I considered using the format that we used in the beginning to start of this post. But that wouldn’t show much of a progression would it? Then I realized I didn’t want to use it then either. Isn’t it funny how some notions don’t change, and yet the way we express them does. I was rebellious in our first post. I actually created a school, and didn’t summarize the Sugata Mitra or the blog post we read. Though I still followed the format we were given, and answered the questions like a good little student should. But what does this have to do with my reflection of the class? Well quite a bit actually.
When we envisioned our students in the beginning, they weren’t my focus. They were, but weren’t. I was excitedly looking at the future of my students’ education, a place that I hoped would one day exist. So in that aspect I was envisioning my students, just not within realities complex. The reality disappointed me. It was not my future students that disappointed me, but the confines that would bind them.
Now I have a slightly different view. This view is much more hopeful, even though it is less imaginative. Well, less imaginative for our generation of teachers. Our society has developed, and is continuing to develop in such a way, that the binds that I hoped to lift with my imaginary school, are being lifted without. My students will be able to experience things that will allow them to connect with others around the world, see math in action, and have access to all knowledge including literature, history, and science. Though I do like my imaginary school, it isn’t required to remove the binds. And I see my students in a different way.
First, my students will know much more than I could ever know when it comes to technology. My generation was the leader into this development, but we are falling behind. The latest trends are not geared towards us, and we must keep up with them regardless if we believe them to be practical or not. My students will be able to work a computer, Ipad, gaming system, and etc. And they will be able to do it faster than me. Though, I am thankful that I am not going to be as slow as the generation behind me will be.
I was supposed to be teaching math to high school students. But my convictions have changed. Though to what I am not sure. But I still hope to teach high school students in the end. This will be interesting regardless, for they will be the most apt at knowing trends. Within a few years all of them will have been blogging, googling, watching videos, playing on face book, their entire lives. It is almost scary to consider it this way. The good thing is, they will be apt to changing technologies quickly. This may be thanks to trends changing every six months, which is considered deplorable by many in past generations, but at least it is preparing them.
I don’t know the tools I will use, mainly because most of them haven’t been invented yet. That doesn’t mean I will scrap everything I have learned in this class. I will probably be using Google and its applications the rest of my life. Blogging may even remain main stream and current, but I suspect there will be a different form of it in the near future. One that is more up to date. I will probably use a smart board for a little while, but I’m certain in 5-10 years there will be something new. Technology is always changing, so why limit ourselves.
My classroom will still look, smell, and feel the same as I introduced it would. My students will see pictures of anime characters, puns, equations, famous art, and other students’ works every day they come into class. I will always have something that smells delicious and warm. It will feel homey. I hope to give as much one on one attention to my students as I can, and hope the setting allows them to feel comfortable and do their best.
I hope to be as lively and excited about everything as I am now. I hope to fill their brains in ways where they don’t even realize I’m doing it. I want to do fun projects that stick with them for life. And I hope they will be better people because of what I teach, as well as more knowledgeable.
I will still dream that my imaginary school will come to be. That one day we can enter a virtual world that allows us to touch, smell, see, hear, and taste things, and use that ability to connect with others and learn to our upmost potential. But in the meantime, we can still educate our students in a way that doesn’t bind them. The knowledge they can obtain is endless. So let us try to fill their brains with endless knowledge.
Just to clarify two things in the video. First, I hated how we learned in this class, not the class or material. And second, you can stay one step ahead of someone while still following them. Think of two people walking in a straight line one in front of the other. The person behind might be a step ahead, like their right foot may already be on the ground before the person in front of them has just lifted it. But beyond literal, we are able to direct our students, even if we are behind them. And that is how we stay one step ahead of them. I'm having trouble explaining it, so if you don't get it I'm sorry.
"The way we learned wasn't the way I wanted to be taught." Do you intend to teach, if you pursue that career, to teach the students only in the way they want to be taught. If you have a class of more than one (or maybe two or three) you will not be able to attain that objective. Better you teach them to learn on their own without a teacher at all.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct about the tools. They will be out of date. So you have to learn what? To learn on your own. We agree on that. What we don't agree on is that in a school every individual student can learn whatever they want in whatever way they want to. Ironically the video you did not watch of Sugatra Mitra makes that case very well. However, the "school" doesn't exist. It does here, whether you like it or not. If you intend to teach in a school, where there are school boards, principals, other teachers, students and parents, each of those will set limits on your actions. And on student actions. You are very bright. You write well. You think on your own. But you only do what you want to do. Unfortunately for you, teachers cannot be free in that way. Neither can you unless you have the good fortune to live unfettered by anything except determining what you like to do. Maybe if you were to win a lottery that would be possible. I am not even sure then because governments would insist you share your winnings with them whether you wanted to or not. It fact, they would get their shares first! Life is like that. There are numerous borders. Everywhere. EDM310 is attempting to prepare you to make the best of a world full of walls and barriers. You, I think, are not ready to do that. I have added a comment I wrote for you reply to my comments on your Blog Post #10 but which I originally withheld. I think it summarizes, in your own words, where you are at the moment.
I'm sorry. I have reread your comment several times now, and I am a bit confused. Your thoughts are jumbled and I cannot see where you were going with them.
DeleteFirst, I did watch the Sugata Mitra video that we were assigned in this class. Are you talking about another one?
