“Education
is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.”
--
Albert Einstein
By
Tommie Saylor
Kennedy
High School Principal
The
professional development day provided by the Taylor School District on Tuesday was,
if not anything else, affirmation that what we are doing at Kennedy High School
is “spot on.”
We
started last year, but really hit it hard this year, with an emphasis on the “Three
R’s” and student engagement.
The
Three R’s – relationships, relevance and rigor – is the cornerstone of the
Kennedy educational process. Before a teacher can teach anything to a
student, the teacher must first establish a positive, healthy relationship with
the student. As has been said many times, students don’t care how much
you know, until they know how much you care. Only through the establishment of
a constructive, progressive and upbeat relationship will students be ready to
open their minds and dedicate their efforts to the teacher.
Face
it, we all work harder for those we like, as opposed to those with whom we
dislike.
From
here, the instructor must make their lessons relevant to the student.
Lessons must not only be relevant to the real world, so that students can see
the importance of what you are teaching, but also relevant to the student’s
world.
Don’t
dismiss the question, “Why must we learn this?” or, “When will I ever use this?”
Be ready for such questions, and use them as a learning opportunity. Show the
students the connection between what is taking place in class and the outside
world. Using the relationship developed with the student – what you have
learned about the student – make lessons “real” for the student.
The final step is rigor. Only after establishing a fruitful relationship
with the student, and demonstrating the relevance of what is being taught, can
the instructor drive for the rigor.
This
means pushing the student toward higher-order thinking, more complex thought processes, internalizing
the new content material without overwhelming. It is through rigor where
the real learning takes place, but by the time the instructor gets to the rigor,
the student is ready, eager and even excited to learn.
What
better situation can an educator have than students excited and eager to learn.
Engagement
is never allowing a student to enter your classroom, and allowing them to leave
without any interaction. Engagement is about keeping students on task and
focused. It is about making the student part of the lesson, not just an
observer. Engagement is about making sure every student is involved. It’s
about making learning fun and it’s about getting as many senses involved in the
learning process as possible.
Engagement
is about being part entertainer (to gather their attention), comedian (to keep
their attention) and coach (to get them up off their butt and in the game).
Engagement is about using any means possible to transfer your passion for teaching
into the student’s enthusiasm for learning.
Only
through constant vigilance and continual commitment to the Three R’s and
student engagement in every lesson and every classroom, will we continue to
grow and get better at what we do.
Remember:
It’s not about what has been taught, it’s about what has been learned.
How
and where will you lead them. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence
by design.
