In the ever-evolving world of education, teachers constantly search for ways to engage their students and build a sense of ownership in the classroom.
During a professional development session a few years ago, I was inspired by the book Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education by Glenn Whitman and Ian Kelleher.
The book highlighted how the first and last moments of a class are the most “sticky” for students — meaning these moments have a lasting impact on their learning.
This sparked an idea: Could I give my students more agency by allowing them to lead the opening and closing of the lessons? I decided to give it a try and here’s how it unfolded.
Empowering Students to Lead the Lesson Opening
I decided to experiment with ninth graders, understanding that they would need a bit of guidance at first. To make it easier for them, I created a checklist that they could follow during the opening of the class.
This checklist was printed, laminated, and attached to a clipboard, which they would pick up when entering the class on their assigned day to “open.”
The checklist included the following tasks:
- Greet classmates as they enter the classroom.
- Bring the class to attention when the bell rings.
- Read the daily lesson plan and objectives that I had written on the board.
- Lead the Reading Minute, which is a creative exercise I borrowed from Kelly Gallagher.
The Reading Minute: A Fun Twist
The Reading Minute became a classroom favorite. The idea is simple — we begin the class by reading something for one minute, and students sign up to lead this activity. The key difference in my version of the exercise is that students and I choose the genre for the Reading Minute.
For example, we could choose poetry, children’s books, or even celebrity Wikipedia pages. Over the course of the year, we’ve enjoyed reading everything from song lyrics to news articles with a “Florida man” headline.
This creative freedom helped students feel excited about the task and gave them ownership over the lesson’s opening.
I also carved out class time for students to select and print their Reading Minute excerpt, ensuring they were prepared on their designated day. This not only helped them stay on track but also fostered a sense of responsibility and preparation.
Empowering Students to Lead the Lesson Closing
The closing of a lesson is just as important as the opening. After all, this is the final impression students will take away from the class. To give students control over this moment, I created a menu of choices for the closer to pick from.
This menu is attached to the same clipboard the opener uses, and when the opener finishes their part, the clipboard is passed to the closer.
The closer’s job begins with keeping an eye on the time. When there are five minutes left in class, the closer alerts me, and I prepare to hand over the reins to them. Here are some of the options I give students to choose from for the class closure:
- Key Word: Go around the table and ask each student to share a key word related to the lesson.
- Low Stakes Quiz: Ask three quiz questions related to the lesson that the closer creates.
- Snowstorm: Have everyone write down one sentence about what they learned today, crumple it up, and throw it. Then, pick up someone else’s paper and read it aloud.
- Six-Word Headline: Share a headline that summarizes the lesson in exactly six words.
- Thought, Question, Aha: Go around the table and ask each student to share a thought, a question, or an “aha!” moment from the class.
- Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light: Each student shares something they don’t understand (red light), are starting to understand (yellow light), or fully understand (green light).
- Community Builder: Ask an ice-breaker question, such as, “What’s the best breakfast cereal?” or “What commercial jingle will you never forget?” Everyone shares their answer.
The idea was to give students a fun, low-stakes way to reflect on the lesson, while also providing opportunities for creativity and meaningful connection.
Bumps in the Road
As with any new approach, there were some challenges along the way. Initially, students struggled to remember it was their turn to open or close, and I had to step in to help, which went against the idea of giving them full responsibility.
To make this smoother, I wrote the name of the opener and closer on the board as part of the lesson plan, which helped keep everyone on track.
Also, getting the class to settle down when the bell rang was another challenge. As experienced teachers know, this can be difficult at the start of any lesson.
Turning this responsibility over to students required extra reminders from me, but it was still an opportunity for them to practice leadership in a small but significant way.
Looking Ahead: How to Improve and Adapt
While the results were mixed at times, the overall experience was positive. I enjoyed watching reserved students step out of their shells and witnessing even the more boisterous students struggle with keeping the class engaged.
In a way, it was a learning process for everyone — including me. I also saw students problem-solving in real-time, like one student asking, “Can I give them some candy if they are quiet?”
Looking ahead, I wonder how I can adjust this practice for older students or how to streamline the process of getting the class settled. I also plan to revise the closing menu to make it more effective and engaging for students of all ages.
The best part, though, is that I have my students to help me figure it out. If I want this to be truly student-driven, they should be involved in making these decisions with me. This partnership is the key to fostering their ownership of the classroom.
Allowing students to take charge of the opening and closing moments of class not only gives them ownership but also fosters a sense of agency and responsibility.
While there are challenges along the way, the rewards of seeing students lead with confidence and creativity are well worth the effort. It’s a step toward building a classroom where students feel empowered, engaged, and ready to contribute to the world beyond the classroom.