Second, what "school" are you talking about or making reference to that does or doesn't exist? I discussed how technology was lifting the binds on learning that students have had in the past. And that our students will be very astute in technology and will probably know it better than us.
I never stated that teachers should be "free"... however, I do believe there is more than one way to answer questions and be a proactive learner. It is sometimes good to be as I put it "rebellious". Learning on ones own is very different then thinking for oneself. And it is important for students' to understand that the world is full of "gray" areas. Not everything is black and white. Much is left up to interpretation.
Also I believe you are wrong about learning on ones own. First of all, using the internet is not learning on ones own. That is a proactive way to learn utilizing someone else's history or instructions. It may not be their teachers, but they are still learning from someone. So, why shouldn't it be the teacher more often? If we promote learning on ones own the way that you wish for us to, we miss a very large portioning of students and forge quite a few lazy teachers. But I digress.
Let me give an example. Let us say we gave 4 people a duty, they must grill a steak with a gas grill. Assume none of them know what a gas grill. And they have three days to figure out how to grill this steak, and must make one the night of the third day. The first student is disallowed any knowledge about a gas grill. They are simply allotted all kinds of supplies and told what a gas grill does. They are then asked to create the grill off of this bare minimum knowledge. Btw, This student is the only one in this category truly learning on their own. They are inventing and creating things without using anyone's prior knowledge. They are experimenting and figuring everything out on their own. We need this kind of learning, and we need to promote it. It is vital to our future to have people with these skills. Someone who can have a final goal, and very little information prior that will help them achieve it.
The second person is allowed to do research, and make a grill from what they research. They aren't truly learning on their own because they are using the resources around them to learn. However, they are learning. But I wouldn't call it on their own. They are learning in quite a different way then the first person. Even though they must still build a grill and learn to grill a steak.
DeleteThe third person is given a "make your own" gas grill. They have all of the materials needed, and have instructions on how to put it together. They are also allowed to research information about grilling, and ask for help with making the grill if they so choose. The third person, by the way you describe learning on ones own, is learning on ones own. However, they aren't. They are still learning vital skills. Being able to follow instructions, and learn by demonstration of someone more knowledgeable is very important. They can have hands on instruction, or if they are a different kind of learner, such as a visual, or even audio learner, they may not need someone helping them. They can read and or hear what they need to know, and do it.
The fourth person has a pre-made top of the line grill purchased for them. They just have to learn how to use it. They can have any kind of help they feel is appropriate, and even have a chef teach them the best way to cook a steak, and how to gauge it. They are given every resource on grilling and using the grill purchased.
Which one learned more, and which one cooked the best steak?
They all learned an equal amount. But they learned in completely different ways, and about completely different things. And I would state only the first person really learned on their own. They had no help at all, and only knew the final goal. They had to learn everything on their own. I'm certain their grill would be the most creative of the bunch, even if it didn't work the best.
The second person learned a lot about making grills. And they probably have a fairly impressive grill. But they probably ran out of time when it came to learning about how to grill a steak. And it may not be the highest functioning grill either.
The third person has a decent grill. And since they saved time they may be able to make a pretty good steak. The grill will most likely work successfully. And they will have engaged in numerous types of learning.
But I would bet the fourth persons steak would taste the best. They had the most at their disposal. And were able to take many advantages in their learning. We need people who can learn like this, just as we need people who can create a things with minimum prior knowledge.
Who would deserve the best grade? If we based it on their knowledge, they would probably deserve the same grade (so long as the final person put in an effort). And yet, they learned and accomplished completely different things.
My point in this is, we don't always learn on our own. And when we do, it is just as important as when we learn from research, instructions, or hands on help. So, I don't think it is most important to teach students' to learn on their own.
In any case, I expect there are many boundaries that everyone must cross. And sometimes there doesn't seem to be a way around them. And sometimes it is impossible to climb over them. As Randy Paunsh explained, the walls are only there to keep everyone else out. If you really want it, you find a way. And I think that means you sometimes have to blow a hole in the wall.
I just had a long tangent, but I think it does make some of my views a tad clearer. We should strive to teach the way our students learn. Not just a majority of them, but all of them. We may not obtain it, but we should at least try. This class should focus on utilizing many teaching techniques rather than the one you believe pushes us to learn on our own. We may not always get to learn the way we like to and learn best, but we should at least get to occasionally.
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ReplyDeleteThe above comment was removed to correct four typos. Otherwise this comment is the same as the one that was removed.
ReplyDelete"We should strive to teach the way our students learn. Not just a majority of them, but all of them." A worthy goal.
If you teach, here are some impediments you will encounter.
1. Huge classes. I am expected to take up to 140 students each term. It is not unusual for an elementary class to have 30-35 students.
2.Different experiences in school. Many students have found a route to a grade and grades become the objective, not learning. This applies to most students in my experience. And probably even more parents.
3. Lack of learning resources. The Internet makes it better, but some schools use only old, worn-out, never stimulating (or accurate in some cases).
4. Teachers who no longer care.
5. "Other duties" such as counseling, meal supervision, traffic supervision, cleanliness supervision, health supervision, behavior supervision. This is not a complete list.
6. Grades
7. Teachers most often teach as they were taught
8. Parental interference
9. Supervisory interference
10. Etc.
Number 3 should end with text books.
ReplyDelete