A teacher said something profound that gave me pause in a professional learning session the other day.
“Maybe I just need to get out of the way more.”
It wasn’t said with a sense of defeat, but rather a quiet realisation. A gentle reckoning with the idea that maybe, just maybe, we don’t always have to do so much. Maybe our students need us to step back. Not because we don’t care, but because we care so much that we want them to truly grow and reach their potential.
It got me thinking – what happens when we stop trying to control every aspect of the classroom? What happens when we give students the space to solve their own problems, to have the rich, messy, and sometimes magical conversations that they would have if we weren’t always steering the ship? What if we aren’t the gatekeepers of every learning opportunity for our students?
As teachers, we’re often encouraged to manage, to instruct, to direct. And we’re praised for being organised, structured, and in control. And there’s no doubt that strong classroom management has its place.
But sometimes, our desire to manage every moment, every behaviour, every outcome, can get in the way of learning. True learning isn’t always tidy or predictable. It’s not always about perfectly planned and executed lessons or neatly ticked success criteria. Sometimes, the most powerful learning happens in the unexpected moments, when students wrestle together with a challenge, lean on each other for support, or figure something out on their own.
I once worked with a Year 8 Science teacher who was a meticulous and thoughtful practitioner, known for creating detailed lesson plans to guide his students. On this particular day, he was introducing the concept of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. He had a PowerPoint ready to go, with a clear intention: by the end of the lesson, students would know the definitions of both terms.
I gently suggested we try something a little different, and with an open mind, he agreed. We invited the students into a learning circle and posed some simple questions: What do you think you know about renewable energy? What might the terms mean? What are some examples of energy sources?
Within about 10 minutes, the students had settled on working definitions, identified examples of each, and generated a list of questions they were curious to explore. The teacher looked at me, a little wide-eyed, and said, “They’ve just covered the entire lesson I had planned – in ten minutes, on their own.” It was a fabulous example of just what can happen when we leave students to it.
So, what does it actually mean to ‘get out of the way’ in a classroom?
It might look like:
- Teaching the skills and then providing opportunities for students to talk to each other. We can use learning circles, think-pair-share, or small group discussions, and then listen. Trust that they will have a meaningful conversation. Resist the urge to jump in with corrections or suggestions. All conversations do not need to go through us.
- Valuing student voices. Elicit genuine feedback from them about their learning experiences. Ask questions like, “What’s working for you right now?” or, “What could we change to make this better for everyone?”
- Letting students solve their own problems. Instead of jumping in with answers, pause and ask, “How do you think you could work this out?” or, “What do you need to do next?”
Stepping back doesn’t mean stepping away. We’re still present, observing, guiding when needed, but we’re allowing students to build their own capacity as learners, problem-solvers, and collaborators. All the skills and attributes we want for our young people and future global citizens.
But let’s be honest – it can feel uncomfortable to step back.
What if they get stuck? What if they don’t get the ‘right’ answer? What if the noise level rises, or the conversation goes off track?
And yes, sometimes it will feel messy. But that’s where the real learning lives. Where we get to find out just how truly capable our students are.
May I propose a small challenge for us all? This week, is there one place where you could ‘get out of the way’ just a little more?
One moment where you could pause, step back, and let the students take the lead?
Maybe you’ll see students rise to the challenge. Maybe they’ll surprise you, like the Year 8 Science class. Maybe they’ll stumble – and learn something in the process.
Either way, I’d love to hear how it goes.
Check out other articles Kirsty has written here.