Beliefs about Education & Learning
I believe that education and learning is about interaction. Interaction between...
- student and teacher
- student and peers
- student and environment
- student and themselves
When we consider every interaction that a student makes as a learning opportunity, we will consider the weight of those interactions differently. These interactions need to occur on different levels through the process as well. Students need to interact as individuals, in small/collaborative groups, and as a collective whole. I believe that all types of interaction are necessary to allow for well-rounded learning to occur. There are so many different types of learners and intelligences and experiences in the world and student population that multiple different interactions need to occur so that the majority of needs inside each classroom are met and exceeded. This ensures that the majority of students are reached.
Another component of reaching all students is using curriculum that matters. The curriculum must be relevant to the learners and their life. A teacher needs to consider students' lived experiences and culture and utilize those things to deliever content. The fact of the matter is, that students are in school to recieve a set of material in all different classes and subjects - how much more meaningful it will be to use relevant curriculum as the vehicle to content. Students will be more excited about learning and internalize the material so that it has a lasting effect.
Lastly, I believe in learning about the entire student and considering them as a whole. When I look into a sea of faces, I don't believe that they are just students and learners; but they are girls and boys, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, friends. It is important to use these aspects as well as their life outside of school, their culture, their learning styles, etc as cues to help build curriculum and help them be successful learners, students, and citizens.