[Day 14] After the Honeymoon Phase: Maintaining Your Student-Centered Practices ~ Embracing Flexibility: The Key to Thriving in Student-Centered Classrooms
[Day 14] After the Honeymoon Phase: Maintaining Your Student-Centered Practices ~ Embracing Flexibility: The Key to Thriving in Student-Centered Classrooms
We are going to mess up! Student-centered activities don't always work the first time, I've been failing since I started. When things don't go as planned, it's okay—adapt.
We’re human, and so are our students. That means we’re going to make mistakes, and things aren’t always going to go as planned—and that’s okay. When we commit to a student-centered practice, flexibility becomes one of our greatest tools.
Our ever changing society wants young people to turn into adults that can critically think and solve problems, and you know the thing about problems, big or small, take trial and error to solve. When we try new things and they fail we model for our young people what it looks like to be resilient, and show them the power of learning from their mistakes until they get the result they are looking for. Because once they’ve master that process they can rinse and repeat it for every problem that comes their way.
On this journey, you might plan the perfect student-centered activity, only to find that your students just aren’t getting it. Does that mean student-centered practices don’t work? Absolutely not! It just means that this particular activity, the way it was executed, didn’t connect with some of your students. And guess what? That’s totally fine.
Flexibility isn’t about throwing out everything when things go wrong; it’s about adjusting and adapting. It’s knowing when to pivot, when to try a new approach, and when to give yourself—and your students—grace. Sometimes we’re so focused on getting it “right” that we forget learning is messy, for both our students and ourselves.
So, when your beautifully crafted lesson doesn’t land, don’t panic. Reflect, make adjustments, try again, and don’t be afraid to let your students in on that process Student-centered practices are powerful because they allow us to meet our students where they are. And sometimes, that means taking a step back, rethinking our approach, and being okay with the fact that not everything is going to work perfectly the first time around.
Remember, flexibility isn’t just for your students; it’s for you too. Be patient with yourself, because your willingness to adapt is what will ultimately lead to success in your classroom.
I hope this helps you stay on this student-centered journey with me, see ya tomorrow!
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