Teachers

Take On

Teachers

Take On

The Book of

The Book of

Learning &

Learning &

Forgetting

Forgetting::

A Book Disc

ussion

A Book Disc

ussion

Opening Comments…Opening Comments…• Each of the books we’ve read has had Each of the books we’ve read has had

the idea of learning in groups: the idea of learning in groups: tribes tribes or or clubsclubs

• Blaming the Prussians, psychiatrists, Blaming the Prussians, psychiatrists, factory moguls, & politicians for our factory moguls, & politicians for our educational woes won’t change things…educational woes won’t change things…change must come to each classroom change must come to each classroom via an individual teacher who is via an individual teacher who is concerned that real learning is taking concerned that real learning is taking place. place.

““You learn from the company You learn from the company you keep” (9). you keep” (9).

Learn From ExperienceLearn From Experience““Learning can be effortless, continual, permanent – Learning can be effortless, continual, permanent –

and also pleasant – though it won’t take place in and also pleasant – though it won’t take place in the absence of comprehension, interest, or the absence of comprehension, interest, or confidence” (43).confidence” (43).

• ““But clubs may often be the informal associations But clubs may often be the informal associations that we belong to just by that we belong to just by sharing an interest sharing an interest and sense of communityand sense of community – the metaphorical – the metaphorical clubs of teachers, parents, students, book clubs of teachers, parents, students, book readers, gardeners, joggers, or cyclists – all of readers, gardeners, joggers, or cyclists – all of the different the different groups with which we identify groups with which we identify ourselves” (11).ourselves” (11).

Reading…Reading… “ “The prime value of reading and writing is the

The prime value of reading and writing is the

experienceexperience they provide through which we they provide through which we

may constantly and unobtrusively learn…print

may constantly and unobtrusively learn…print

is potent” (24).is potent” (24).

“ “There is great power in reading, which offers

There is great power in reading, which offers

supreme opportunities for the imagination to supreme opportunities for the imagination to

work” (89). work” (89).

– Kathy: Reading is not the only thing that makes

Kathy: Reading is not the only thing that makes

a good student or makes you smart. It’s about

a good student or makes you smart. It’s about

Taking what you read and making sense of it in your

Taking what you read and making sense of it in your

life with experiences inside and outside the life with experiences inside and outside the

classroom.classroom.

MemorizationMemorization…

-Charlie: Why should we memorize information that -Charlie: Why should we memorize information that can be referenced?can be referenced?

• Information “will be learned slowly and Information “will be learned slowly and doomed to rapid forgetting unless they are doomed to rapid forgetting unless they are quickly attached to a framework of knowledge quickly attached to a framework of knowledge that we already possess” (37). that we already possess” (37).

• 2 Methods of memorizing: 2 Methods of memorizing: – rhythm rhythm & & mnemonicsmnemonics. .

Testing AddictionTesting Addiction

““Students themselves have become so Students themselves have become so addicted to tests – particularly the addicted to tests – particularly the

students who expect to score well – students who expect to score well – that they are reluctant to read or write that they are reluctant to read or write

anything, in school or out, unless a anything, in school or out, unless a score or a grade will be attached. score or a grade will be attached.

Parents are so accustomed to tests that Parents are so accustomed to tests that results are the primary things they are results are the primary things they are

interested in at parent-teacher interested in at parent-teacher conferences” (63). conferences” (63).

Testing AlternativesTesting Alternatives

““Instead of looking at Instead of looking at how wellhow well learners learners perform certain tasks, usually perform certain tasks, usually arbitrarily selected, the classic arbitrarily selected, the classic

approach would be to look at approach would be to look at whatwhat tasks the learners have opportunities to tasks the learners have opportunities to

engage in and the degree of their engage in and the degree of their interests and comprehension” (64). interests and comprehension” (64).

DEBATE POINT: Colleges use ACT/SAT to DEBATE POINT: Colleges use ACT/SAT to decide what students to accept. decide what students to accept.

Are we doing our kids a disservice Are we doing our kids a disservice NOTNOT making them take tests?making them take tests?

DEBATE POINT: Learning & intelligence go DEBATE POINT: Learning & intelligence go way beyond the test…way beyond the test…

like in Theology…things go beyond the like in Theology…things go beyond the physical…it’s hard to get kids to physical…it’s hard to get kids to understand that because they are so understand that because they are so focused on the material…the test, the focused on the material…the test, the score, the value, their value, etc.score, the value, their value, etc.

Smith’s Answer to the DebateSmith’s Answer to the Debate

““The solution is not for teachers and The solution is not for teachers and students to do better in the students to do better in the

circumstances that are imposed on circumstances that are imposed on them but for the circumstances in them but for the circumstances in which teaching and learning are which teaching and learning are

supposed to take place to be supposed to take place to be changed” (69). changed” (69).

