Build a Heard Mentality
uh
you’ve already asked three questions no
more get started on your work
did i say you could leave your seat go
back to your seat and wait for me to
call on you
you’re taking too long hurry up we’re
all waiting for you
kids or cattle
you’ve got to move the whole group from
point a to point b
in the most efficient way moving as
quickly
and quietly as possible you’ve appointed
a leader to help stay on track
you’ve rehearsed the hand signals and
the verbal cues and no matter how many
times you do it there’s that
one that won’t stay in line and keep
straying from the group
this has been rehearsed and practiced
and they should know the routine by now
kids or cattle
herding is important to animals for
instinctual survival
herding however is not important in
education
what is important is engaging students
and authentic learning experiences
fostering curiosity
and helping students develop individual
expression
traditional classroom strategies often
center around a herd mentality
where students are expected to move act
and think
all as one just like animals who are
lumped together to move the same
act the same think the same kids are
expected to form straight quiet lines
everywhere they go arrive at the same
correct answer using the same thinking
processes at the same time
after all it’s easier to manage one
group of students who remain silent
rather than allowing time for students
to embrace their unique voice
in my last 14 years as a classroom
teacher
mentor coach and director i learned kids
just want
one thing to be heard
this is also true for adults when we
shift from a
heard h-e-r-d mentality
to a heard h-e-a-r-d
mentality students know that their
voices and opinions
matter we create space for them to show
up
so that they can distinguish themselves
from one another
step into their individuality and
embrace their uniqueness
rather than blending in with the crowd
the classroom becomes a community of
shared ownership where students voice
matters it’s not my classroom
it’s our classroom
when i was in first grade we did the
penguin activity
i remember my teacher had all of our
supplies set up ready to go
an orange triangle two black squares two
white squares
she instructed us to trim very carefully
around the black and white squares
so that we could form eyes for the
penguins i remember trying not to trim
too much off which if you’ve ever used
dull plastic scissors you know it can be
quite
a challenge so we followed along i cut
and glued and pasted in all this stuff
and eventually i got a penguin i was
so excited i looked over to my right to
check out what my classmate did
and i realized that penguin looked the
same as mine
then i looked over to my left and that
penguin looked the same as mine too
i had a lot of fun during that activity
but my teacher was definitely
doing all of the directing
what should be the role of an educator
is it to direct
all of the learning experiences or is it
to challenge
encourage inspire the individuals within
the classroom
what if students had a little more
choice voice
and power we might have 24
crazy looking penguins but each penguin
would represent who we are as
individuals not a clever copy
of everyone else a friend sent me this
tweet
are your classroom rules and procedures
about reinforcing your power
over your students or are they about
empowering
your students be aware of how often
you’re using your voice
and power allowing student choice and
student voice
encourages students to claim their truth
and engage in the classroom
when i was a young teacher teaching
kindergarten and first grade multi-age
i had one student who was extra active
he would roll all over on the carpet and
i tried to get him to stay in one spot
he would tap on his neighbor really
excited to share
i tried to get him to keep his hands to
himself he would
read a story and be so excited he’d just
have to shout out
what was on his mind i tried to get him
to wait his turn
my focus was compliance i wanted him to
move
act and think just like his classmates
because that’s what was easy for me
over half of our interactions became
about his behavior
keep your hands to yourself stay in your
personal space wait your turn and the
list goes on and on and on
i started to think what about the rest
of his day when he went to art music pe
were his teachers frustrated with him
too
how exhausting it must have been for him
to try to conform
i started to do things differently i
asked myself
what can i learn from him i started to
view him as a whole student focusing on
his strengths instead of of how i wanted
him to conform
i learned he loved nature and loved
looking at insects through a magnifying
glass
he loved numbers and exploring the
relationship for numbers
our interactions became more meaningful
and filled with positivity
and set of frustration on both our ends
i realized i was trying to get him to be
who i wanted
him to be not who he was
he taught me to listen to him to pay
attention
and to create space for him to show up
exactly as who he was
this happy curious rambunctious
five-year-old that’s what a herd
mentality creates
there is this one math lesson all about
measurements
let’s just say not my best so i decided
to ask the kids for their feedback i
later shared this with a colleague and
she said
you asked the kids what they thought why
would you
do that well who better to ask than the
people i was supposedly teaching
who was i going to get honest answers
about what i did well
or didn’t do well the kids told me i did
a great job
but they still weren’t sure how to use a
ruler
i’m grateful for them for their kind
honest words and that they felt safe
enough to take a risk so i could better
serve them
take time to ask your students how
they’re being served
involve them in the educational process
how could i have helped you learn this
skill better what did you enjoy about
this
be regular and consistent about
opportunities for them to share their
voice
and insights school is a rehearsal for
life where kids get to be
courageous take risks fumble and even
fall within the safety of the
classroom’s four
walls this is the chance where they get
to learn their truth
and practice it so they can live it as
adults
when people conform they don’t bring
their gifts and talents
we want our students to bring their
gifts talents and unique perspectives
how powerful would our world be if our
kids
asked for what they needed advocated for
self and
others every kid deserves to be heard
when our kids have the power to speak up
and use their voice
they turn into adults who know how to
use their voice
kids or cattle every kid
deserves to be heard thank you