Teach Secondary Issue 13.4

CLOSE-UP ON… THE ‘SEA SPONGE ANALOGY’ PHILMATHE ISAPETEACHER,RESEARCHER,SPEAKERANDAUTHOR;ALANDUNSTANISTHEDEPUTYHEADTEACHER OFTHESENIORSCHOOL,DIPLOMATICQUARTERCAMPUS,ATBRITISHINTERNATIONALSCHOOL,RIYADH Sea sponges are the most quirky of ocean life forms. Like that laid-back friend you love but can’t help chuckling at, they simply float around, soaking up the ‘vibes’ while everyone else gets themselves caught up in underwater drama. However, sea sponges are also fascinating for how they feed. As water flows through the sponge, choanocytes trap food particles and filter everything back into the water. The more they take in, the more they filter. In his 2023 book Hidden Potential , psychology professor AdamGrant discusses the ‘sea sponge analogy’, emphasising the importance of letting ideas mature over time, akin to how sponges absorb water. Instead of striving for immediate perfection, Grant argues, individuals should let their ideas soak in experiences, feedback and iterations. Similarly, by encouraging students to develop their ideas iteratively, we can promote deeper learning, critical thinking and creativity. Here are some ways in which we’ve tried applying this approach at my school: 1 REFLECTIVE PRACTICES It’s always beneficial to regularly reflect upon our students’ learning experiences. When educators provide students with opportunities to revisit previous lessons, projects and assignments to reflect on what worked well and what could be improved, they can soak in those experiences and incorporate their reflections into future iterations. 2 SPACED LEARNING Instead of cramming information for exams, we’ve found that a gradual distribution of learning activities over time has proven much more effective for us. Revisiting key concepts periodically throughout the school year – via review sessions, quizzes and other interactive activities – has helped our students retain information more effectively and reinforced their long-term learning. 3 ITERATIVE THINKING When we have a classroom culture that values experimentation and iteration, students can generate multiple iterations of their ideas, refine them based on feedback and experience, and thus continuously evolve their thinking. Peer collaboration, constructive criticism and self- assessment opportunities can all help to support this iterative process. 4 FAILURE AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY Creating safe and supportive environments, in which our students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes, has been essential for us. When educators teach that failure is a natural part of the learning process and an opportunity for growth, students are encouraged to be resilient and persevere. We’ve found that celebrating efforts and resilience, rather than simply focusing on outcomes and grades, has been hugely motivating. DO THIS HIGH EXPECTATIONS Exercise better class control with these tips fromRobin Launder... As a teacher, you should want to harbour three types of high expectations – academic, behavioural and social (the latter referring to how the students interact with you and with each other). High expectations tell your students that you fully believe they have what it takes to achieve the things that you want them to achieve. After all, if you didn’t, why would you have such high expectations in the first place? Low expectations convey the precise opposite. They effectively signal to your students that they can’t achieve, can’t behave and can’t get along with each other. Now, here’s the thing about expectations – they tend to be met.Whether high or low, you can expect students’ behaviour to move in the direction of the expectations placed upon them – which makes sense, given that an expectation is one half of a self-fulfilling prophesy; the active ingredient that pushes performance into a virtuous or vicious cycle. So make sure your academic, behavioural and social expectations are high – the higher the better – and stay that way. Robin Launder is a behaviour management consultant and speaker; find more tips in his weekly Better Behaviour online course – for more details, visit behaviourbuddy.co.uk 78 teachwire.net/secondary