Connecting the dots

What students do not understand is how to connect the dots about the practices teachers are trying to foster. When they do not grasp the explicit purpose or know what they are learning, they begin to question their academic and civic perception of the classroom. 

A sizable issue in the classroom stems from a lack of communication. Students, for the most part, do not have many educators who consistently emphasize why they are learning what they are learning. 

At the beginning of the year, students may be given a syllabus to “understand” what they will get out of the class. Although that is important, it is not the defining moment of any course because it is often only mentioned at the start of the school year. 

Students remember to complete tangible assignments rather than follow their curiosities in the class. It is easy to fall prey to a cognitive illusion of learning: As students diligently complete daily assignments, they struggle to find their defining moment with the class. This leads many to ask, “How did the system get to the point of educational dryness?”