Article Four: Methods

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human
being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

-Thornton Wilder

Often times my students will say, “I don’t know how to start,” or “I have no ideas for
how to start this paper!” In these situations, students would benefit from seeing a model or
mirror of the thinking done in front of them. One way of providing that mirror for students as
they begin to develop their skills in any subject is through modeling. Modeling involves
showcasing the skill or ability that students are expected to learn before they set out to try it on
their own. Willis connects the action of modeling with what is going on in the brains of our
students, “Mirror neurons could allow the brain to not just ‘see’ actions, emotions, or sensations,
but also to respond to them by brain cell activations that mirror them” (13). By helping our
students activate those mirror neurons, we are showing them that the task at hand is achievable. I
believe that modeling not only acts as a way for students to see what is expected, but it also
levels the playing field between teachers and students. When students can see that the teacher
goes through a similar thought process and maybe even struggles when she reads, the stakes are
lowered and students feel more comfortable making mistakes in order to gain new skills.
Modeling is a great tool for helping students see what literacy learning looks like, but
how do we best help those students who struggle with finding the purpose and motivation to
learn? Willis frames these students in this way, “When students are asked to face stressful
reading challenges, they don’t feel good about the reading equivalent of a hot day and a daunting
staircase” (1). For students who have struggled for years and years with their literacy
development, reading and writing can feel like an insurmountable goal. I believe that the best
way to make reading more accessible for struggling students is by providing them with
opportunities to connect their learning with interests and hobbies. Imagine learning to read and
being provided with a text that you found uninspiring or were unable to connect with at all. It
would possible to read the words on the page, but would the act of reading be meaningful? Not
everything we read throughout our lives is inspiring and life changing, that’s for sure, but for
students who struggle with reading, why not provide them with material that they can at least
find interesting and connect with in order to make that learning process more pleasurable? Willis
agrees, stating that, “When learning activities induce pleasurable states in the brain, the
dopamine released could be available to increase attention and focus” (94). The old story
surrounding school was that it should consist of mostly learning, taught by the teacher, and that
fun should happen during recess or free time during the day. Although teachers have a lot of hats
to balance, and standards to fulfill, I believe that if pleasure and fun aren’t at the forefront of
learning, students will gain very little when they leave our classrooms. Not to mention, the job of
the teacher is complicated much more by having to teach subjects and lessons that she can’t have
fun with as well. Through integrating more games, movement, and hands-on learning in our
classrooms, student and educator enjoyment will increase, making for a lower-stress
environment where new and developing readers can flourish.