''Instead of thinking of contents stuff to be covered , consider knowledge and skills as the means of addressing questions central to understanding key issues in your subject''
It would be interesting to try this revolutionary approach at school level having the kind support of the whole school community. Challenges of this nature are necessary and vital for teachers in order to improve our teaching and Assessment practices as well.
A not easy task to carry out, but with proper support would be achievable.
Starting for having clear what is the purpose of what the students need to undersatand which will lead the other elements of the learning process on the right track.
Indeed, as you clearly suggest, based on Wiggins' and Mc Tighe's tenets, it is sometimes so much time one wastes in thinking of the contents to be taught, the deadlines for next test or whichever the assessment tool you make use of, as well as all the bunch of external and internal constraints one usually must face in one's own daily teaching that it might be of fundamental help, so as to enhance learning, not only think of well-intended covering of contents, but what students are supposed to do with them, as well as reckoning students not as empty, passive recipients, but as active agents of learning. it is essential not losing sight of what our purposes are, in terms of teaching and learning, specially in the development of skills for constructing meaningful learning.
ReplyDeleteOnce again here we can se the quantity v.s quality problem, we should not be worying about the amount of contents we must cover, but on the quality of knowledge we are teaching. Sadly this problem will always exists, because the main participants on the educational society are not aware of these concepts, and everytime we try to emphasize the quality of the knowledge we are punished for not teaching all the contents, and that needs to change to have a better quality on education.
ReplyDelete"revolutionary approach"
ReplyDeleteI think it's a quite appropriate name for this topic, since it's not that common to find teachers or schools that normally apply this idea of developing higher thinking skills in their students. Probably because for so many years students played a passive role in education, where teachers were the ones who owned the truth and therefore the reason. Although, things have been changing and students have been changing, too. Nowadays students feel they are an active part of this complex but interesting educational process, which make them feel responsible for thir own learning and probably more commited with the process, too.
When something new is proposed, as you say, it is of great importance to have some support in order to achieve it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, little changes can be achieved in our classroom, when effort and effectiveness are mixed. When that actually takes place, and evidence can be shown, support comes easier.
Students feel the need to integrate and be part of innovative ideas which make the lessons more enthusiastic and participative. They truly appreciate when it is not the teacher who is doing everything, but they are the ones who introduce topics for discussion and they build their own knowledge by doing that.