Quality in Education

What's the difference between a teacher centered classroom and a student centered classroom?  Is one approach more effective than the other?  What does the continuous improvement classroom look like?- look here!

Student centered classrooms focus on the needs and abilities of students (rather than the adults) and on topics that are relevant to the students’ lives, needs, and interests.  Students are perceived as customers and stakeholders.  In this type of classroom, students themselves are actively engaged in creating, understanding, and connecting to knowledge and learning.

In student-centered environments, there is a higher motivation to learn as students feel they have a real stake in their own learning. Instead of the teacher being the sole, infallible source of information (the sage on the stage…), the teacher shares control of the classroom and students are allowed to explore, experiment, and discover on their own.  Their diverse thoughts and perspectives are a necessary input to every class.

In a student centered environment, students are given choices and are included in the decision-making processes of the classroom. The focus in these classrooms is on options, rather than uniformity.  Essentially, "learners are treated as co-creators in the learning process, as individuals with ideas and issues that deserve attention and consideration.”

Student centered classrooms are focused on quality and continuous improvement.  Students participate in creating ground rules, mission statements, SMART goals, student data folders and  student-led conferences (learn more about these components online).

Is your classroom student centered?  What would your customers say about your classroom? Are you focusing on quality and continuous improvement?

Jay