Some Days I Lead, Some Days I Step Back

Reading about direct instruction and student-centered learning this week had me reflecting on how much balance is required to be effective in the classroom. I felt like Slavin was speaking directly to the tug-of-war I sometimes experience between giving my students the structure they need and trusting them to take ownership of their learning.

I’ve always found direct instruction helpful, especially when I’m teaching writing. My seventh graders benefit from clear modeling, structured examples, and guided practice. But I also know that if I stay in the “teacher as expert” mode too long, I can unintentionally take away their opportunity to make sense of the learning on their own. This chapter reminded me to pause, ask more open-ended questions, and build in short check-ins that keep students active and connected to the material. Slavin emphasizes the power of guided practice and frequent feedback, and I’ve definitely seen how much those small moments boost both confidence and clarity.

Student-centered instruction pushes me to be more intentional about planning and letting go. I love watching students work through a novel or writing project together, but it doesn’t always go smoothly. Without a strong structure, group work can turn into off-task chatter or leave some students behind. This reading helped me see that the key isn’t just giving students freedom, it’s scaffolding that freedom. Slavin highlights strategies like cooperative learning and inquiry-based models that work best when students are clear on their roles, expectations, and goals. I’ve started introducing group roles and using reflection checklists to keep everyone focused, and I’m already seeing better collaboration as a result.

This week’s reading made me wonder how I know when to step in and when to step back. That’s the question I keep coming back to. I want to keep exploring ways to use formative assessment during group work to know when to redirect or when to let them struggle productively. My next step is to plan a few short, low-stakes activities where students can guide each other, and I’ll observe how much they can handle before needing my support. I’m hoping this helps me build more confident, independent learners while still offering the structure they need to succeed.

Reference

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education.

Learning From More Than the Lesson Plan

Reading Chapter 6 made me think of many things that have happened in my own classroom, especially when students' behavior caught me off guard. Behaviorism and social learning are broken down by Slavin (2020) in a way that helped me understand why students do the things they do.

When I learned about operant conditioning, my first big change in how I thought happened. I have always tried to use positive reinforcement, but I had no idea how simple it is to support bad behavior by accident. I quickly address a student's outburst, even if I'm trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. This gives them attention, which is what they might want. Slavin says that attention can still be used to reward behavior even when it is meant to fix it (p. 97). I've been trying to shift my attention more subtly lately and instead pay attention to the students who are doing what I ask them to do. The mood in the room has changed a lot, even though it's only a small change.

The Social Learning Theory by Bandura was another important idea. People have known for a while that students learn best by watching others. But this part made me realize that they watch each other just as much, if not more, than I do. I've started asking students to show the rest of the class how to use strategies, follow routines, or behave in a conversation more consciously. In the weeks leading up to GMAS testing, I had a student show me how she marked a passage. During that time, some students who usually have trouble were paying more attention and asking better questions. That's how group learning works.

Self-control and self-efficacy are also important to Slavin (p. 107). This hit home for me because some of my students come in thinking, "I'm not good at this," and that makes them less likely to participate and more likely to lose confidence. I'm learning that making them feel good about themselves in small ways can change how they see themselves. And now I'm adding more "check-in" times so they can see how far they've come, even if it's just finishing a paragraph or using a new word properly.

Lastly, the idea of vicarious reinforcement (seeing other people get paid) made me think about how I celebrate student success. Students are more likely to do well when they see their peers are getting praise or being noticed. Every Friday, as part of our wrap-up, I use shoutouts and class "wins" to remind everyone that hard work and growth are important.

This part made me remember that behavior is learned and can be changed by how we act, what we support, and what we show others. It's becoming clear to me that managing the classroom and students doing well in school go hand in hand when students feel seen, heard, and supported.

Reference:

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education.