Self-Guided Learning

Today in first grade, we had a mini-lesson on horizontal and vertical lines. It was a very short and easy lesson. We looked at examples and talked about Piet Mondrians art. When we broke off into our centers, many children went on to try what they wanted to do. Two young ladies asked me if I could draw them a picture of a dog like the one their friend had. I remember the drawing, but I hadn’t drawn it. I had given her a book that demonstrated how to break down the drawing into simple shapes and then work toward adding details. 

I showed the girls the area where we keep the books and showed them how to approach the drawing process. I told them not to worry if it looked perfect and that as time went on their drawings would improve. 

This is one of the things I love about teaching in a choice-based classroom. Students have the power and opportunity to work with their ideas. My students are engaged in the activities they are interested in on a daily basis. As I move around the room, I am able to help students with the problems they’ve created for themselves, learning what they need to learn.