to read. When I walked in as
a first-time visitor, the students couldn’t wait to show
me their projects. They were
beyond exuberant; they were
ecstatic—and they had completed these computer-based
projects, for the most part, at
home. Several students said
they had learned more in this
class than they had in any
other. When I asked what
made this a superior learning
experience, their answers
reflected Pink’s contentions:
They were given autonomy;
worked tirelessly to improve
their projects; and had a solid
purpose in showing their
teacher, visitors, and classmates their masterpieces.
Why was I assuming
responsibility for deciding
Purpose
When I work with literacy
leadership teams, I often
ask members the purpose
of their work: What do you
want to achieve? Why are
you here? Inevitably, some
members honestly state that
their objective is to raise students’ test scores; my sigh lets
them know that, although I’m
happy to accept all answers,
this one brings me angst.
As long as test scores are our primary
motivation for teaching and students’
motivation for learning, I fear that deep,
meaningful reading, writing, thinking,
and understanding will elude both us
and those whom we’re committed to
teach.
Although teachers are now required to
write complex lesson plans, citing state
standards and benchmarks, a simple
question would suffice: What is the
purpose of this lesson? That question
returns us, and our students, to a pure
focus that has become buried under
whether my students’
excuses were legitimate or
bogus? Why was I assuming
responsibility for my students’
assignments at all?
data, mandates, and outcomes: learning
that is relevant and meaningful.
Powerful Learning
Teachers can keep Pink’s principles in
mind as they create lessons that help
students experience the joy of knowing
they are responsible for their own
learning.
n Provide as much autonomy as pos-
sible in choice of content, task, texts,
partners, delivery, due dates, and
assessment. Teach students responsi-
bility by allowing them to experience it.
n Discuss with students what the word
“mastery” means and ask them
how they will become better
at the task at hand. Point out
that learning is a never-ending
process; different people
attain mastery at different
rates and in different ways.
Allow students some wiggle
room instead of adhering to
ubiquitous one-size-fits-all
molds.
ReLeah Cossett Lent is an education
consultant and author of Literacy for Real:
Reading, Thinking, and Learning in the
Content Areas (Teachers College Press,
2009) and Adolescents on the Edge:
Stories and Lessons to Transform Learning
(Heinemann, 2010); rlent@tds.net.
