Provide the perfect structure and support to develop student
independence.
Effective scaffolding leads to learner autonomy--but too many educators
have been airlifting students to right answers, perpetuating a
generation who don't know how to learn. Yes, we know the sweet spot
for learning involves giving our students the right blend of productive
failure and productive success, but how to do it is cloaked in
misconceptions.
How Scaffolding Works unveils the essential moves and methods. Ten
interactive modules help every K-12 educator structure support in new
ways, including knowing how to:
- Gradually release responsibility to students through intentional and
purposeful scaffolding
- Design lessons and experiences that attend to the affective,
metacognitive, and cognitive aspects of learning
- Collect data before, during, and after learning, so we can place,
move, and take away scaffolds with greater intention
- Promote independence with front-end scaffolds, distributed scaffolds,
back-end scaffolds, peer scaffolds, and fading scaffolds
- Use a blend of demonstration, modeling, coaching, explaining,
questioning and choice
- Promote purposeful practice--in which learners knows where they're
going and how to get there
Perhaps we rush in to rescue learners because the world seems fraught;
we want to help our students reach the safety of academic success. Our
intentions are good, but it's time to step back, gradually and
purposefully, and let them pilot their own learning.
