Redefining Education
". . .By embedding this network with tools for measuring and rewarding learning, and pitting teams of learners against each-other to see who can learn more, we can make ‘learning’ addictive. ‘Fun’ and ‘Play’ have such diminutive connotations in English, and yet as Stuart Brown says, collaborative play in groups is the soul of our sense of learning.
And we’ll do it all without relying on teachers. We’ve already got a shortage of teachers, and anyway, if we can make learning a truly social, collaborative process, successful learners will emerge from group study with both the subject knowledge and understanding of the learning process to help guide others.
If we’re to encourage learning in such an informal setting, we’ve got to think of students as explorers, not pupils. Guidance must come from group discussions, not teacher lectures. Students must aim to learn cooperatively. Learning must be about failure and experimentation, not perfection and grades. We’ve got to measure the success of each class, not the success of Individuals."
THIS IS MY RESPONSE
Gaming and competition may be one spoke in the wheel that promotes student engagement. But it cannot be the entire solution to what ails urban education. We must find a way to efface, for 8 hours at least some of the social ills that many of our students confront ( absent and/or disengaged parents, inadequate preparation for school and the school program, poor social skills and manners for group participation,etc.)Small classes with at least two adults in the classroom is a start. We have to find a way to personalize, humanize and “compassionize” the educational environment. In environments such as these, positive adult-child relationships are at the heart of the matter. Students don’t care how much a teacher knows, they want to know how much a teacher cares.WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?
I agree. Studies show that kids in urban areas need interactive learning.If you really want the kids to get involved bring P.Diddy and Kanye West into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI agree with English Teacher. I believe promoting student engagment is essential. It is an age old strategy that must change and adjust with the times and experiences of our students. We cannot depend on the engagement stategies that worked for us or for our parents.
ReplyDeleteStudents like most of us know when ths system cares as stated by the English Teacher. "Compasionized" schools will go a long way in strenghtening parents, engaging children and creating a better learning experience
ReplyDeleteIf teachers do not structure activities to engage the students, the students will structure their own activities to engage themselves.
ReplyDelete