Chapter 8 - Teacher Learning
The book is right in saying that the need for teacher learning has dramatically changed over the last couple of decades. There are a lot more opportunities now for teachers to learn to improve their pedagogical skills than there were when I started teaching (we won't say how long ago that was)...
One thing I would like to focus on in this blog is that "teachers learn how to teach a student by focusing on their own experiences as learners." When I was a student, my teachers were all the lecture-and-test types. So for the first couple of years when I started to teach myself, lecture-and-test was the way that I went. My thinking was, hey, if I learned that way, so should my students. I turned out ok, and so should they.
Of course, now we know that not all learners are like you and me. And that is why teachers need to be taught many different methods of pedagogy --- to accomodate the many types of learners in our classrom.
One thing that also caught my attention in the chapter was that teachers need to teach other teachers so that they may learn about learning (boy, that's one sentence you shouldn't show an English teacher). I am actually reminded of my college physics teacher who said the same thing. He said that he only actually learned physics not when he was in college nor when he was in graduate school, but only when he started teaching it to freshmen. I actually thought he was joking until I started teaching myself. Not only that, I learned more about teaching when I started collaborating with colleagues, teaching them and being taught myself. The only thing one needs is an open mind and a willing spirit.
posted by arlene chua @ 11:29 PM
4 Comments:
At 2:20 AM,
Rebecca said…
I totally believe that in order to truly understand a given topic is to successfully teach it to another person. That's why I love being a teacher! I learn more and more each day! It is so rewarding when I can actually appreciate something I learned. So, what's going to happen to all the information we teach to our students? If they don't become teachers, how will they ever actually understand the subject matters they were taught? Here's a thought: What if they teach a given topic as an exam (to a fellow classmate or the entire class)?
At 5:08 PM,
Musikero671 said…
I never doubted your creativity in teaching. You have taught well and your students attest to that. Do not stop being yourself - inquisitive, challenging, and problem solver. You are an inspiration to all, to us, and to me.
We will always be innovative because we are sensitive to the needs of our students. However, our challenge is how we will be open enough to learn from our peers. It is difficult to be objective in assessing the effective teaching strategies of our co-teachers. There are times that we tend to disparage them when in the eyes of their students they are valuable mentors.
The value of a teacher is seen in the fruits his or her students.
At 2:37 PM,
Devi's ED630 Blog said…
I agree with you that "teachers learn how to teach a student by focusing on their own experiences as learners." When I was young I loved going to school and I was always excited to go to schoo because of my teachers. My teachers used so many ways to motiviate us to learn. So, I guess that when I became a teacher I adopted the same methods and stratgies of my old teachers and off course updated them.
At 5:41 PM,
Mariesha's ED630 Blog said…
Nowadays, we do have to keep in mind that there are many different types of learners. I, too, have learned even more about my subject matter when I became a teacher. While an undergraduate student, I did learn a great deal; however, the real learning actually took place when I would "practice" or "implement" what I learned in my undergraduate studies. There is only so much one can accomplish or consume in an internship. I continue to learn a great deal from my students as well.
This was an enjoyable blog to read. Thank you.
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