In his daily blog post The difference between commitment and technique Seth Godin makes the argument that we (society) would be a lot more successful if schools created an environment where teachers used commitment as a foundational part of the learning environment. Students with access to resources are almost unstoppable if they are committed to learning.
Instead we have created an environment where learners can say:
“teach me, while I stand here on one foot, teach me while I gossip with my friends via text, teach me while I wander off to other things. And, sure, if the teaching sticks, then I’ll commit.”
This is another example of the principle of “The head won’t go where the heart hasn’t been.” Genuine commitment must involve the affective domain and until we are willing to engage emotionally our heads will not follow.
I agree with Godin that “great teachers teach commitment.” I would add that great teachers use passion to teach commitment.
In a recent 3260 Professional Practice class (part of the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program) one of my learners was sharing an Ah-Ha! moment that was inspired by Ken Robinson’s Bring on the Learning Revolution TED Talk. Robinson argues that we need to move away from the industrial model of education where we stamp out standardized students and move toward an organic model in which we create the environments where learners can grow and develop in their own unique ways.
The ensuing class discussion reminded me of Mortimer Adler’s insight in How to Read a Book that teaching is an art that shares special characteristics with two other disciplines:
Without going into learning theory as psychologists conceive it, it is obvious that teaching is a very special art, sharing with only two other arts—agriculture and medicine—an exceptionally important characteristic. A doctor may do many things for his patient, but in the final analysis it is the patient himself who must get well—grow in health. The farmer does many things for his plants or animals, but in the final analysis it is they that must grow in size and excellence. Similarly, although the teacher may help his student in many ways, it is the student himself who must do the learning. Knowledge must grow in his mind if learning is to take place (p. 11).
To teach organically we need to create the environment in which the learner can do the learning, grow and flourish. We need to become proactive, start with a learner centred focus, and purposefully assemble all the key components of effective learning into a significant learning environment so that we can help our learners to learn how to learn and grow into the people we all hope they will become.
This past weekend I wrapped up the second part of the PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course and one often wonders how did the course really go. The following note from one learners in the course suggests that at least one of the my students benefited from the experience:
Just a quick note… I’m teaching our 5-day course this week … and, I wanted to share this with you …
I went into class yesterday with what I can only describe as a ‘spark’. It seemed odd; but, today, the same … I started today’s activities with that feeling of the spark. This weekend’s course’s materials aside, the learning environment you created is, I believe, responsible for this spark in me, and now in my class. I’m thinking that I needed it somehow, or I probably wouldn’t have felt it … who knows; it’s a mystery, eh. 🙂 . And, thanks for this.
I always look forward to an opportunity to explore what we can do as educators to enhance the learning environment. The following are a list of videos, links to blogs/articles and related resources that were used in a workshop for the Emergency Nursing instructors are BCIT. It is always a privilege to spend time exploring learning and achievement with such a group of dedicated educators.
Not Suited for School But Suited For Learning
Generation Tomorrow – Eddie Obeng, Zeitgeist Europe 2013
Time Travellers in the 21st Century
John Seely Brown On Education
Seely Brown suggest that we focus on the following three key factors to bring our learning into the 21st Century:
Knowledge/information – Pull from the Internet.
Skills – Pickup with mentoring.
Disposition – Foster the idea that learning can be an adventure.
How to Change People Who Don’t Want to Change | The Behavioral Science Guys
The BS Guys recommend that:
When you are trying to influence people who need motivation don’t give them more information….Use questions to help them explore motivations they may already have.
The Head Won’t Go Where the Heart Hasn’t Been
If you really want to bring about change in people then you need to appeal their hearts and not to their heads. The sharing of more information or engaging in more rational discourse on its own doesn’t appear to help people to make significant change but an appeal to values, attitudes, and feelings first can motivate people toward making changes.
Fixed Vs Growth Mindset = Print Vs Digital Information Age
If we really want to take advantage of all the opportunities that the digital information age offers, we need to move away from fixed mindset to growth mindset thinking.
John Hattie: Visible Learning Pt1. Disasters and below average methods.
Hattie argues:
“short of physical and psychological abuse, almost anything you do in the classroom will positively impact student achievement…key is to figure out what promotes achievement…”
John Hattie, Visible Learning. Pt 2: effective methods.
Teaching effects that really make a difference – above .40
Positive Feedback: The PIPS Model
PIPS Model to providing effective feedback
P – Praise something specific
I – Improve – suggest ways
P – Positive overall praise
S – Supply an uplifting comment