Computers are a tool…not Computers are a tool…not a replacement for a a replacement for a

teacher. teacher.

““They have information but They have information but no insight; memory but no no insight; memory but no

judgment” (76).judgment” (76).

How do you reach uninterested students…the How do you reach uninterested students…the bored ones…the ones that my subject “isn’t bored ones…the ones that my subject “isn’t

their thing?” their thing?” ““The way people help learners to make The way people help learners to make sense of things is by being flexible – by sense of things is by being flexible – by helping them in other ways, by offering helping them in other ways, by offering

alternatives, by finding collaborators alternatives, by finding collaborators and by protecting them from confusion and by protecting them from confusion and frustration….to be put into helpful and frustration….to be put into helpful and non-threatening situations where and non-threatening situations where they can make sense of what is going they can make sense of what is going

on. They grow by becoming members of on. They grow by becoming members of clubs, by finding new kinds of clubs, by finding new kinds of

experience, and by having the pressure experience, and by having the pressure of of havinghaving to learn taken off them” (78). to learn taken off them” (78).

Teachers should not function Teachers should not function “as the “as the instructorinstructor who who

organizes the learning that organizes the learning that students are supposed to do students are supposed to do but as the but as the guideguide who makes who makes what we would like student what we would like student

to learn interesting, to learn interesting, comprehensible, and comprehensible, and

accessible” (80). accessible” (80).

Correction should be Correction should be “seen as collaboration” “seen as collaboration”

not as a punishment.not as a punishment.

““The way to hold something The way to hold something into long-term memory is to into long-term memory is to relate it to something you relate it to something you

already know” (88). already know” (88).

““The antidote [for the difficulties The antidote [for the difficulties that come with not understanding that come with not understanding

something you are trying to something you are trying to learn] for that malady is learn] for that malady is

reflection…” (88).reflection…” (88).

““The solution, once again, is that The solution, once again, is that learning takes place as a learning takes place as a

consequence of collaboration. consequence of collaboration. Teachers should consider asking Teachers should consider asking

their questions and pursuing their questions and pursuing their inquiries in company with their inquiries in company with

other teachers, with parents, and other teachers, with parents, and especially with their students” especially with their students”

(92).(92).

““The teachers who burn out The teachers who burn out are the ones who want to are the ones who want to control everything that goes control everything that goes on in their classrooms” (95).on in their classrooms” (95).

““The greatest enemy of The greatest enemy of learning is passivity” (97).learning is passivity” (97).

Good teachers are “good Good teachers are “good organizers, arranging organizers, arranging

interesting experiences for interesting experiences for their students and their students and

themselves, and protecting themselves, and protecting those experiences from those experiences from officious interferences” officious interferences”

(101).(101).

DEBATE POINT: What about DEBATE POINT: What about lesson deviations off the main lesson deviations off the main objective? Good? Bad? objective? Good? Bad?

Some teachers don’t deal well Some teachers don’t deal well with those “surprises.” with those “surprises.”

Deviate with a purpose! Deviate with a purpose! We need to educate parents in We need to educate parents in

this new style of project-based this new style of project-based evaluation…no tests. evaluation…no tests.

DEBATE POINT: How can we cover DEBATE POINT: How can we cover it all?it all?

Textbooks make is seem like you Textbooks make is seem like you havehave to cover it all…primary to cover it all…primary sources are more authentic & sources are more authentic & valuable. valuable.

Teacher as translator when Teacher as translator when language gets difficult. language gets difficult.

We need a well-rounded view of We need a well-rounded view of history…we need to teach more history…we need to teach more in the modern era. in the modern era.

DEBATE POINT: We need to find a DEBATE POINT: We need to find a balance between project-based balance between project-based grades & traditional grades like grades & traditional grades like quizzes, etc. quizzes, etc.

Feel pressure from parents to Feel pressure from parents to produce grades.produce grades.

Accountability issue for many Accountability issue for many teachers.…because someone is teachers.…because someone is making us report grades. making us report grades.

DEBATE POINT: Our subjects are DEBATE POINT: Our subjects are too fragmented. too fragmented.

Freshman year: Tech Apps & Speech; Freshman year: Tech Apps & Speech; Church History; Survey of Lit Church History; Survey of Lit genres/writing & novelsgenres/writing & novels

Sophomore year: Old/New Testament; Sophomore year: Old/New Testament; American History; American LitAmerican History; American Lit

Junior year: European History; British LitJunior year: European History; British LitSenior year: Non-Western/World History; Senior year: Non-Western/World History;

World LitWorld Lit

Photo Acknowledgements to Corbis

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• 42-20743285• 42-22242238• 42-19783489• 42-15483428• 42-16803103• AADW001366• 0-0740490• 42-21821935• 42-15968494