“We learn because we want to learn, because it’s important to us, because it’s natural, and because it’s impossible to live in the world and not learn. Then along comes school to mess up a beautiful thing.” Peggy Pirro
Whether we’re discussing the optimal learning environment for a child’s social and cognitive development, exploring the concept of social and collaborative learning, or imagining the “ideal” learning environment within a community of practice, our conversations in class can often lead us back to how children learn in the public school system. There has been some very insightful and thought-provoking dialogue as a class and amongst each other about the pitfalls of our public school system drawing from our own experiences and those of our children. Most of us in class agreed that there was a necessary shift that needs to take place from a conformist learning environment that stifles creativity and original thought to a more meaningful, social and collaborative learning environment rooted in active participation in “hands-on” learning experiences. This made me think about my own personal experience in the public school system and how it might differ from today.
As a young child I loved to read, solve puzzles, and explore outside for hours in all degrees of weather. My mom always said I had a vivid imagination and I learned something new every day. I remember when I started school, I would get in trouble if I was talking to my classmates, asking a question without raising my hand, taking too many trips to the bathroom, being late for class, and the list goes on. I learned pretty quick what was considered “good behaviour” while at the same time slowly losing my exuberant nature as a young child and becoming shy, passive, obedient, and eager to please with good grades. In the public school system, I guess I would be considered a good student but despite getting good grades and having great friends, I always hated school. My view of learning was synonymous with teachers, classrooms, textbooks, tests, homework and grades, and most importantly, being told what to do in every aspect of my education. It wasn’t until university that I was able to choose what I wanted to learn about, was tested on my ability to understand what I was learning vs. what I could memorize from class, and was introduced to collaborative learning through group projects and class discussions. This learning environment was more conducive to my personality and was changing my perception of the school environment and the process of learning. Now as a mature student in the lifelong learning program, my perspective of learning has broadened to include all aspects of everyday life. I’m able to relate what I learn in the program to my personal experiences, beliefs, values, and interests. This class, in particular, has been the most interesting and challenging learning experience so far. I was surprised that we would not be receiving a grade until the end of class and our grade would be a reflection of our learning throughout the course. We are able to apply what we learn in our readings, our class discussions, and our own research to create our own unique blogs enabling us a group to collectively learn from each other in an open, honest, and collaborative format that is proving to be more meaningful than anything else.
After reflecting on my past experiences, I was determined to find some promising evidence that the education system is open to change to ensure our children receive the education they deserve. Some teachers might have heard of the “What did you learn in school today?” research and development initiative in Canada but this was news to me. It was designed to collect qualitative data on student’s experiences that could be used to generate new ideas for enhancing the learning experiences of students in classrooms and schools. Since 2007, administrators, teachers, and students in over 150 schools in Canada are now working within a multi-dimensional framework for understanding student engagement that builds on the established concepts of social and academic engagement while advancing the newer concept of intellectual engagement. The concept of intellectual engagement considers the kinds of learning experiences young people require to develop important competencies for learning and life. This can be achieved by providing students with diverse learning experiences that engage them in thinking, doing, and feeling, further enhancing their conceptual understanding about what they are learning (Dunleavy & Milton, 2012).
This still emerging 21st century learning agenda challenges the school system to advance new processes and outcomes for learning which will affect all aspects of teaching from certification to curriculum development. This is a promising start that will take a long time to reach all schools across Canada. In the meantime, we can acknowledge and celebrate the continuous strides the school system has made to enhance the education of our children. What positive changes have you noticed or heard about in the public school system? I’m confident my future children will have a much more positive experience and greater opportunities for learning and personal growth than I had growing up.
References
Dunleavy, J., & Milton, P. (2012). Sorting Students Into Learning. Retrieved from Canadian Education Association website: http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/sorting-students-learning.
In reading your blog, I am reminded of the challenges of teaching children who are young. During the summers I teach french to students aged 3-6 who are especially difficult to teach in the "typical" manner. Children naturally want to run around, exert energy, and play with their friends. Interacting with these other children clearly play a big role in their life, allowing them to experience new things- learning in a very social manner. However, in school we are taught never to speak to others during class time, to sit in our chair quietly, and to complete work largely without the help of those around us. Is this truly the best way to teach children? The idea of forcing a child to learn in a manner that is opposite to what their natural state is seems to be as controversial as forcing a child to learn to write with their feet if they have perfectly good hands they could use. Perhaps that isn't the best analogy- but you get the point.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, the most positive learning experiences I have had were when I was able to interact with others and share what I've learned, just like what we're able to do in our Lifelong Learning Processes class. Should we be robbing the children of this experience by sticking to our traditional ways of teaching, or should there be a shift? Well.. we all know what the class thinks. Fingers crossed that one day this idea will spread and be embraced by those who can make these changes.
Thanks for the thoughts!
Maureen
Nicely done, Tara. As you said the educational style has devolved which is now more effective than many years ago. Each of us remembers how we studied and how this generating study. We can easily compare between them. As a teacher, I always notice that that child who keeps asking, talking, trying is very smart. On the other hand, sometimes I see some student with disorder like ADHD which is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I also sometimes let my student to choose what they want to study. I would conclude by saying we learn from the first cry of birth to our last day on Earth. Thank you for interesting discussion and I am looking further to see your future.
ReplyDeleteAs a mother of four, I have been able to witness the changes slowly being made. There is a lot more work to do, and a lot more effort is needed to create inclusive classrooms that benefit all children in all the different ways that they learn. My greatest frustration, however, remains that many children who do not 'fit' into the profile of a good student, continue to fall through the cracks. I worry about those children who fidget because they have attention problems, or those who don't complete assignments because they have problems concentrating for long periods of time. What about those children who perform below expectations because they are hungry, or they were up all night listening to their parents fight? Looking at a report card would not give you insight into the issues that make it challenging for children to learn. All that you will see in a report card is the end grade with a generic cut and pasted comment for suggested improvement.
ReplyDeleteHi Tara,Thanks for this good blog.
ReplyDeleteI like the quotation that you quote. It is true that "people need to learn" because this can help them to get a degree, to get money as a source of their income to continue their lives and their progress. In our culture that learning in the childhood has a big influence on the character of the child, as the proverb says “learning in childhood is like a grave on stone”.
Our learning comes through formal and informal learning. We joined schools and learned by reading books and stories, playing with other friends, and so on. This kind of environment contributes in increasing our knowledge and establishing a good foundation. This education has helped in building our knowledge and widening our imagination. In addition, we got a strong motivation for the continuation of our education.
Thanks
Interesting blogTJ,
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience I have noticed some changes have occurred in the education generally and public schools particularly in the past and now. Education was based on old methods of teaching and narrow approaches did not change while education now is becoming more developed. In my country a lot of changes have taken place in public schools and teaching methods.
In the past, teaching relies on memorization, while now it relies on the discussions and dialogues between the teacher and student, which is good way to teach. In my opinion teachers must give their students the best learning environment possible because that encourages them to gain different knowledge.
Thanks TJ,