Want Mastery? Let Students Find Their Own Way

Of course, teachers must work with the reality that there are curricula to follow and standards to address—often, many more of them than they feel they can handle—and that there are already too few hours in the day. For teachers who feel that they can’t fundamentally change the way they teach, there are ways to infuse constructivist practices into existing pedagogical structures. Some teachers add in a short period—whether a few minutes a day or an hour a week—of student-driven instruction; others take stock of the way they talk with students, and attempt to make sure that students’ curiosity dominates discussions. Ultimately, the shift to constructivist pedagogy is less about specific practices and more about a shift in priorities: away from immediate outcomes and toward a messier, unfinished, and deeper form of understanding.
(more)