Inviting Uncertainty into the Classroom

Allyson Kuntz

The article Inviting Uncertainty into the Classroom was written by Ronald A. Beghetto.

Beghetto is a professor of educational psychology. He wrote this article to educate teachers about

the importance of uncertainty and why it is a good thing. He provided five strategies of

welcoming uncertainty into the classroom and how to respond to them.

The first strategy is “view (good) uncertainty as an opportunity.” Beghetto believes that

not all uncertainty is “bad.” Some uncertainty is good, and can even be useful in the classroom.

He separates uncertainty into two categories- bad uncertainty and good uncertainty. Bad

uncertainty creates chaos in the classroom. It comes from the students not knowing what is

expected of them, lack of support, and no structure within the classroom. Good certainty is when

the students take risks with the unknown, but while in a supportive and structured classroom. An

example of good certainty is while presenting a new complex lesson, the teacher provides the

students with a set amount of time to solve the problems on their own, providing any materials,

and positive reassurance. This way the students know how much time they have, what is

expected of them, and freedom to work with their uncertainty of the problems.

The second strategy is “try lesson unplanning.” Lesson unplanning is using a previously

made, structured and organized lesson plan. You change one aspect of the lesson by creating it to

be more open-ended. An example of lesson unplanning is changing your usual teaching strategy

of math. Instead of presenting a few examples and giving the class some to do on their own, you

can give them the problems, but require them to come up with another strategy to solve them.
This promotes their independent thinking, creativity and allows some uncertainty in the

classroom.

The third strategy is “assign complex challenges.” Beghetto stated that the more

uncertainty involved in a task, the more complex it becomes. To prepare the students for

uncertainty in the real world, we want them to be exposed to different ranges of tasks. This

requires assigning small tasks as well as large tasks that may not be solvable. Beghetto believes

that for students to react positively to complex tasks, they have to “​take time to explore the

features of the task or situation, generate possible ways to address it, and evaluate the viability of

those possibilities. Finally, students need to take action by choosing initial steps, taking those

steps, monitoring progress, and making adjustments along the way (Beghetto).”

The fourth strategy is “explore the backstory of famous solutions.” In this strategy,

students go more in depth of history and previously solved problems. They learn about the why,

what, when, how, and where of finding that solution. They learn the process of how the problem

solver got to their solution.

The final strategy is “launch never-ending projects.” Beghetto made a good point about

most school projects. We confine the project to a time limit and within the class walls. Another

strategy to promote uncertainty is allowing it to last the whole school year and working outside

of school. For instance, at some schools, seniors in high school are required to complete a

“senior project.” They have the whole school year to do something big, creative and positive.

Some students plan big events at nursing homes, collect donations for charitable organizations,

etc. Instead of keeping this in the senior grade level, it could be in all grade levels! This promotes

the students to do good deeds and work on big projects at a young age.
 From this article, I learned the many benefits of welcoming uncertainty into a classroom.

When I imagine myself in a classroom in a few years, I imagine myself being overly organized,

lesson planning and following a set schedule daily. However, after reading this very educational

article, I see that allowing some challenges in the classroom and taking time to let my students

think deeply about the uncertainty, can help them grow mentally and emotionally. They will

have more experience with tougher challenges and may not experience as much stress or anxiety

in these situations in the future. It teaches the students to welcome obstacles and big projects.

This is because it will show them they can complete them, they have the ability to solve them,

and they can become stronger from these challenges.

I see myself using this information in my classroom because I will provide more leniency

with projects and ideas. Instead of having them paint a specific thing such as a tree and a house, I

will tell them “Paint one of your happiest memories.” They can use their imagination, express

themselves, and experience just a little bit of uncertainty about their project. Uncertainty will be

welcomed in my classroom because it will help me become a better teacher, develop more

strategies of teaching, and become more understanding of the student’s minds. It will also help

my students express themselves, think deeper, gain experience with complex situations, and gain

self confidence in their problem solving abilities. To be a good leader, like I want to be, I have to

put the student’s education in front of my certainty. Being an overly organized teacher may feel

comforting and secure, but stepping out of my comfort zone and allowing some uncertainty into

my lessons will help the students greatly.

I highly recommend reading this article. It has opened my mind to possibilities in my

classroom. As future educators, we are required to keep growing and learning. We can do so by
changing our lessons, trying new things, and welcoming uncertainty into the class. To handle the

uncertainty well, we have to understand the importance of challenging our students in a positive

and secure environment. This is one of the many ways we can prepare them for their future.

Beghetto, A. Ronald. (n.d.). Inviting Uncertainty into the Classroom. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct17/vol75/num02/Inviting-Uncertaint
y-into-the-Classroom.aspx