Teaching To Change The World

There are so many ideas expressed in these three chapters, it is hard to distinguish only a few key points. However, I think the overall theme in the article is the struggle between traditional teaching methods, and new psychological evidence gathered that gives us a better understanding of the mind, and how we learn. It talks of the struggle to implement complex sociological and psychological knowledge in the classroom.

The article gives us a history of education. Education has always reflected politics and the economy. Political and economic leaders try to use the schools to produce efficient citizens that can serve our country well. Schools were created so the citizens could be critical of political issues and active in our society. Schools evolved to teach students certain skills and crafts, so they could easily get a job for a business after their schooling. Now the school’s cirriculum has expanded, so students can choose which direction they would like to take their careers in. Nearly every subject is taught in schools, so children can fill a variety of spaces.

It also talks of the evolution of schools through physcology and sociology. Psychologist and sociologist have produced information over the years that has shaken the structure of the schools and teaching methods. There have been many broad explanations of how children learn. The article talks about how many scientific explanations of how the brain functions has shaped teaching methods in the classroom. It talks of the positive and negative effects of the various methods.

To place one idea on millions of students may benefit some, but it abandons many children. Each child has a different biological make-up, and when you combine that with each child’s different culture and experiences, you realize how each child should be treated as an individual rather than something a theory can describe. Oaks and Lipton describe how each child’s different culture can shape how they behave in the classroom. Some children can be more assertive or passive, or they can may ask more questions rather than provide answers, based on their heritage, or upbringing. A teacher needs to understand where each child is coming from before she files them into certain judgments.

In the school I teach at, there is much diversity. A lot of the classes in the after-school program are designed to teach cultural diversity to deal with the issue. This not only provides the students with an understanding of their peer’s cultures, but it also helps the students. For example, there are a lot of Mexican children at the school. Some were even born in Mexico. When we have classes on the culture of Mexico, the students can even provide the teachers with new information about their customs and traditions. This goes beyond the traditional schooling, where the teacher only teaches the student. It provides dialogue so the teachers can learn from the students. I feel the students also gain confidence by teaching their peers about their culture and experiences. Each child needs to feel as if they have a voice and an opinion. This encourages critical thinking.

This reading was incredibly informative. There was so much information in it, it is even difficult to reflect on all three chapters. I could write a paper about each individual paragraph. It challenges me to try to condense all three chapters into one reflection.

One piece of information that altered my perception of learning was the idea of multidimensional intelligence. I actually always felt like I thought differently than most people in my school. I sometimes felt as if I was slower. I do not feel that I respond quickly to everyday events and experiences. This idea helped me realize that intelligence can take different forms. It helped me gain confidence in my mind by realizing that creativity is also a form of intelligence.

This reading relates to Eisner, because they both talk about the individuality of each child’s mind. It cannot be easily defined by theory. The cognitive process is not something that is easily defined. However, if you analyze how every child learns in their early years, you realize creativity and experience are huge factors in a child’s development. Some people may feel like this is a stage a child must pass through as they grow older and more mature. But if these two learning processes are what lays the foundation for our thinking, then they must have significant importance throughout our life.

Quotes:

Extrinsic motivation comes from somewhere, or someone, else. Intrinsic motivation comes from within

Instead of looking at learning as a linear progression of adding facts upon facts throughout the grades, Bruner invisioned a spiral curriculum. All subjects have certain essential structures. Key ideas in subjects should be repeated throughout the grades, at more complex levels.