Reflections on Constructivism
I'm all blogged out, so today I'll write about constructivism (I assume that we don't always need to talk about technology.) In our A.P. classes, Terry, Lary, and I have always handed the class over to the students--it just seems like the right thing to do with students who are so gifted. We conduct the class in seminar fashion. We allow students to select their own books for monthly independent study assignments. We encourage them to explore fresh, original ideas when they write essays. We have them take turns teaching a poem to the rest of the class. The kids are amazing to watch and listen to.
What I've learned more recently, however, is that honors kids aren't the only ones to benefit from this style of teaching. Students in my "regular" classes are also amazing in their depth of insight and in their creativity. When given the chance to work independently and to come up with their own ideas, these kids also perform extremely well. As I grow older and more experienced, I've learned to trust my students more and more and to encourage them to work more independently. That' s not to say that I shut my mouth, however. I love to share ideas with them--but I try not to be oppressive or too dogmatic. I find that when I join them in their discussions and when I ask them sincere questions about issues I don't understand, we all learn so much from each other.
I suspect that good teachers have always been "constructivists." Do you suppose the method seems new and exciting because it has a fancy, polysyllabic name attached to it now?
What I've learned more recently, however, is that honors kids aren't the only ones to benefit from this style of teaching. Students in my "regular" classes are also amazing in their depth of insight and in their creativity. When given the chance to work independently and to come up with their own ideas, these kids also perform extremely well. As I grow older and more experienced, I've learned to trust my students more and more and to encourage them to work more independently. That' s not to say that I shut my mouth, however. I love to share ideas with them--but I try not to be oppressive or too dogmatic. I find that when I join them in their discussions and when I ask them sincere questions about issues I don't understand, we all learn so much from each other.
I suspect that good teachers have always been "constructivists." Do you suppose the method seems new and exciting because it has a fancy, polysyllabic name attached to it now?
posted by Cheryl Makovsky at 1:52 PM
4 Comments:
I think you are right on target with so many of your comments. I'm enjoying turning over class discussions more and more to the students. I certainly have more confidence about doing that now than I did as a younger teacher. Maybe it's also because I have a bunch of knowledge I can fall back on if the discussion doesn't go well--young teachers don't have that yet. Of course, I have lots of inane knowledge available also!
Once again, a great post. Of course you don't always need to talk about technology. In fact, my guess is that you will rarely talk about technology - at least as the main subject. The focus of our staff development is definitely on constructivism, with technology just being a way to facilitate a more student centered learning experience.
As I was reading your first paragraph I was already composing my comment (yes, I'm a man) - and then your second paragraph was pretty much exactly what I was going to say. I think all students can benefit from a constructivist approach. Yes, there will still be some differences in how you approach things depending on whether they are more academically motivated students, but I think we always need to remember that this is their education, not ours. And that applies to skills students just as much as it applies to A.P. students.
And, yes, I think a polysyllabic name never hurts in education. Hmmm, Makovsky has 3 syllables and Fisch has . . .
I agree that all students can benefit from being handed the reins in class. I have to admit that I find myself getting impatient at times when my students don't seem curious enough to want to run on their own. I'm realizing more and more how important it is to provide them with interesting possibilities, rather than always just what I think is good for them.
I love this post because it speaks to what I think is true in terms of the hunch that you have, that all good teachers are probably constructivists. To trust our students means that we care for and about them.
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