to Create a Progressive, Student-Centered Classroom". 13 May 2013. Online image. ASCD. 8 February 2017. http://inservice.ascd.org/five-steps-to-create-a-progressive-student-centered-classroom/