"Traditional instruction is more concerned with the study of opinions about the real world than with the study of the real world itself. Internalizing others' views requires just one thinking skill—recall. Trying to make sense of one's own day-to-day experience requires the use of every known thinking skill. This notion has made relatively little headway in U.S. classrooms because, for many educators, the line between first-hand and secondhand knowledge is often fuzzy or nonexistent. Many believe that the important thing is for students to be knowledgeable. Where that knowledge comes from—whether someone hands it to the students or they figure it out on their own—seems to be of little consequence."
The bold in the quote above it mine. I was so glad to see a post from Dr. A today. The above is a quote from the article she wanted us to read. Our group hasn't been posting. I notice that when people don't stay in touch, connected in the discussion boards, if they don't let me see and hear their process of learning, I get uncomfortable. I wonder if anyone is thinking about things...if they are reading and looking and processing. I wonder if everyone is having as much fun and living with as many ideas as I am in this process. I don't know if my expectations are too much, but in my teaching, I think I would require some kind of cycle of "reflection" that requires students to process the experience from the "me" perspective, to make sense of all the new information by integrating it into their "being."
I couldn't believe that I was hearing myself last night, when I said to a colleague in another class, "As long as I can keep making A's on my papers. As long as I can get my license renewed, nothing matters." I wanted to slap myself. I am so entrenched in the "make the grade" mentality that I don't stop to think of all the incredible ideas that I have been exposed to and want to learn more about as this process of study has unfolded. I want to make a list of some items and post them so I don't forget what I was really passionate about this week while studying.
Until then...
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