Rethinking Student ‘Work’
February 23, 2009
I hereby propose that we stop referring to what students do in our classrooms as ‘work.’
Words are powerful things. When we spend all day telling the students to work on their math worksheet, create artwork, complete their homework, or work quietly and independently, what message are we telling the students about school?
Just as important, what message are we telling ourselves? That the lecture-worksheet-test cycle is somehow good enough? That students aren’t supposed to find joy or have a genuine interest in what they do in school? (”Sure, my class hated that unit, but that’s normal! You know how 6th graders are…”)
And yes, KIPP teachers, you of the “Work Hard. Be Nice.” mantra: this means you, too.
Entry Filed under: Education, Elementary Education, Fifth Grade, Fourth Grade, Learning, Secondary Education, Students, Teaching, Third Grade, school. .
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1.
Mindy | February 23, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I like this. It goes along with another idea I ran into recently.
Instead of teaching spelling like this: “English is crazy. There are many exceptions to the rules. It’s the hardest language to learn. Etc. So it’s understandable that you sometimes struggle.”
Try: “English is a pretty neat language. We can find all kinds of connections from the spelling of words. Once we discover these, you’ll see why words are spelled the way they are. In fact, you might even call English a beautifully eclectic language.”
It’s made a huge difference in our word study when I approach it this way.
I’ve started to apply this to all parts of my teaching.
So, this post fits right in with my changing the words I use in the classroom.
What do you say instead of “homework” or “work on this”?
2.
mpullen | February 23, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Mindy — I love it!! I have been guilty of that whole “English doesn’t always follow the rules — SIGH” line of thinking with students. Love your way of reframing it.
Instead of “work”, I try to name the thing being done. For example, right now my students’ “homework” assignment is to interview a grandparent/older person about their childhood. So instead of saying homework, I’d just refer to it as an interview, as in, “Remember to be thinking about who you plan to interview, then brainstorm some things you could ask them when you meet.”
That type of thing.
3.
Jenny | February 23, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Not only does this address the issues you mention (the way we present what we and the students are doing) but it also requires that we be more specific in the language we choose when talking to them. That seems like a good thing as well.
4.
Jen | February 24, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I certainly agree with the idea of thinking carefully about the message our words send.
However, it occurs to me reading this that it assumes that work and hard work are…well, things we shouldn’t like. And honestly, I don’t think that’s a message we should be sending either! Shouldn’t the emphasis be on how good it feels to stretch oneself, to work hard, to do more than you thought you could, to push and practice and get better? I think you have a problem with presenting learning as onerous, but you may be confusing it with the issue of work. Reclaim work for the good!
This connects to the idea of “flow” too — that zone where you get into whatever you’re doing to the extent that you don’t notice time passing, etc. *That’s* really where I’d want work to be heading in ay classroom.
Of course, when you’re using “work” to mean grind it out, do it now, don’t think, just do sort of stuff, well yeah. But let’s present work as a good thing, not a bad thing — and certainly not as a punishment or something to be avoided.
On a totally different note, into my second week of subbing…and any helpful hints that people have for just certified as a teacher subs are gladly accepted! (Where I live there is no teacher shortage.) I’ve been in K and 1st grades so far. It’s definitely different being in a new room, new kids, no real idea of the routines each day. In a classroom I know I’ll be in for a while, I have no problem making it clear that I say what I mean and mean what I say, etc. However, in a one day stint? There are some kids that are going to try that out over and over and over… Ideas on how to deal with that in a one or two day manner?
5.
nikki | April 30, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I never thought about saying the word “work” before because that’s what everyone has always called it when I was in school. I guess I agree that we send out a negative message to students since it shouldn’t be work but should be fun and educational.