Thinking further on measuring engagement in lessons, I have come to the conclusion that grades must be abandoned to get a true measure. Otherwise, it will be difficult to distinguish extrinsic from intrinsic motivation. True engagement comes from the inside.
I watch him lift his head and shoulders up off the desk. I hear a deep breathe and a sigh as the noise level in the classroom changes. I look at what the eyes are doing; I look at what the hands are doing. A blush rises to his cheeks. There is a new warmth in the room – the warmth of engagement.
P. S. Do our assessments do justice to process as well as product? When we assess product, are we encouraging engagement?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
You can't get there from here.
Jeff & Chris,
In my 20+ years of teaching, I have come across two schools of thought that offer insights to deepen pedagogy. Waldorf Education (Steiner) and Understanding by Design (UbD, Wiggins & McTighe). Their beliefs are turning education inside-out (Waldorf) and backwards (UbD). The common threads in the two philosophies are: delving to identify concepts “essential” to the learner, using empathy as a teaching tool, and teaching for understanding. The intensive Waldorf teacher training programs facilitate a more dramatic pedagogical shift whereas, the shifts taking place through UbD are more gradual. I did come across an interesting forum for collaboration based on UbD.
And, in the words of the New England geezer, "You can't get there from here..."
~You have to go back - back to childhood; back to wish, wonder and surprise; back to looking up at the sky and asking what our purpose is. From there, move forward again - following your heart, ever continuing to seek the purpose.
Then, when you design a lesson - connect all material to the purpose, organize intentionally for effect, engage your audience, model advanced techniques, support your purpose with rich, insightful elaboration, and use feedback to make notable changes in your presentation.
In my 20+ years of teaching, I have come across two schools of thought that offer insights to deepen pedagogy. Waldorf Education (Steiner) and Understanding by Design (UbD, Wiggins & McTighe). Their beliefs are turning education inside-out (Waldorf) and backwards (UbD). The common threads in the two philosophies are: delving to identify concepts “essential” to the learner, using empathy as a teaching tool, and teaching for understanding. The intensive Waldorf teacher training programs facilitate a more dramatic pedagogical shift whereas, the shifts taking place through UbD are more gradual. I did come across an interesting forum for collaboration based on UbD.
And, in the words of the New England geezer, "You can't get there from here..."
~You have to go back - back to childhood; back to wish, wonder and surprise; back to looking up at the sky and asking what our purpose is. From there, move forward again - following your heart, ever continuing to seek the purpose.
Then, when you design a lesson - connect all material to the purpose, organize intentionally for effect, engage your audience, model advanced techniques, support your purpose with rich, insightful elaboration, and use feedback to make notable changes in your presentation.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Engagement
Skis, transmissions, lovers, and learners...
Of all the possible conversations to be had under the subject of pedagogy, I have decided that the place to begin is with engagement. While a person may be in the midst of all sorts of work taking place around them, they will benefit when they themselves become engaged. Continuing to present a lesson to an inactive audience is like a motor idling unproductively because the transmission hasn't been engaged.
In the “traditional” school setting, I feel that the missing link to engagement is the feeling realm. Concepts are presented intellectually – rote. Learners need reasons to care. We care about things we can relate to. If a lesson’s relevance is unclear, is it the teacher’s responsibility to clarify it?
What are measures of engagement in the classroom? Notably, the behaviors outside of the classroom are strong indicators. A student continuing to work with an idea outside of the period, outside of the four walls, is an engaged student!
Of all the possible conversations to be had under the subject of pedagogy, I have decided that the place to begin is with engagement. While a person may be in the midst of all sorts of work taking place around them, they will benefit when they themselves become engaged. Continuing to present a lesson to an inactive audience is like a motor idling unproductively because the transmission hasn't been engaged.
In the “traditional” school setting, I feel that the missing link to engagement is the feeling realm. Concepts are presented intellectually – rote. Learners need reasons to care. We care about things we can relate to. If a lesson’s relevance is unclear, is it the teacher’s responsibility to clarify it?
What are measures of engagement in the classroom? Notably, the behaviors outside of the classroom are strong indicators. A student continuing to work with an idea outside of the period, outside of the four walls, is an engaged student!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Pedagogy
“Technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around.”
(EduCon 2.0)
I often see reference to “pedagogy” in Classroom 2.0 discussions and the critical idea that embedding Web 2.0 technology is changing how we teach. (Clarence Fisher, K-12 Online). I love the word pedagogy. It is an old word for an enormous concept - the art or science of teaching. What concepts are considered “pedagogy?” I have a list rumbling around my brain:
functioning, paying attention, risk taking;
organizing;
equity, personalization, collaboration, engagement;
utilization, movement, reflection, pain,
thinking, feeling, willing;
relevance, connectivism;
foundation building, scaffolding;
freedom
Where do I begin? I am interested in reform in education because I watch too many learners that are not engaged by the present system. Reform in education will not happen by doing the same things and simply changing the medium - to the internet. Change will come by changing the principles – the pedagogy.
Are teacher training programs preparing the next generation of teachers to do this? The traditional teacher has spent 16+ years in school - old school. Then in our own classes, we model our teachers, caring and inspiring yet - traditional.
It is difficult to be guided by a pedagogy that one has not experienced. It may feel like turning one's experiences upside-down or inside out. It certainly requires imagination and reflection.
(EduCon 2.0)
I often see reference to “pedagogy” in Classroom 2.0 discussions and the critical idea that embedding Web 2.0 technology is changing how we teach. (Clarence Fisher, K-12 Online). I love the word pedagogy. It is an old word for an enormous concept - the art or science of teaching. What concepts are considered “pedagogy?” I have a list rumbling around my brain:
functioning, paying attention, risk taking;
organizing;
equity, personalization, collaboration, engagement;
utilization, movement, reflection, pain,
thinking, feeling, willing;
relevance, connectivism;
foundation building, scaffolding;
freedom
Where do I begin? I am interested in reform in education because I watch too many learners that are not engaged by the present system. Reform in education will not happen by doing the same things and simply changing the medium - to the internet. Change will come by changing the principles – the pedagogy.
Are teacher training programs preparing the next generation of teachers to do this? The traditional teacher has spent 16+ years in school - old school. Then in our own classes, we model our teachers, caring and inspiring yet - traditional.
It is difficult to be guided by a pedagogy that one has not experienced. It may feel like turning one's experiences upside-down or inside out. It certainly requires imagination and reflection.
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