When I first started teaching, I struggled to understand why so many of my students refused to even try. I really couldn’t fathom it.

Why couldn’t he pick up his pencil and attempt to answer the question? Why did she refuse to lift her head from her desk the entire class? Why wouldn’t they stop messing around and just get the work done so we could move on?

It was a huge source of frustration. Because I didn’t understand it, I didn’t know how to solve it -- and I am sure I did not always respond in the most effective ways.

The reality is: learning is scary.

It requires us to be vulnerable.

It requires us to be OK with not knowing.

It requires us to face the possibility of failure.

And this poses a threat -- a threat our brains work so hard to avoid.

What does that mean for our students?

Ironically, it means the brain can pose a real challenge for true learning. (But it’s not hopeless!)

Quick Summary: Our students’ brains are working to avoid threats, and this can affect their willingness to engage in learning activities.

When our brain is busy avoiding threats, it cannot engage in learning and growing.

But the good news is that for most students, they still have those innate drives left from birth -- their brains are programmed to want to improve and grow and thrive and survive better. We just have to create the conditions that make it safe to do so

ENTER: RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY

Students need a safe place to take the risks involved in learning. They need a safe place to develop their thinking skills, cultivate their voice, and grow their confidence. 

Before you can get students into any type of active, engaged learning and thinking, you must establish strong relationships and a warm community -- because that will create the sense of safety that risk-taking and academic independence require.

Sincerely Yours,

Nicole VanTassel
Intentional Teach Project
iExploreScience

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