The focus of traditional education has mostly been on knowledge. The focus has been on learning more information. But now we have more information available to us than ever before. And the amount of information out there is growing exponentially.
And this rapidly growing body of information is readily available. We can access it at any time in any place at the tip of our fingers with a connected device. Our tools have transformed our experience. So while learning information still has some value, it's not as valuable as it once was.
So what about teaching for understanding? That raises the bar a little I think. While teaching for knowing is about accumulating more information, teaching for understanding is about making sense of that information and seeing how the pieces fit together. It's recognizing the context of the information, why the information is important, and how the information might be applied.
Teaching for understanding is a deeper type of learning. It involves critical thinking, making personal connections, and being able to have discussions and make arguments about the information. But it's not actually applying the information.
For me, that's the true test of learning. How can you apply what you know? How are you applying your learning? The most important thing for our students is what they are able to do. Application is seeing knowledge and understanding in action.
When we talk about students being ready for life, it's about them being able to do things to contribute and make a difference.
Doing makes the difference.
I think traditional education has mostly assumed that students would be able to take their knowledge and understanding and apply it as needed. But we know that's not the case. Students are often not able to transfer their knowledge or understanding. They often don't even see the relevance of their knowledge or understanding because they haven't done anything with it.
And that's the reason why many people find the best learning after their formal education has ended.
I'm guessing most educators can relate to this very well. To train to be a teacher you go to college and you expand your knowledge and understanding of the teaching profession. Mostly you learn theoretical concepts or discuss various scenarios or established principles in a way that is isolated from actual practice. You take the quizzes. You take the tests. And you write the papers.
And then, you enter your student teaching and the application begins. And you quickly learn that much of what you learned in your coursework is very different from what you learn in actual practice. At least that's how it was for me. There seemed to be a very big disconnect.
To further prove this point, have you ever known someone who aced all of the classes in college to become a teacher, but then struggled mightily to succeed in the classroom? The skills they needed to succeed on the quizzes, tests, and papers in college weren't the same ones needed to succeed in an actual classroom.
After student teaching, your first full year in the profession is still like a crash course. For several years, you continue feeling a little like a beginner but your learning is consistently reaching new levels. The learning from actual practice was actually far more helpful than the learning from education classes.
So all of this brings me to suggest a different way of learning in school, a way that I believe is more effective than starting with knowing and understanding. Let's start with doing. Let's start with solving and creating and applying.
The student will still need to learn the information and understand the information. But they will see the relevance of the knowing and understanding, because they will need it to succeed in the application of what they are doing.
They will learn by doing.
And they will be more curious, more engaged, and more empowered because they will have to decide what information and concepts they need to successfully complete the task. They will see how the learning matters and how it makes a difference beyond the classroom. Through this process, they will need lots of guidance and feedback from the teacher, a learning expert.
That's the role of the modern teacher, to skillfully design learning experiences that help students know more, understand more, and most importantly, do more.
The best learning requires students in action.
What am I missing here? Can we flip the script and get better results? Can we start with the project, or the problem, or the application and learn the content through the process? How are you doing this in your school? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.
No one is perfect. Not one of us. But if we're not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking we have to act perfect.
I find it puzzling how students sometimes have the idea that teachers/principals/educators are somehow above making mistake or should be above making mistakes.
I remember when I was teaching 9th grade English how students would jump at the chance to point it out if I misspelled a word on the white board, as if I was suddenly an incompetent teacher. They would express shock and dismay that I would make such a mistake.
But without question, I made my fair share of mistakes, and I learned that it was best to admit them and help dispel the myth that teachers don't make mistakes.
But a bigger issue than spelling errors is how we show up in our relationships with our students. And guess what, we're still imperfect. We make mistakes in how we treat others sometimes too. And when we do, the right thing to do, and the most effective thing to do, is to admit our mistakes and apologize for them.
As a principal now, I try to model apologizing to our staff and to our students when I don't meet the mark. I've made more than my share of mistakes. It might be a small thing or it might be something bigger. It might have been overlooked or there might be hurt feelings. Regardless, it's hard to go wrong with a sincere apology.
Here are 7 reasons to apologize or express regret...
1. Shows You're Human
Kids sometimes think their teachers are above making mistakes. But kids need to know we're human too. We are doing the best we can, and we're going to make mistakes. Positive human behavior involves admitting mistakes.
2. Creates a Healthy Example
When students see us apologize and show regret for our actions, it helps them feel more confident to do the same. We get a clearer picture of how things really are when we are honest about our mistakes.
3. Shows Ownership of a Mistake
Students will be more likely to take risks if they know the teacher admits and takes ownership of his or her own mistakes in this classroom.
4. Builds Connection
When you admit mistakes, it makes your relationships stronger because students feel they can trust you.
5. Increases Your Influence
Some people fear admitting a mistake because they think other people will use it against them. But the opposite is usually true. When we admit mistakes, we appear smarter, more confident, and more sincere and that creates allies.
6. Shows You Care
People who won't admit mistakes are often self-focused and want to protect themselves rather than show they care about others. Admitting a mistake is a selfless decision.
7. Develops a Growth Mindset
When you have a growth mindset, you view mistakes as part of learning. Admitting a mistake and apologizing for it, if it hurt someone, is important to be able to move past it and learn from it.
How do you feel relationships are made stronger by apologizing? Can you apologize too much? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.
We all see things differently. That's something I continue to learn as an educator and in every other area of life too. I used to get upset if someone expressed an idea I didn't agree with. It would frustrate me to no end if they took a position that seemed unreasonable to me.
But I've learned that another person's perspective is something they have ownership over, not me. And my job is to listen and try to understand where they're coming from.
And maybe, if they're an open minded person, just maybe they'll be interested in my perspective too.
But be careful. Beware of the person who sets himself up as an authority. Beware of the person who believes he has cornered the truth. Beware of the person who has nothing left to learn.
When a person defines his or her belief as the only reality, that is dangerous indeed. Watch out for the person who has that type of blindness, who believes their perspective is the only one.
They might say things like...
"I know for a fact..."
"You're wrong."
"You just don't get it."
"You should really do your homework on that."
"That doesn't matter."
"No one agrees with you."
"That never works."
"If you think/believe that, you must be a...moron, racist, tree-hugger, redneck, baby-killer or some other insult."
It's never healthy to think I can impose my ideas, my opinions, my values, or my beliefs on another person. Our students need to learn to discuss ideas without being dismissive, condescending, or just plain rude.
Being kind, being caring, being a person of empathy and understanding is more important than being right.
How are you helping your students be more accepting of people who have different ideas, opinions, backgrounds, etc.? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.
