The remainder of the morning was for ethnography groups to work on their project.
After lunch, we viewed a video describing reform efforts at several schools and districts circa 2005. The first two schools I asked you to consider what you learned and what you wonder about the experience of each constituent group, students, teachers, community. The last episode was about a school district, which we viewed through the 6 lenses proposed by the CA reform document Second to None.
We concluded the day with a problem-solving task—build the tallest, stable structure with toothpicks and marshmallows. The two important learnings are (1) that problem solving can be taught (Jerome Bruner), and (2) that content can be taught through problem solving activity. In today’s example, the physics principles of structure and stability were explored.
Homework – for Feb 22.
1. Read Cohen, Ch. 4-5
2. Ethnography
3. Reading Response – write on your own blog
4. Tweet – Special instruction: share the particular reform and the website for theschool you posted to your blog (or another one) in a tweet. I want you to use the
tinyurl tool to share the website address.
5. Answer question below
This week’s question: Consider something you learned outside of school with little or no help from a teacher (programming your DVR, gaming, sports, knitting, etc.). What was it? What distinguished this learning from your learning inside school? What might school teachers learn from this?
This week’s question: Consider something you learned outside of school with little or no help from a teacher (programming your DVR, gaming, sports, knitting, etc.). What was it? What distinguished this learning from your learning inside school? What might school teachers learn from this?
I learned the difference between memorizing facts and learning for understanding- personal knowledge. The learning that occurs at my school-site is through hands on experience. I will remember every day I spend with my students because I am actually doing something that challenges my thinking everyday.
ReplyDeleteI also learned that learning is much difficult than memorizing facts.
School teachers can learn that students need opportunities to learn not memorize. This means that students will need more time to develop their thoughts on concepts related to a topic. They will need to discuss, interpret, analyze and reflect on their thoughts and what they understand.
The difference was that I jumped in and got dirty in the real life situations. I had to truly wrap my head around the given task or skill. I had to learn it myself.
ReplyDeleteSchool teachers might look for more service learning opportunities for their students. Or why not bring in professionals from the outside more regularly to show the kids what skills are needed in that particular industry? And teachers can always step back to provide a comfortable space where the studnets can make mistakes.
I have learned a great many things outside of school and without the help of a teacher. The difference is that these are things, generally speaking, which I had a genuine personal interest in or need to know. The motivation for me to to learn the thing was that I saw the real-life application first. I am a pragmatist, a hard-worker, and I have amazing amounts of tenacity to teach myself things when I see the utility in doing so. Most often, the things that I learned in formal classrooms were things that someone else (especially in high school) determined I needed to know, and I didn't see the utility or real-life application to knowing them.
ReplyDeletei was placed on a team to scale-up a manufacturing process in freiburg, germany many years ago. i only knew germany from the context of hogan's heroes. i didn't want to screw things up so out of fear i was motivated to learn some basic german
ReplyDeletewow - Hogan's Heroes Greg. Now that is funnier than the profile picture!
ReplyDeleteI actually learned how to knit from my college roommate. What made this learning different from my learning in the classroom was I was I didn't just read about it and it wasn't just shown to me, but I was able to get some hands on experience. In all honesty, I don't know if it's possible to learn how to knit without actually doing the act. While in school, it is possible to learn some things (more so in a class like history) without having experienced it. But the experiential aspect is what makes things like knitting much more personal.
ReplyDeleteI guess what tecahers could learn from this is that experience is a driving force in makinf things interesting for students. Maybe we could even learn to feed off the experiences of our students to integrate further interest from our students to our content areas. I imagine this may look different for everyone. I also have a limited idea of what this would look like, but it is definitely something that could be done in all content areas...
I have learned a great number of things outside of school. The one that I am most experianced at is cooking. I did have some guidence early on, but I love to eat and cooking relaxes me so I try to cook alittle of everything. What got me motivated was my overall interest in it. I have had great dishes and horrible ones. Trial and error are my best frineds in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher I understand students will fail and not be interested, yet, if I allow them the opportunity to fail and the space to make the work theirs, they may get hooked like I did.
I learned a lot about being a school psychologist from the moment I stepped onto my school site for the first time to the moment I left that I didn't learn in school. I learned a lot of skills and theories in school that definitely helped me, but school could never have prepared me totally for all of the experiences that came my way. I had to learn as I went, from case to case, and was highly motivated to do so because there were real students with real concerns who were depending on me. I learned from others, I read, I researched, I tried things, I collected data, I asked questions, and I evaluated. I never knew I could learn so much in such a short period of time. I am sure that teaching will be much the same. We will learn things in school, and then learn more and more as we put those things into practice in our own classrooms everyday.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to skateboard without the help of a teacher. The way I learned how to skateboard differed from how I learned things in school. In school I was delegated work and expected to regurgitate information. Information was given to me without much effort on my behalf to acquire it. Skateboarding however required that I analyze different styles, and learn how to perform various tricks on my own.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to snowboard without a teacher. I learned by doing it and actually going out there and feeling the activity. I enjoyed learning how to get better with each time I went. This is different because many times I would not see why I had to learn some things and a lot of the material never really stuck. Teachers can help by having kids 'do' things in the classroom (or outside :-) )not merely memorizing facts sitting in a chair.
ReplyDeleteI learned build stuff outside of school. I think the main difference was i was really interested and it was a one on one learning experience. (I also taught my self to install floor boards) I think it's just falls under the make it real, relevant, and rigorous and that's what teachers could learn.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to make a "moby wrap" (used to carry babies on your back or in the front). My sister was having a baby and I wanted to make her something meaningful, but that wouldn't cost and arm and a leg. I loved the moby wrap idea, but they were super expensive. So I did research online and watched how-to videos and went to different fabric stores in order to discover the best way to make one on my own. I think the biggest distinction between this learnin and the learning at school is that it was something I was genuinely interested in. It was also useful learning - something I could make to be used. I think teachers need to give students as many opportunities as possible to connect learning at school to practical applications in their life. Teachers also need to give students opportunities to choose projects they are interested in.
ReplyDeleteLike Briana, I learned how to snowboard without a teacher. I think that the difference between this and learning in the classroom is how much hands on is required in the activity. Also, when I made a mistake in snowboarding I automatically knew what I needed to adjust or fix the next time I went down the mountain. In the classroom, teachers can use this immediate feedback to fix errors when they see a student make a mistake before its too late. Students will be able to fix their mistake so the next time they try the problem they know how to approach the goal more efficiently and faster. Also, more hands on and outside activities wouldn't hurt the teachers to take into account for a better learning environment.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to search the internet for cheap airline tickets without the help of a teacher. I wanted to learn because I knew it would save me money and even though it took a lot of time to find different sites (like skyauction, ryanair, and easy jet) I knew the reward would be worth it. I think relevance is the common theme I am seeing for most of us. We wanted to learn to improve our lives, have fun, or save/make money. Making the content relevant to kids will help them develop their own personal desire to learn.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to play ping pong without much help. I had to learn by watching other people play and from experimenting with different spins and serves. This was different from the learning that I've done in school because no one was telling me exactly how I should do it. It allowed me to me creative. I think that teachers should realize that students can learn on their own when they have time to explore and experiment.
ReplyDeleteI taught myself how to ride a motorcycle. This requires acquiring skills in the basic operation of the bike - clutch control, changing gears up and down, leaning into turns, etc, as well as safety awareness and practice of safe-riding techniques. Learning is totally hands-on, and skills build up gradually over time. It is fun, engaging and something I had a strong motivation to do. What distinguishes this from learning inside school is that I had a strong interest in wanting to learn, and it was fun and engaging.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to run my lacrosse program in college - the president/player before me graduated and I ended up sort of on my own to figure out the administration. Through A LOT of trial and error, late nights, and stressing out about letting down my best friends I figured out how to do it. I also learned how to leave the girl behind me in a much better position to take over. I think to really learn and understand the forces/concepts behind the material you have to fail and flounder around and find a way to straighten things out. We as teachers need to create an environment in which it is acceptable and valuable to stumble while you're figuring something out.
