3 Ways To Energize Your Classroom By Taking Risks

We know the feeling: you’ve gone to an education event or a really powerful PD session and thought to yourself, “I am definitely going to try some of those strategies when I get back to the classroom!” But when you get up in front of your students, it can feel a little intimidating to take risks, even if you think the outcome will be worth it. 

The good news is that taking risks in the classroom doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. Here are three good ways to get started.

• Start with a growth mindset. Know that even if something you try doesn't go perfectly, it doesn't mean you shouldn't try again. Use reflection to evaluate what went well, what didn't go so well, and what you'd like to improve for next time.
• Take small steps - don't try to overhaul your entire classroom over night! Here are some ideas:
  • Find some rich tasks that give students the opportunity for critical thinking and collaboration. You can find these tasks in the Carnegie Learning Textbook (check out the Facilitation Notes) and Resource Center, or through a number of online resources like Open Middle and Would You Rather Math.
  • Open up time for your students to talk about the math. Ask your students a question. Hear crickets? Say, "Turn and talk to your shoulder partner about it. I'll give you 30 seconds to come up with an idea." Now you've given your students an opportunity to go through their thought process with someone else before saying something that they fear might be wrong. You can incentivize them further by keeping a sticker chart and walking around to ask questions and give stickers to groups where everyone is contributing.
• Encourage your students to take risks too. Create a safe space for them and show them that it's okay to be vulnerable. You might even say, "We're going to try something new today. I'm a bit nervous and also excited, so let's see how it goes." Kids have respect for teachers who do that, and learn that it's okay to take risks and not do everything perfectly.

I was recently working with a teacher who agreed to add one new thing to her lesson -- she put student work up on the document camera and let the students explain their thinking to the class. In turn, other students analyzed the work and thought about whether or not they could revise their own work based on what they saw. The teacher told me that she never would have done that before, but she loved it!

The important thing is to find strategies that will work for you as a teacher, based on your personality and strengths. What works in one classroom may not work in another. Find classroom ideas that work specifically for you and your students, and give them a try. Then reflect to see how they went and how you can make them better next time. The sky's the limit!