I was a reluctant learner growing up. I suffered from Dyslexia and reading and Mathematics was such a struggle that I completely gave up. I was an introvert, rarely did I speak in class or ask questions. I was also bullied a lot and hid in the bathroom for lunch or in the corner of the playground by myself at recess. I just turned inward and because of this speed bump in my education I have had to work very hard to overcome my doubts and insecurities. Not until high school did a teacher finally say to me, "You are so smart and I love to read your narratives, why don't you ever do your homework?" For the first time, someone took the time to ask me why? This same teacher, rather than writing it on one of my papers, took the time to make eye contact, and wait for a response. I shrugged my shoulders, he responded with "I care about you and your learning and I will make it my priority to make sure you have a voice." This was shocking to me, I stared at him. He smiled back. All I said in return at the time was "Okay."
This experience changed my life. Students are reluctant learners for many different reasons: bullying, over-bearing parents, lack of structure, family instability, learning disabilities, social awkwardness, language barriers and even just self-doubt. It has become my priority every year to truly get to know my students. Ask them questions about themselves, get them to open up, trust me, laugh at my jokes, see me as someone who truly cares. One-minute check-ins is a weekly endeavor that has brought many of my quiet, reluctant learners out of their shells, at least in a one-on-one conversation. But, these chats have shown these students that I care about what they have to say. I listen to their ideas. This has gotten some of them to be more responsive in class as well.
It is not the large, life-changing events that make us stronger. Although they can. It is the little victories, the daily interactions that bond us together. The greetings at the door, the smiles in the hall, the positive feedback in class. These moments of interaction are what I seek. After a few weeks of the one-minute check-ins the conversations in class have become more fluid and interactive and students are feeling more safe to comment. My classroom, being a student-led classroom can not work if students do not take the lead. Reluctant learners need to feel empowered to participate. Every student needs to know that what they say is valued and that the class is stronger because of their presence in it.
A reluctant learner need not be stationary. They will have good days where they are engaged and active and there will be others where they are withdrawn. It is a teachers responsibility to make the former more and more frequent. Creating authentic, active learning experiences where the lesson is relevant and interesting will draw these reluctant learners in. I do not make my quiet learners speak out to the class as a whole, but eventually they do. However, I do require them to check-in with me. This is my attempt at the life-changing moment I experienced. It creates an opportunity for a private conversation not under the spying eyes of other students because they have the same requirement. It makes students feel safer to talk openly. The best way to break the reluctance is to ask students why they feel the way they do and to create solutions and strategies together to help them feel more connected and accepted.
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