Standford University Professor and Math Guru Jo Boaler recently published “Limitless Mind” which I am just starting to get into this week. I guess the book will eventually share “the six keys of learning” (Boaler, 2019, p. 8), but the first 50 pages contain a heavy dose of growth mindset and the power of productive struggle. It is this power of productive struggle that my mind seemed to be focused on this week. Operating within the zone of proximal development and/or productive struggle has been a blog topic in the past. In fact, I feel like I should bring up that in They do not understand shallowness because they do not experience depth (from January 2017) there is a great video from Robert Kaplinsky addressing productive struggle. Productive struggle is definitely an important topic for all educators to consider, but it is not the “what” of productive struggle that I was wrestling with, but rather more of the “why”.
Why don’t young people see the power of productive struggle? I don’t think it is because they are lazy. That is an often used cop out statement from educators that rely on BCD (Blame/Complain/Defend) to justify not changing their practices. At the same time there is something to the question. Research has shown that college students favor lectures over a more active learning approach, often called active instruction, even if lectures have shown to be a less effective learning instruction technique. Again, why is that the case? Could it be because, when struggling, young people often get that feeling of helplessness? Kaplinsky alludes to this when discussing unproductive struggle. That is to say if there isn’t a feeling of hope or support a young person might quickly give up on the struggle. They are therefore operating outside of the zone of proximal development. Certainly unproductive struggle is... unproductive, but I wonder if the issue has to do more with young people understanding “why” teachers would put them in that situation and having trust in the teacher more than knowing “what” is productive struggle?
I have heard educators introduce the why of productive struggle to young people, but often times it is assumed that one introduction is all that is needed. I really believe that when first dealing with any struggle we all need a constant reminder of why we are either being subjected to such a struggle by someone or why we would subject ourselves to said struggle. That means that young people need to know the “why” every day and not just as a one time introduction. We have to smile and hit them over the head with the “why”as if it is a 2x4 until they start making the connections. Believe it or not, that is how we build trust. Half the battle is being there and supporting young people. We can’t make the connections for them by offering extrinsic rewards such as candy, gold stars, points, or grades. Human brains are not built that way. “No one outside influence or force can cause a brain to learn. It will decide on its own. Thus, one important rule for helping people learn is to help the learner feel she is in control” (Zull, 2002, p. 52). This comes back to empowering young people.
Young people don’t really want us to do the work for them or tell them the answers even though that is often the perception in the classroom. They do need to constantly feel as if the support is there, understand why the struggle is important, and make connections as to how it will help them to grow as a learner. The origin of the word “teach” comes from the Old English term “techon”, which means “to show”...not to tell. If, as teachers, we keep this in mind each day in the classroom we will provide the opportunity for young people to feel empowered which will naturally lead to making connections to the power of productive struggle.
References
Zull, James (2002). The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling VA: Solution Tree Press.
Stylus Publishing.
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