Educational Pedagogy

This piece was actually sparked by an interview of Lady Gaga by Soledad O' Brien at the Born This Way Emotion Revolution Summit where Gaga stated, "It's time to stop telling learners what to do and 

start listening for we can do for them.”

 

One of those accepted practices, sadly, in most educational settings is that the teacher is the authority to be respected and listened to without question. Listening to students is not a practice that is often taught in teacher education programs.

 

There is a current movement, in some circles, to promote and honor student voice.  But, and this is a huge but, if educators are serious about honoring student voice, they need to first learn how to listen, really listen to their students.

Students who are given a voice in setting goals gain ownership in what they’re learning. Teachers who listen to what students tell them they need to learn gain more than just a better understanding of the children they teach — they gain clarity on their roadmap to better teaching. And when conversations about teaching and learning are allowed to happen, teachers and students develop mutual trust and high expectations. (Want to Improve Teaching? Listen to Students)

Learn more:

 

https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/design-the-learning-of-your-learners-students-ideas/

 

https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/practice-put-students-in-the-drivers-seat-how-to/

 

https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/practice-better-ways-to-say-i-dont-know-in-the-classroom/

 

Via Gust MEES

This is a follow up to a post I wrote, How Do We Learn? How Should We Learn?  The purpose of these posts is to encourage educators to examine practices they take for granted, implement without deep...

 

The following are some suggestions for establishing context (the list is just a start). Ironically, they are practices that are often recommended are best practices in teaching but they aren’t implement as often as they should be:

Assess and Connect to Learners’ Real Life and Previous Experiences with the Topic – seehttp://ideaedu.org/research-and-papers/pod-idea-notes-instruction/idea-item-11-related-course-material-real-lifeUse Hands-On and Experiential Activities – see http://www.raft.net/case-for-hands-on-learningUse Case Studies and Simulations – seehttps://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/instructionalstrategies/casestudies.htmlHave Learners Engage with Real World Practitioners – see http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52279118#52279118Implement Place-Based Learning – see http://www.ourcurriculummatters.com/What-is-place-based-education.php

Via Gust MEES

If I ask you or your students, "How do you learn," how many of you could clearly articulate this process? If you can, are the strategies you're using the best ones for learning? 

 

Apply New Learning Often and in Meaningful Contexts

 

The more you can apply what you’re learning to your every day, the more it’ll stick in your head. The reason is simple. When you’re learning by doing, you’re implementing everything that makes our memory work. When you’re able to connect what you’re learning with a real world task, that forms the bonds in your brain, and subsequently the skills you’re learning will stick around.

 

We learn best when we have context, and that applies to new skills as much as it does random facts in school. That’s why something like the transfer of learning is helpful when your learning a new skill. This means you’re applying your new skills in your day to day life in a context that matters. (http://lifehacker.com/the-science-behind-how-we-learn-new-skills-908488422)

Via Gust MEES

This is a follow up to a post I wrote, How Do We Learn? How Should We Learn?  The purpose of these posts is to encourage educators to examine practices they take for granted, implement without deep...

 

The following are some suggestions for establishing context (the list is just a start). Ironically, they are practices that are often recommended are best practices in teaching but they aren’t implement as often as they should be:

Assess and Connect to Learners’ Real Life and Previous Experiences with the Topic – seehttp://ideaedu.org/research-and-papers/pod-idea-notes-instruction/idea-item-11-related-course-material-real-lifeUse Hands-On and Experiential Activities – see http://www.raft.net/case-for-hands-on-learningUse Case Studies and Simulations – seehttps://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/instructionalstrategies/casestudies.htmlHave Learners Engage with Real World Practitioners – see http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52279118#52279118Implement Place-Based Learning – see http://www.ourcurriculummatters.com/What-is-place-based-education.php
Via Gust MEES

Suspends Judgment – Silences the Inner Critic

 

The ability to hold off on judging or critiquing an idea is important in the process of creativity. Often great ideas start as crazy ones – if critique is applied too early the idea will be killed and never developed into something useful and useable. (note – this doesn’t mean there is never a time for critique or judgement in the creative process – it’s actually key – but there is a time and place for it). (http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/05/09/9-attitudes-of-highly-creative-people/)

Many new ideas, because they are new and unfamiliar, seem strange, odd, bizarre, even repulsive. Only later do they become “obviously” great. Other ideas, in their original incarnations, are indeed weird, but they lead to practical, beautiful, elegant things. Thus, it is important for the creative thinker to be able to suspend judgment when new ideas are arriving, to have an optimistic attitude toward ideas in general.

Tolerates Ambiguity

Ambiguity tolerance may be… the “willingness to accept a state of affairs capable of alternate interpretations, or of alternate outcomes,” (English & English 1958). In other words, ambiguity tolerance may be central to creative thinking. (http://knowinnovation.com/tolerating-ambiguity/#sthash.XqxhaQh3.dpuf)

With the toleration of ambiguity, creativity gives way to new ideas, stimulates the acceptance of others’ viewpoints, and thus raises tolerance, understanding and cooperation. (http://www.academia.edu/2506344/Creative_climate_as_a_means_to_promote_creativity_in_the_classroom

Persists Even When Confronted with Skepticism & Rejection

 

Learn more:

 

- http://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-learning-and-teaching/?tag=Creativity

 

Via Gust MEES