On why she enjoys teaching in a Learner-Active Classroom . . .
"The learner-active classroom is about giving responsibility to students. It puts them in charge of their learning and gives them a foundation now to learn to work together. My students have become so much more responsible and independent. They know what's expected of them and they use the rubric to guide them. They are challenged without feeling like, 'Mrs. Hawley is making this hard.' It's a better way to learn."
On how she got started . . .
"Some of us go into teaching because we need to control our environment. We have a curriculum, but when we are in our classrooms, we are in control. It was hard for me to give up the control. We all think it should be done our way. It's hard to see someone else's way and say, 'You're right, too.' I resisted the change at first."
"It clicked for me after a classroom observation a few years ago. My principal had come to observe me working with my students on a problem-based learning task in science. The principal was circulating and asking students what they were doing. Of course, he asked the one student, Robert, who always told me how much he hated problem-based learning. I was so worried about what Robert would say. When I asked Robert about it later, he told me, 'Mrs. Hawley, I realized when I was talking to the principal how much I had learned because I 
was not just sitting and listening. I was actually doing something.' Not only were they getting what I wanted them to get, they were getting even more skills and information."
"I told the kids, 'This is different from the way I learned.' Getting started is difficult . . . because you throw the students into a state of disequilibrium. But once you get started, it really flows. We may have all gotten there from different directions, but we all end up in the same place. Once you get past being scared, and a little frustration with change, it is really a fun way to teach."
On how she models real-world skills for her students . . .
"This is not a teacher
-centered room, it's a student-centered - no, a learning-centered room. I'm learning, too. I am learning to give them less information and help them to find more.And they see me correcting my errors. This is a day and age when there's so much pressure to be perfect. One of the things they need to know is to continually look back at their work. I show them that it's okay to correct your mistakes."
On using problem-based learning units and rubrics in her classroom. . .
"I give my students the tools they need to be successful. It really helps when the kids have to solve their own problems. I tell them that at work you have a boss just like the princip
al is my boss. But, you don't take every problem to the boss. We talk about helping each other and using me as a resource. When they need help, they know to 'ask three before me.' I am teaching them to manage their time and use other's time as a resource. They sign up on a help board when they need to meet with me."
"Using a calendar has helped them and me. I am just about where I was two years ago when I lectured to teach the curriculum. . . but what they are producing is different. They are producing from a felt need where they can see how it relates to job and life skills. We may have all gotten there from different directions, but we all end up in the same place. With problem-based learning, each child can be successful by making his or her own choices."
"Rubrics help to guide them and we use it for them to assess themselves. It makes the grades concrete. There a
re no surprises. I once asked them to do something and I did not have a rubric. One student actually said, 'Mrs. Hawley, we can't start this without a rubric.' I believe that using rubrics will help them in the future. As adults, they will read directions. At work, they will follow the plan. It just makes a lot more sense if they have a guide and they know it."
On time management and responsibility in her classroom. . .
"For me, the best thing about working in a learner-active classroom is that studen
ts are able to plan out everything and use the calendar and rubric. When parents have questions, I tell them, 'Please discuss this with your child. He or she should be able to explain.' I believe the kids can explain what we are doing at any time and I let them know to expect the questions."
"When I came here and started teaching science, there was all of this hype around tests and quizzes, but these didn't really show me progress. I relaxed on the belief that tests and quizzes were the only way to assess. Then I started having students sign up to take tests and quizzes when they were ready. Our school policy is to give a week's notice before a test, but I always had a few kids that didn't need the five nights to study. It helps them schedule their time because they have a calendar of all assignments and due dates. At first, parents were worried that students would tell each other what was on the test. My response: "My tests are fair. All of the students already know what's going to be on the test. And it actually made it easier for me because I can sit with each child and give feedback. It goes back to helping them schedule their time and puts the responsibility for learning on the child."
On the structures she uses for her students' success. . .
"In addition to the calendar, they have the choice to use a daily checklist. One student was required to have it in his IEP, but I didn't want him to feel singled out. I offered it to anyone who wanted it and about half of them took it!"
"First period every day is a choice period. Students can choose to work on a daily language assignment for language arts, the problem of the day for math, or any other independent assignment. They also use a correction sheet to check their own spelling HW during this time. It allows me to circulate and really connect with each child at the beginning of the day."
"I use a lot of folders to help them organize and manage their materials. We use folders for problem-based learning units, a writing folder which will be passed on to fifth grade, and a Friday folder. Instead of sending home evaluated work each night, the students take home a folder of everything from the week to share with their parents on Friday. It gives children and their parents more time to talk about the work. I then stress that on Mondays students take the work and out it back into the correct subject area binder. I am teaching them how organization can help them."
What Mrs. Hawley's students say about her classroom. . .
"We get to judge our own time. It teaches you how to be prepared for a job when you have this, this, and this to get done. . . It's a lot better than having the teacher stand up there all day. . . She puts everything on the rubric and gives us a calendar. Tests and quizzes don't take us by surprise." ---Alex
"Before we do anything, we get a chance to discuss it." ---Amanda
"The rubrics kind of guide us so we know what we are trying to go for." ---Caitlin
"Mrs. Hawley always gives us examples." ---Brielle
"In the beginning, we had no clue what vertebrates and invertebrates were. Now I can tell you. We're learning it by doing this." ---Rachel
"We're studying our world." ---Graham
"She teaches us to use everybody's ideas so it is fair for all of us." ---Amber
Mrs. Hawley's Class Rules. . .
We can do more and learn more when we're willing to take risks.
It's okay to make mistakes. That's the way we learn.
It's intelligent to ask for help. No one need do it alone.
Life is not always easy. It can call for a stretch.
Everyone needs time to think and learn.
"I can't" means "I don't want to try." Focus on saying, "I'll try."
We each must live our own lives. No one can do it for us.