What if Classroom Attendance Was Optional?

What if attendance to your classroom was optional? Would students still come to your class? These questions were inspired by a recent post by Ryan McLane, "Teach Like a Pirate Day". Ryan's leading question was, "If your students didn't have to be there, would you be teaching to an empty room?" This question was prompted by the book, "Teach Like a Pirate", by Dave Burgess.

The premise is that students would not attend their classes. Instead, students would look over a menu of learning "experiences" and attend whatever they find interesting. The offerings were interesting, fun, engaging, mysterious, and challenging. The results at Utica Junior High were impressive. So much so, students and teachers responded by asking, "Why can't every day be Pirate Day?" One student offered to pay money to attend a "Mystery Skype" session, which was full. Would students pay money to attend a meaningful learning experience? It certainly seems so.

Why should schools consider trying "Teach Like a Pirate Day"?

Educators can teach what they are passionate about. Thus, providing an enlightening and invigorating break from standardized tests, common core, and benchmark assessments.
Students can pursue their interests and become reacquainted with the concept that learning, particularly learning together, can be very enjoyable - dare I say, fun! (Utica reported a 98% attendance rate with zero discipline referrals.) Classroom management is a popular discussion topic in our professional development circles. Exciting, engaging experiences will certainly help reduce distractions and off-task behavior.
Instead of just pockets of innovation, this format helps introduce and cultivate an organizational mindset that supports a school-wide culture of learning and innovation. ( +George Couros )
The notion of a learning community where all stakeholders are engaged and participating in learning "experiences" is encouraged and reinforced. A school-wide hashtag, blog, or wiki could provide an opportunity for the learners to share their experiences and reflect upon what they learned - thus, expanding the bounds of time and space. A one day event such as this has the strong potential to establish new learning relationships, inspire further inquiry, and highlight passion-based learning "experiences". (+Angela Maiers) #spark

We are piloting a Student Advisory at our high school next year. This homeroom session would provide the perfect venue for planning and organizing a "Teach Like a Pirate Day". I plan to persuade our administration to give this a try at least once next year. What advice do you have for making this event a huge success?

Related Reading

The Science of Passion-Based Learning (PLP Network)

Passion-Based Learning (Edutopia)

An Example of Pirate Implementation (Math Coach's Corner)

30 Ways to Promote Creativity in the Classroom (Innovation Excellence)

Advent of Google Means Education Must Change - Sugata Mitra

What Teachers Can Learn From Effective Coaches

In my educational world teaching and coaching involve the same processes. The people that impacted my own learning most significantly were coaches. Could it be that great coaches were ahead of their time with respects to instructional best practices? Let's take a look at ten coaching practices that thankfully have found their way into the classroom. http://www.coachwooden.com/files/PyramidThinkingSuccess.jpg Standards-based Grading - coaches aren't concerned with arbitrary measures of success such as letter grades. Great coaches identify a requisite set of skills that are necessary for advancement and success. Promotion and achievement are based upon clearly identified levels of skill mastery. Authentic assessment - coaches are looking for their athletes to demonstrate their skill mastery under game-like situations. The best coaches incorporate game simulations and competitive, game-like drills into their practices. Winning coaches will use the contests as assess...

Self-Directed vs. Self-Determined Learning; What's the Difference?

"We need to move beyond the idea that an education is something that is provided for us, and toward the idea that an education is something that we create for ourselves." - Stephen Downes In this age of abundance of information, shifting classroom pedagogy isn't nearly enough to make learning in school more relevant and authentic for the learner. Self-directed learning ( andragogy ), and self-determined learning ( heutagogy ) are the ideals necessary in making students " future ready " to live and learn in a web-connected world. While original research applied these concepts to mature learners, it has become apparent that even young children have an abundant capacity for recognizing and directing their learning. Anyone who has observed toddlers learning how to walk and talk understand the motivation and skill development that quickly develops during these processes. Considered by some to be on a learning continuum, self-directed learning, and self-determined ...

Board Games in the School Library: 3 Reasons Why It's a Winning Play

"Play is the highest form of research." - Albert Einstein “Play is the work of the child.” – Maria Montessori In our recently remodeled school media center, we have a space dedicated to active engagement in fun learning activities. Part maker space, part literacy lounge, board games are being incorporated to promote a culture of joyful learning. Whether it's a game of Rummy , Yahtzee , or Scrabble , family game night serves as a communication elixir and solidifies our domestic climate of togetherness. Shouldn't similar opportunities for interaction, challenge, and fun exist somewhere in our schools? Broken families, cultural fragmentation, and poverty are impacting opportunities for children to play. As we unpacked and tagged our new media center games, I was more disappointed than shocked by the number of students who had never played Monopoly , Boggle , or Sorry . One skeptical teacher commented, "Oh great, now we're letting students pl...

Nocking the Arrow

Search This Blog