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Ever since I started teaching I have used the phrase student-centered approach to describe my teaching style. As I began learning more from both experience and theory, I realized that the way I defined this approach was different.

A student-centered classroom tends to be defined as a learning space where students are involved in the decision-making process of their learning curriculum. This approach is the modus operandi of many innovative school philosophies like Montessori and Reggio Emilia. These educational philosophies are mostly applied to younger learners, and they work well because they focus on the way children interact with the world around them, they call forth and inspire children to wonder. However, as children grow and they are more exposed to the real world, their mindsets change and the way we approach them should change as well. 

Many educational projects continue offering out-of-the-box learning experiences to kids at the middle and high school levels. These innovative schools, where learning and student engagement are at the center of the school experience, take many forms. However, we don’t all have the opportunity to belong to schools like these, most teachers teach in a traditional school setting, where classrooms still look like they were built in the 17th century. So, can we even dare to talk about a student-centered classroom? 

To put things into perspective, many teachers are already implementing similar approaches like the one I am going to mention because they have found the need to shift their instruction to the needs of their students. If this is not happening in a classroom it could be because teachers are struggling to meet the basic curricular expectations of their courses with many obstacles along the way. Sometimes teaching becomes more about finishing a book, achieving curricular objectives, and passing an exam, rather than igniting a flame or leaving a mark.

The way I have conceived a student-centered classroom includes using a mixture of techniques that place the focus on student participation and engagement. The class has a set curriculum with multiple resources at the student's disposal. As the teacher, my role is to guide and decide on the order in which curricular objectives will be presented and the type of material that will be covered. Then, with the students, we engage in a journey of exploration and discovery together. It is never me, the expert, it is us, the learners, navigating through a learning process, exposing ourselves to new content, asking questions, incorporating information, and showing growth through different types of assessments. Ultimately, students are responsible for their personal and academic success, it is up to them if they want to make it happen. The teacher's role is to serve and guide the process, by exposing content and letting the students ask the questions.

For the student-centered approach to work, other things must be in place. Clear expectations of the course objectives and behavior are mandatory for instructional success. That is why classroom management plays a huge role in a student-centered classroom. For learning to happen, we need to set the tone for learning. If there is no harmony, there is no student-centered classroom. In fact, rather than a learning process, you will have student-centered disruption and no collective learning or individual growth. 

A student-centered classroom is possible with the correct mindset and organization for success, and anyone at any level can try it out and see magnificent results. Sometimes it’s not about changing an entire system to make things right, but rather about changing our approach, one student and classroom at a time. 

If you are reading these words and would love to learn more about making your classroom a student-centered classroom, contact me using the chat box below for more or email me directly at maiablazevic@learnability.works.