In the Coyote’s Guide on pages 178-179 the Learning Cycle is discussed with areas that people can held up. I read this an quickly saw many different students I’ve worked with over the years. I want to take a moment and go through the ideas in the book and how that looks to a teacher. Please share your ideas.
A colleague of mine said, “I don’t believe that a kid wakes up and says to himself, I’m going to ignore my teachers today. I’m not going to do my work. I want to fail.” As we sat around and thought about the statement we agreed that this is true.
Yet, we treat some students exactly as if this is what they were thinking.
A large part of finding ways to help these students is finding out why they are having trouble.
Northeast – readiness: Have we helped the student open up to learning? Did we make sure they were receptive? Does the student see a reason to being in the class?
East: The student is part of the group. They are talking but are not getting things done. These students need clear directions. You may need to lead the way making it as approachable as possible.
Southeast: Students stuck in this stage use the phrase “I don’t get it”. They quit in frustration. Give them simple tasks. Go over the skills they have. Help them see what the final product will be.
South: Some students develop bad habits. They have done well on their own but have reached a point where they are not seeking guidance or help. In some ways, this describes adolescence. They are not interested in the wisdom of elders. They want to learn on their own and make their own mistake. The authors suggest using higher level questions to push their edges and to get them to listen to others and refocus.
Southwest: I’ve seen lots of students who have worked hard and then takes the break of the southwest but then are not interested in finishing the job. Go back and take a look at the picture, the goal with them.
When I look at the rest of the cycle I see areas where adults get stuck. But there could be something I’m missing. Let me know.
