“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.
