Significant Learning Environments & Creating Them
Once again, was completely knocked off my path of being an educator in the 21st century. Learning about how students learn is fascinating and ever changing. Dr. Bates states it so clearly when he compares students to a garden. Teachers create the garden or the learning environment and students have to grow, like plants. You can't do the learning for them, they have to do it.
Douglas Thomas and John Brown go more into detail about how students learn in the 21st century by creating their own environments, or collectives (p.52). This is where students are actively participating and engaging in the learning process. Teachers are not the bearers of information but rather facilitators in learning environments. Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for as long as the fish supply holds out. But create a collective, and every man will learn how to feed himself for a lifetime |
Love how that famous quote goes one step further by incorporating a collective and man will learn to feed himself with whatever is available! Thomas & Brown go on to incorporate not only environments but play. This idea really made me stop and think.
Since I'm a high school math teacher, I've had to learn how to engage and teach high schoolers. I have been highly opposed to making learning into games and gamification in the classroom but since understand the importance. My classroom is a little non-traditional in the sense that students are more active learners due to a blended type of classroom. Students are given flexibility and more control in their learning. Although I feel like I am teaching students some life skills such as time management and ownership, I am clearly lacking the fun and the passion in learning. Because the class is required to graduate, students normally have a 'get me out of this class as quickly as you can' type attitude. |
What is wrong with creating a classroom where students can play and learn and be creative? NOTHING!! This made me think about how majority of students love elementary school. As they go into middle school they get further away from playing and having fun. By the time they reach high school, their creativity has been stifled so much and they've forgotten how enjoyable school used to be.
I want to bring this back to school. I will create opportunities for my students to not only figure out what they're passionate about but use that passion to fuel their learning. This is going to get me really far out of my comfort zone but I know that's where the magic normally happens.
I want to bring this back to school. I will create opportunities for my students to not only figure out what they're passionate about but use that passion to fuel their learning. This is going to get me really far out of my comfort zone but I know that's where the magic normally happens.
Douglas Thomas talks about how standardized testing is measuring normalcy in his TedX talk (9:32). Why are we going to measure student's normalcy when we're trying to get students to be creative and use their imagination?
Majority of teachers are not very happy (10:27). Standardized testing has made teacher's lives miserable. Teachers don't have time to allow for creativity when they are getting students ready for state tests majority of the time. By changing the environment and creating opportunities for students to learn and grow, I can guarantee that tests scores would go up. Better yet, why not get rid of standardized testing and create opportunities for learning. |
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Isn't school supposed to be for LEARNING?
If so, then why aren't we allowing students to do that? Instead of teaching students to memorize facts and regurgitate information, we need to facilitate learning. We need to ask tough questions and get students thinking.
The new culture of learning embraces the notion of inquiry. In an inquiry-based system, answers aren’t seen as the end of learning, but as the beginning of another question, which leads to greater curiosity and deeper learning. Inquiry is an invitation to deeper learning (Thomas & Brown p. 82).
The new culture of learning embraces the notion of inquiry. In an inquiry-based system, answers aren’t seen as the end of learning, but as the beginning of another question, which leads to greater curiosity and deeper learning. Inquiry is an invitation to deeper learning (Thomas & Brown p. 82).
I have been privileged to be a piloting teacher in blended learning at my school. I was allotted 16 computers all year and worked closely with another teacher to not only incorporate technology but also student choice and voice. Seeing how students really became engaged learners and collaborated with others is very rewarding.
Shifting students to become engaged learners and to collaborate with others is a skill that I hope they see as beneficial and necessary. Observing students learning on their own terms and with others got me thinking about how teachers are also learners. If we're creating opportunities for our students to have some flexibility in their learning and assignments as well as adding in their choice, why are we not doing the same for teachers? |
In my own Innovation Plan, I propose making the learning for teachers (also known as Professional Development) flexible, an opportunity to collaborate and have a choice in what they're learning.
My plan includes ways to help make professional development (PD) blended:
Thomas & Brown believe you live, you learn (p.90). This is true for our students as well as for our teachers. When you are living or experiencing you are learning. Allowing our teachers to learn like students and include the 'knowing, making, playing' mentality will help teachers become more understanding for students today.
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Although there may be some fight against this at the district level, there will be an opportunity given I'll be working at a new high school that is opening. The principal is open to collaboration and cross-curricular teaching. I believe if he's open to this, he would be very excited to allow teachers to learn in an unorthodox manner too!
In A New Culture of Learning, Thomas and Brown challenged me to think about my classroom as an environment for learning, not a traditional classroom. The book was also encouraging because it reflects how I learn on my own. If I want to know something, I search for the answer, read what others have to say, practice, fail, try again, probably fail again, and learn through the whole process. Learning is an organic process. I do it naturally. Our classrooms should provide that same opportunity to our students and our schools should provide the same opportunity to our teachers.
In A New Culture of Learning, Thomas and Brown challenged me to think about my classroom as an environment for learning, not a traditional classroom. The book was also encouraging because it reflects how I learn on my own. If I want to know something, I search for the answer, read what others have to say, practice, fail, try again, probably fail again, and learn through the whole process. Learning is an organic process. I do it naturally. Our classrooms should provide that same opportunity to our students and our schools should provide the same opportunity to our teachers.
References
ChangSchool. (2015, December 14). Dr. tony bates on building effective learning environments. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/3xD_sLNGurA
Tedx Talks. (2012, September 12). A new culture of learning: Douglas Thomas at tedxufm. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/lM80GXlyX0U
Thomas, D., & Brown J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the imagination
for a world of constant change. (Vol 219) Lexington, KY: CreateSpace
from https://youtu.be/3xD_sLNGurA
Tedx Talks. (2012, September 12). A new culture of learning: Douglas Thomas at tedxufm. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/lM80GXlyX0U
Thomas, D., & Brown J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the imagination
for a world of constant change. (Vol 219) Lexington, KY: CreateSpace