What happens to student empowerment when we move from the the front of the classroom to a gentle facilitator on the side?

We get more self-directed learners.

More student voice, opinions, and ideas.

A range of diverse work products.

Making this shift is NOT easy. It requires a mindset of trust, and the facilitator 'moves' to support this kind of student-centered environment. Andrew Faulstich, a Montessori Adolescent Guide and Facilitator of these kind of learning environments teaches us how to make these shifts by:

Unpacking the core tenets of learner-centered environments
Providing concrete strategies to foster student-led discussion
Suggesting a few changes in the way we design our classrooms
Offering prompts for more open-ended learner supported questions

Get in Touch with Andrew: LinkedIn, Community (Enlightened Educator Project), Blog/Newsletter (Substack)

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to Target Areas of Growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard

Get the 12 Shifts Book for More Strategies/Ideas/Stories: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher (Use WT30 at checkout for 30% discount)

Andrew's Bio:

Andrew believe in the potential for education to be transformative for all students. His expertise is in facilitating learning environments where all participants, both young people and adults, experience empowerment and liberation. He developed and led international and U.S. education programs and taught students from 10 different countries in person, virtually, and in a hybrid format. Across these experiences, Andrew found that progressive, learner-centered, and Montessori education is a catalyst for a transformational change within each learner. Andrew works at the intersection of supporting human development and driving a social revolution leading to a more equitable, interdependent world.

From Teacher to Facilitator of Learning Environments

The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning