Assumptions to guide the design of learning
- Experts have deep conceptual knowledge
This is for teachers because as teachers we do this everyday as we have knowledge in one topic or subject and pass it along to our students as even if there is a topic that is not certain on we must get information and and facts to be familiar with topics be an expert in that topic.
-Learning comes from the learner
I had a placement teacher that always told me I have the best lessons when the topic makes me learn from the students. She said when she has an assignment she always wrights down at the beginning of the page "what I already knew about this topic" and on the bottom of the page "what I learned about your topic"
-Schools must create effective learning environments
Most of the schools I went to are very connection to the students. My favorite is when teachers put artwork of what students do in the classroom as they are all over the halls. I saw my kindergarten students always show me all the fun things that they created as they would do every time they put something new. My teachers would tell her students to make the best artwork because the whole school will see it,
-Prior Knowledge and beliefs are key
This goes with the same when the learning comes from the learner. Kids do have knowledge to there own lifestyle and it is important to ask them before reading a book or any assignment a lot of kids have a story behind it, I have noticed this even with my own placement I would bring up for example a farm and then 10 kids say they all have something to do with a farm, but it does get them engaged.
-Reflection is necessary to develop deep conceptual knowledge
At my placement they have a skit that represents the topic and there are three groups that all script and the kids have to memorize there lines and show that they know about the topic and if they need help learning a part of the topic.
My cooperation teacher would always teach me to make a schedule that you follow every day so they have a pattern and they feel like they are in charge of what goes on in the day. She said sometimes she through curve balls in there so they can see that changes are good and keeps them thinking.
Collaboration is huge.. you need to communicate with other teachers to work together. I am taking a class now that is a collaboration class just focused for teachers.
When the teacher you described learned things from her students, it's not an example of learning coming from the learner since the teacher is the learner in this case. When the learning comes from the learner, it means that someone else can't simply put it into the learner. The learner needs to make connections to what she already knows and make sense of the new knowledge for there to really be understanding.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned students' art work on the walls in connection with an effective learning environment, but how would this make it effective? What really makes an environment effective for learning?
Reflection is key to really learning, especially for a teacher. That's why you are blogging about the concepts of this chapter. The idea is for you to reflect on these ideas and make connections to your own experiences.
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI really like what you said about how schools must create effective learning environments. I think it really makes a difference in the school environment when students see their work hung up in the hallways. For each student seeing their art work hung up all over the school, I think it makes them feel proud of themselves like teachers do appreciate their work this could also make them feel proud of themselves. Also, I feel like when students see their work on the hallway walls, it may make them feel like they belong/their work matter. At the school I did my observational hours at, their was a kindness wall outside the principals office. Their was a big cut out of the word KIND, whenever teachers saw a student do something kind for someone else, the teacher would give a student a kindness spot to write their name on and put on one of the letters. Walking in the hallway they always were so proud and excited to show me or other teachers their name on the wall. These kindness spots on the wall created an effective learning environment for the students because, then after the students got their kindness spots, they knew to always act kind.
Natalie, I liked how you enforced the idea that prior knowledge is key. If I haven't learned anything else, I learned that teachers and students should make connections between the material learned with other things learned before. This helps with the expansion of knowledge. When teachers neglect this part, students begin to wonder why the information is important. Teachers need to make learning relatable. Also, I agree with you that schools must create effective learning environments. It's essential for proper learning and interacting.
ReplyDelete