Wearing the ‘Student Hat’

Educators, administrators, and students all come to school wearing different hats. Throughout the day, we switch between these roles—parent, teacher, bestie, coworker—often without thinking about it. Some hats are harder to take off. Instead of switching hats, I start stacking them. For example, when my child is sick, the parent hat stays on no matter where I am, even if I’m still wearing the teacher hat.

We can also practice trying on new hats. Putting on the student hat, or thinking from a student’s perspective, helps educators grow stronger student connections. When we take a moment to put it on, we’re more likely to notice what shapes the student experience, both the good and the frustrating. It starts by asking, “What’s it really like to be a student in my classroom?” The answer will spark small changes with big impact. Wearing the student hat starts with being reflective. It means taking a step back and looking at my classroom, my assignments, and my assessments through a student’s eyes.

Evaluate the Classroom Environment

Sometimes the best way to understand where students are learning is to step back and look at the space with fresh eyes. To do this, I grabbed a phone and recorded a quick walk-through of my classroom. Then I sat down to watch the video, imagining it was my first time seeing the room. Does it feel welcoming? Too cluttered? How are the lighting and seating? A short video can reveal what we don’t notice in the middle of a busy day. We can even put a photo of our classroom into AI and ask it to provide unbiased feedback about the environment. AI will notice things such as desk arrangement and color schemes and will even make grouping suggestions, if prompted.

Teachers can also evaluate what it’s like to learn in the classroom. Next time a student is absent, sit at their desk during independent work. How’s the space? Easy to move around? Can the board or screen be clearly seen? If not, you can enlarge the font on your presentation or zoom in to ensure that students can easily read instructional material.

Finally, I like to make sure I’m using the whole classroom. During one lesson, I placed sticky notes around the classroom to mark every spot I visited during the class period. At the end, I looked around to see if I had a favorite area of the classroom. This helps ensure that I’m reaching every student—not just the ones near the front.

Evaluate Assignments and Assessments

Another aspect of wearing the student hat is taking a critical look at the assignments and assessments we design. When creating assignments and assessments, ask yourself questions like these:

• What’s it like to complete this assignment?
• What tools are students using?
• What tools should they be using?

Answering these questions gives us critical insight into the student perspective and helps us better understand the classroom experience.

After designing an assignment, I pause to ask, “What is the purpose of this task? Is it to build a skill? Check for understanding? Practice thinking in a new way?” Once I am clear on the goal, I can better align the assignment to my purpose, whether that means adding a real-world scenario or incorporating critical thinking. Considering the purpose through the lens of the student allows me a chance to ensure that I’m utilizing my class time wisely.

Exploring the technology: Another helpful way to consider the student perspective is to note how many clicks it takes to reach assignments in a learning management system, like Canvas. If it takes too many, students can lose their path or struggle to find what they need. We can simplify navigation to make it easier for students to access their work and stay focused.

One of the most valuable ways to wear the student hat is to grab a student device and complete the assignment yourself. Are students struggling with the tech? Watch a student work through the task from start to finish or experience it firsthand on their device. Can they easily highlight, skip, or return to questions when completing an assessment? It’s also worth regularly reviewing homework to ensure that it is reinforcing classroom learning without adding unnecessary stress.

I also try to anticipate potential tech issues, like saving files or editing documents. I can ask AI to create a simple troubleshooting guide for common problems associated with certain applications. This helps students and parents feel more confident and reduce frustration when technology goes wrong.

Testing the rubric: Once you complete the student assignment, use the sample work to take that rubric on a test drive. Testing the rubric on a teacher-created student sample helps educators spot any challenges students might face and ensure that grading is clear and consistent.

Finally, with AI widely available to students, it’s more important than ever for educators to understand how AI responds to their assignments. I can use AI to complete my assignment the way a student would by inputting directions, asking questions, or even dropping a PDF of the project into a chatbot to see how AI might help students complete the task. From there, I analyze the results and adjust the assignment to reduce surface-level AI use and encourage deeper student engagement.

Connecting with students

Wearing the student hat can be tough! It’s easy to forget how challenging school can be. I ask students for feedback on their experience in the classroom. Be open to thoughts, and make changes based on their input. When students see their feedback leading to action, it builds trust and improves the learning experience.

It is important to observe and reflect throughout the day. Were students engaged in my lesson today? Are they challenged, or are they feeling bored or overwhelmed? When you wear the student hat, you get a better sense of how the classroom experience is impacting them. After a lesson, ask yourself: Were students curious or excited about their learning today? We can use tools like AI to help us develop real-world scenarios and critical thinking questions, and we can incorporate collaboration or grouping techniques to change the classroom vibe.

Wearing different hats is a part of life. Sharing our experiences with students helps them understand our perspective, and this vulnerability can open the door for students to share their own struggles. When we tell our story, we invite students to connect on a deeper level, helping us better understand the hats they’re wearing. It is always worth the time to tell the story.

Wearing the student hat isn’t just a strategy, it’s a mindset. It invites us to slow down, zoom out, and truly consider the daily experience of our learners. When we intentionally shift our perspective, we create classrooms that feel more human, more connected, and more effective. So next time you walk into your room, take a moment to put on the student hat and ask: “If I were a student today, what would I need to thrive?”