This YouTube video summed up 8 realistic conditions that must be met for students to engage in learning. Many of these conditions may strike you as common sense but they are very true and as a teacher I am now committing it as part of my job to be aware of these conditions in my classroom. The first condition reflects Kurtis’ statement about if children are not prepared for class or ready to learn they won’t. If a child is hungry, tired, stressed, worried or distracted their learning will be conflicted. As a teacher being aware of these factors in a student’s life is demonstrating KSA #1. KSA demonstrates that contextual variables affect teaching and learning. I am beginning to learn that I want to be the teacher that is aware of family circumstances, religion, beliefs and such variables of my students because it will allow me to set my expectations, know my students and their sensitivities. It will allow me to make decisions based on particular behaviours from my students. Also, if I am able to identify variables that are affecting a child’s learning I might be able to make some changes with them, for them and in regards to the way I might be doing something.
Another way I learnt that I can insure powerful learning is met in my classroom is creating lessons and activities that show students that their learning matters. I believe being a great teacher involves demonstrating to students that a particular piece of content is meaningful for them and relevant to their lives and the real world. Creating an environment of active learning stands out as challenging to me but extremely important. Hands on and social interaction is one way of helping me start developing active learning environments. Some other “Ah Ha” moments for me in regards to powerful learning was the idea of being a “coach” for students. To me this means being accessible for help and guiding practices. I want to highlight on the word “guiding” because I am beginning to learn it is important that teachers are facilitators and direct students but are careful of not telling students the answers to everything. We have been exposed to strategies that demonstrate this type of modelling in our own classes so far. Conditions number 6 and 7 were “I have to use it” and “ I think back on it.” I really think these two statements are very insightful because in relation to Bloom’s Taxonomy the highest level of learning happens when you can create something or teach it. If a student can use their learning for a purpose or reflect on how their learning has changed or allowed them to grow, a teacher is doing their job!
Many professors in the Education Faculty keep alluding to the idea that teaching is very much about preparing students and helping them plan for the next steps in life. Teachers are helping student’s access skills, knowledge and attitudes that will prepare them. As a general philosophy, I love that!
I really hope you enjoyed Ned’s Gr8 8 video as much as I did! Please feel free to write to me if you have any comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!