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It’s Not What We Say…
December 11, 2007 | 1 Comment
My wife often tells me (usually when I have deserved a calling out) that “it’s not what I say, it’s how I say it”. I know it’s true.
Over on the new – and very active - Students 2.0 blog, quickly given the moniker “S2-oh”, Nicole Kim’s “The Difference Between Teaching and Preaching” post has generated a lot of conversation surrounding the need for schools and teachers to offer students some respect and an opportunity to direct more of their own learning.
Preaching is what most teachers do today. We sit in classrooms for a certain amount of time listening to the “Teacher’s Bible of Study,” devouring information. Projects are limited to be viewed only by the class, and occasionally meet the hallway display.
She makes a plea for teachers to turn over some control of their classrooms, offering some democracy to make learning participatory.
If we were left to do what we wanted to do, “learners” who are mature enough will self-guide themselves to read the greatest plays ever written. If we are left alone with responsibilities, young adults will start taking them seriously.
While it is often difficult for us adults, who have been exposed to a much different story of education – a very traditional, teacher-centered classroom – it is necessary for us to start listening to our students. They are demanding, while not all as eloquently as Nicole, to build their own learning connections.
I had the pleasure of working for two years in a pilot 1-to-1 laptop environment that was hugely successful. However, it wasn’t the laptops that made the difference, but the environment we were able to create. 55 learners (students), 2 learning leaders (teachers), one BIG room, wireless technology, few filters, connectedness, no bells, community, all-day together, flexible (no?) schedule, project-based learning, no textbooks….I could go on…
In short, it wasn’t about the technology. It was about the vision, the ideas, the connectedness with each other and the information. It was amazing. I can’t wait to go back!
I don’t hold myself out as a great learning leader. In fact, I have much to learn about leading in a classroom. But I am a much better learner, and by daring to step outside the comfort zone of many, taking a chance, creating a “flatter” classroom, we were able to create a pretty darned good learning environment.
I don’t think it’s about what we say as teachers, it’s how we say it. As learning leaders, we have a pivotal role to play as we bring knowledge and focus to the learning enterprise. Students without leadership are unlikely to accomplish much. Experienced leaders sharing knowledge must happen in a classroom to some extent. The crucial balance is when and how to present information and how to involve students in that discovery in a way that treats them with respect as learning partners. In short, how to teach, and not preach.
I must say, it’s nice to hear such vibrant student voices offered in the edublogosphere. S2-oh has definitely earned a spot in my feedreader.
tags: technology, education, learning, students 2.0, whipple
1 Comment so far
Hey Jeff,
I’ve spent the last hour reading/learning over at Student 2.0 – WOW.
Hopefully we can find ways to use technology to expand student voice in NB as well!