Let's Get Active!

As a mom and educator, I hear, "This is boring" so often I think it is my life’s mantra. As a mom, I give my kids ideas of what to do. Most of the time these activities are ready to go like playing with toys, building with Legos or Magna-Tiles, playing the piano, or going outside on the swing set. Sometimes there are activities that take a few minutes for me to set up and possibly monitor, but a majority are there, ready to go. As an educator, and former classroom teacher, it is a little more than point and go. Planning lessons can take hours, gathering (and most of the time paying for) materials, making copies and setting things up can be overwhelming. And sometimes, even with all the planning and excitement, the students are still uninterested. Getting students excited about school and learning can be challenging.

Image source: Goodsensorylearning.com

Active Learning is, “When students take responsibility for their learning and engage the material through reading, writing, talking, listening, reflection, and application,” (Zumpano). Active learning is more than just notetaking, joining a small group or reading aloud, it is getting the students to not only learn, but learn while taking a front seat in their education. Gone are the days of desks in a line, with students silently taking notes, while the teacher at the front of the room spoke. Students, families and administrators expect more.

There are many Active Learning strategies to engage students. One strategy that I personally love, and is so easy to use, is Think-Pair-Share. It is really as easy as it sounds:

1. Students think about the answer or response individually. This gives students wait to fully take in and digest the information being asked.

2. Students then are either paired up with a classmate or simply turn to an elbow partner and share their thoughts, ideas and answers. This gives every student a chance to talk about what they so eagerly want to.

3. Students then share their ideas, or their partners ideas, with the rest of the class. This allows for students to hear others' ideas and possibly build onto their own.

    Last year I worked in a Kindergarten class and Think-Pair-Share was a daily occurrence. We used this strategy because it is so simple. We often use it in writing. As a five-year-old, it is sometimes difficult to come up with an idea to write about. During the Think-Pair-Share, students are able to hear the thoughts of their classmates. This could help trigger a memory or spark an idea. This strategy also works while reading a book and making predictions. Students all want to share their ideas about what may happen next. Think-Pair-Share gets them the outlet to talk and share without needing to call on each of the 20 kids in the class. My school is 98% Hispanic, and many are EL students. Think-Pair-Share allows students who are new to English to be paired with a native speaker, hearing their classmates speaking out loud and can help them practice find their words as well. 

  

Image source: Google Slide created by author

 “Active learning, in general, is also significantly more fun and exciting since it goes beyond just reading and listening as everyone is expected to engage and actually do something, either individually or as a group. This, in turn, enables a boost in retention and productivity and increased training participation and completion,” (Avelino).

How does Active Listening benefit learners of all ages? It: 

1. Leads to higher engagement

2. Improves collaboration skills

3. Builds self-confidence

4. Promotes higher learning retention

5. Makes learning more fun and exciting

6. Increases learners’ motivation to learn

7. Stretches creativity and innovation

8. Improves critical thinking and problem-solving skills

9. Allows instant feedback and improvement

10. Increases training success (Avelino)

    Think-Pair-Share can be used in all grades. Even in high educations and on the job. Want to learn more about Active Learning in Higher Education? Browse this Module for more info: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. As a teacher, our admin uses this strategy in Professional Development meeting with the staff. It is quick strategy but very effective. 

    Think-Pair-Share just scratches the surface of the many Active Learning strategies available. To see more go to this link From Iowa State University or this link from Michigan State about how you can incorporate active learning into your classroom. And lastly, with 20 years of education experience, Ernest Gonzales, a 2019 Apple Distinguished Educator, has created amazing graphic organizers that he calls GOALS, Graphic Organizers for Active Learning. Click here to read more and get these GOALs that are free, ready-to-use, and designed as dual-language resources. Which will you use first?

Sources:

Avelino, Jeanellie. “What Is Active Learning: Benefits and How to Apply It | SC Training.” Safetyculture.com, 24 Feb. 2023, training.safetyculture.com/blog/benefits-of-active-learning/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.

Zumpano, Nicole. “What Is Active Learning?” Prezi.com, 2020, prezi.com/vltahpm3b1hn/what-is-active-learning/?token=21acedd662237401cb58486f35352d6fba7d05e6b30cf495979ca34cbf121958&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.