Post from Deb 10-18-2007

Hey guys,

I don’t know how valuable my two cents will be since I am not currently in the classroom, but I’m coming up against some of these issues as I finalize a long-term inquiry module that I am working on. I keep thinking about that video that Todd gave us to watch from Dr. Bain. One part keeps playing over and over in my mind when a student walked up to Dr. Bain after what Dr. Bain thought was a great lecture and asked, “Who cares?” How do I get my students to care? I am really struggling in my History 3220 class right now because I don’t see any relevance to my life in what I am studying about the Middle Ages. I keep trying to make connections to me now but that is not what is valued during the lecture. There are so many things I want to say, but I get the feeling that is not what I am there for; I am there to shut up, take notes and feel very foolish about my ignorance. Although I am sure that is not the goal of the professor, that’s how I feel. I wonder how many times during my clinical teaching experiences my students got the same impression from me; shut up, sit down and learn, and oh yeah, you have to learn it my way. I think the most important thing I can do is give my students a safe environment in which to question and then show how valuable their questions are. I saw this really cool activity at NSTA last year where the teacher had students on a worksheet answer some basic questions about a topic that was considered a common misconception, then we exchanged papers without knowing who had answered the questions. We got to see how others were thinking about the topic without putting our egos on the line and it generated a lot of discussion without putting anyone on the spot.


Another thing I would like to try in the classroom is the test procedure I learned about also at NSTA. Give the students an exam, record their scores, then let them take it again in a group setting where they get to discuss answers within a peer group (similar to how scientists actually problem solve), justifying any changes made and any change in thought. Again, I think it would provide a buffer to the ego that then allows students to pursue wonder without fear; fear of not feeling like s/he can be successful because of low test scores. If you think about it, school and the DMV are about the only places that require tests for progression (and with all the questionable drivers on the roads these days, I’m not sure how effective the DMV is at testing). Yet we are being tested everyday; how effective am I as a mother, can I communicate my concerns about city council issues, could I have handled that spat with my husband better, how can I reduce our family’s cost so we can take that vacation to Hawaii next year, etc.
etc. etc. It’s just that those kinds of test don’t come with a letter grade and thus not as much pressure to perform at a certain level determined by someone else. With the above testing method, I wonder if the students would be able to work together to solve the problems, thus learning from each other and simulating a real world experience. Just some thoughts.