The Core of Teaching: Look Who's Talking

Sean Junkins (@sjunkins) tweeted today, "In a classroom, whoever is doing the most talking is likely doing the most learning. Talking requires thinking." There are so many times I feel like "Wow, I just totally dominated the entire conversation." It is so easy to believe that the students need to hear me in order to learn. What I feel I end up doing is sending the message that I am the be all and end of all of information and that my students' jobs are to be passive, good listeners.
What I have tried to do in the last couple of years as a first-grade teacher, and now a third-grade teacher is to incorporate more think, pair, share opportunities and to create instructional activities that promote self-discovery rather than me "pouring" knowledge into partially filled vessels. Recently, this has proven particularly difficult for me personally because I am teaching a curriculum that is new to me, while simultaneously learning how to accomplish meeting the Common Core Learning Standards (which involves the extra pressure of testing). In teaching my students research skills with informational print text, informational online text, and various multimedia (e.g., videos, images, etc.), I have found they can be "trusted" to learn with less teacher intervention. The trick is they have to know that the information they are gaining is important and others can benefit from their learning.
I have found that the motivation factor is key. How do I reel them in? By creating opportunities to use their voice for an audience other than the teacher. Another key factor is ownership. I ask how they want to tell others about their knowledge. Of course, I provide some possibilities such as creating a Web site on the topic, creating a Voicethread, and creating a newscast that will be put on the class blog/Web site- just to name a few. The use of technology to reveal one's voice has proven to be a great motivator.
There are extra benefits to using technology to display their knowledge to reach a wider audience on the Internet, namely collaboration and teamwork. Most times my students are put in small groups to do the research and to develop the framework for their messages. So many kids "step up" their effort in such cases. I have had students who generally shied away from reading or writing in front of their peers; however, when they were making a newscast or commercial they became active members of the group and even the best public speakers!
So last week when the students were composing their persuasive essays for why people should visit the Northeast region of the United States, I realized I was standing on the sidelines watching. I was the one listening! My students were doing the talking and learning. They were actively thinking (and doing so enthusiastically)!
When I took a step back my students' creativity also shown through. They came up with their own commercials using their persuasive essays, with PROPS! Here are some of the final products.