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ROLE On…

Jul 20, 2010 » by Michael Barata

I am so very excited to share this story with you. I recently connected with Mark Barnes, an 18-year classroom teacher in a public school district in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

He wants to change the game of education. He has already been up to some pretty innovative (and environmentally conscience) things, but now he wants to go even further. Enter ROWE.

His story…

Several years ago I began transitioning my class to an online web environment, in a sense going paperless. Now, all of my students begin the year with their own individual web sites, all contained in my online Content Management System. This was so successful that other teachers began asking about it, so I developed The Paperless Classroom system. Now, I share this system of teaching and learning with educators in conferences, at nearby schools and in three online courses, which I teach through two colleges in Ohio.

Upon reading Dan Pink’s Drive, I became very interested in focusing my teaching on developing Type I personalities. When I came upon ROWE in Pink’s book, I was immediately enthralled with the idea of a results only environment. It hit me that I could possibly create a Results Only-Learning Environment (ROLE) in my classroom, based on what I learned about ROWE in Pink’s book, on the ROWE web site and in numerous ROWE-related videos I have viewed. I hope that teaching junior high school students the concepts behind intrinsic motivation that I can also get them to appreciate a results only learning environment.

I will begin the year by explaining a ROLE to my students and discussing the lessons they are expected to learn and that they will be assessed only on results. I will provide them with desired learning outcomes and give them numerous options for getting the results. I’m hoping to allow the students to grade themselves – at least for one quarter of the year to see how it goes. I believe if the students are “coached” properly, they will embrace a Type I philosophy as well as a Results-Only Learning Environment.

[we will feature updates from Mark as they happen]

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  • Debbie Varney

    Absolutely life changing information! Thank you!

  • Shirley

    Can it really be ROWE-like if the kid have to come to class everyday? Or are special circumstances in place so that the children can work elsewhere?

  • C. A. Hurst

    Great post Michael!

    Very cool, Mark! Here is a presentation by Sir Ken Robinson you might be interested in: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html

    Bring on the learning revolution!

  • http://www.eatinglightbulbs.com Eddie Colbeth

    Great article!

    I’d suggest checking out:
    Punished By Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes
    by Alfie Kohn

    As well, I’m a Drive enthusiast as well and this book is from the Drive reading list. It’s a great resource for parents, teachers and well….everyone.

    Also this TED presentation:

    http://www.ted.com/talks/kiran_bir_sethi_teaches_kids_to_take_charge.html

  • C. A. Hurst

    Hi Eddie,

    Thank you for the book recommendation and the TED link. I hadn’t seen that one yet.

  • Lynn O’Driscoll

    Great article. I will be reading as much as a can from Mark Barnes. Putting the learning in the hands of the students is long over due and something many of us teachers have been working towards. Way to go!!