ReplyDeleteI learned how to play video games on my Nintendo 64 in middle school outside of the classroom. This was because I was very much interested in the game, it was interactive, and many friends were also playing. In this sense I was motivated to learn the ropes for entertainment's sake.
ReplyDeleteWithout the help of a teacher, I learned the art of gaming. I learned the ins and outs of conquering level after level leaving nothing behind but my sweet smell of victory. I learned from my mistakes (though there were few) and it stuck with me mainly because it was hands on. I think teachers can learn from this by making sure to make as many learning tools they can ones which include the use of the hands. Or some sort of magical sword or A, X, RS, Left Trigger combination.
ReplyDeleteI learned to use the equipment in a machine shop without the help of a teacher. I wanted to do all of the construction on my senior project in college so my advisor took me to the machine shop and gave me a peice of wisdom before leaving me there. "Don't put your hand in the machine while it is running." I learned everything I needed to be able to construct my project by trial and error and I had a huge amount of fun doing it.
ReplyDeleteFor me this says that motivation, the opportunity to work through things and the chance to fail are important and we as teachers should incorperate these things into our classrooms.
Something that I did not learn with the help of a teacher was dance. Mexican Folklore to be exact. This is probably the only thing I felt that I was good at and I continued to practice. I would go with my mom when she would perform, and practice the steps. I was able to do this because I was so motivated and back then I wanted to be a dancer so badly. I think that if this were something a teacher would have introduced, it would have lost its meaning, and me my passion for it.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of things I have taught myself to do: sewing, playing guitar, web design. When I was about 10 I decided I wanted to make a dress, so I found some fabric and just started sewing stuff together. As for guitar, when I went to college, I found a book that showed how to do chords. But someone had to teach me how to do the first chord, I think. Then I was able to do the rest from there, and just keep practicing. I think part of the teacher's job may be to kickstart the learning process. Or, in the case of guitar, take over once the student has learned the fundamentals and can't go any further by themselves. (I eventually started taking classes when I realized I had bad finger technique. Also, I learned some of them the wrong way and developed bad habits). So maybe it is not always good to learn things on your own. The teacher is there to set the framework for learning, too.
ReplyDeleteI read into these comments a strong theme, that a WHOLE lot of learning occurs with little guidance, direction, or instruction. However, there are clear and highly evident moments where a teacher played a significant role in (adding to? directing?) the learning.
ReplyDeleteNow, when is that teachers role a valuable addition, or when might it have been a distraction. Jacob, are you glad you learned the game cheats? Millie, are you glad you learned the improved hand position?
I agree strongly with relevance Colin assessed, and MIllie on kickstarting, and many of you on allowing time for exploring, failing, and stumbling about.
So, what does that need to stumble about say about the teacher-lust (a Math Ed colleague's word for it) to "help"?? (the struggling student?)
I learned how to use my cell phone without the help or guidance of a teacher. Now,this may sound kind of like a "duh" situation, but I don't mean I simply learned how to make calls. I learned how to set new navigation keys, send texts, make calls, create groups in my contacts list, assign personal ring tones, and all kinds of other "gadget" related tools cell phones have to offer now. This differed from other learning experiences because I did it completely on my own and completely through trial and error. It made it fun and sometimes frustrating, but it was for something that was important to me, so I was committed. As for eventually receiving guidance, if there ever was something I didn't know how to do on my phone I always have the user manual to fall back on, but I rarely do this with cell phones. Exploration and discovery are much more fun than reading a manual.
ReplyDelete