Teaching for Transfer: Stop Helping Already

I have a startling confession to make.

I'm a teacher. And I help students too much.

You might be musing, "Well Kristen, you're a teacher so you are SUPPOSED to help students, duh!" Well, of course I should be assisting students, but I also need to ensure that I create opportunities for students to transfer their learning to novel situations without my help.

I am preparing students for a world that does not exist yet. Therefore, if students cannot independently transfer the skills and competencies that I teach them, then I haven't done my job. It doesn't matter if I'm beloved, rated as satisfactory, or eligible for a pension. I simply haven't done my job.

Practically, this means that examples on my assessments should NOT match exact examples or texts that we've covered in class. I should stop over prompting students, especially in novel situations. I should help students monitor their self awareness and their autonomy as they complete tasks by using rubrics that address these skills.

This is going to be hard, but I know it's the best way to ensure students receive a relevant education. What do you think?

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