My "ism"

So about time to tackle what my "ism" would look like. I purposefully waited until after my paper as I was still searching for what it would look like. I think my "ism" [represented by the bold lettering] would look like the following:

Description:

• If you asked me at the beginning of my masters I would have said a 75% realism and 25% neo-thomism. However as this course has progressed my "ism" has shifted to pragmatism. Why? Through my own experiences through Action Research and what I have learned about myself due to this course I have greatly seen a change in me as I need to learn through experiential learning. This has revolutionized the way I thought about myself and how I learned, and I seek to capture that energy within the classroom by allowing students to experience. I realize that I need to develop yet. So as of right now here is what my "ism" would l be described as:
• 50% Pragmatism/25% Realism/25% Neo-Thomism

Key Theorists:

• Dewey has been the most influential on me as this course grows, but I cannot simply deny my past influence of Plato and Socrates.

Epistemology:

• As I described above the empirical method has been growing within myself and the classroom. However being in the social sciences it is hard not to occassionally fall back into the transmission mode. There are just sometimes where you have to talk and desiminate information.

Ontology:

• Self. Perhaps above all I think self exploration is key for anyone, myself included, to truly learn. In many of my classes, especially Psych 20, I state that if you take anything from this class take what you have learned about yourself. To me that is a mark of a great educator.

Role of Teacher:

• The main belief of my "ism" is the teacher as a facilitator. To assist the students in their own learning by helping them, by guiding, learn the best way that they can for themselves. However, occassionally authoritative and interpreter come into play. I would endeavour to say percent wise it would fall like this: 50% facilitator, 25% authoritative and 25% interpreter.

Role of Student:

• I see the most growth of my own teaching style here as my views on students change. I currently would see students as investigator and colleague. By becoming a learner with them and listening to their needs and interests I have moved away as seeing them as empty vessels. I see them as partners in education with both of us learning from one another and together.

Situatedness of the Curriculum:

• With my views on students changing my focus here has shifted from knowledge based to one that embraces observation and milieu. With different students and learning styles I have been adapting much more in the last year than ever before.
  

Visual Metaphor:

• Jedi Acadmey/Force. I know that this is somewhat recycled from a previous assignment but I think the basic tenets still hold. Padawans/Jedi learn through both transmission of info but also learn by doing. The skills learned vary with the situation as the milieu and their observations change. They investigate the world around them as well as the world within themselves. Jedi Masters guide them [padawans] in their learning, morfe often through experiences.

Been a while...

So I took a break from my blog to focus on my paper and I think it was a good break for me as I think I am ready to try to tackle a couple of questions that Steve asked at the beginning of the semester.

The first one I want to try and tackle is what knowledge is worth knowing. Since the beginning of this course I have been more aware of the decisions I make within the classroom. Most importantly though I have been wondering for whom am I making these decisions. Is it for my best interest, in order to plan, or for the students?

This weekend's presentations caused me to reflect on what is it that is worth knowing. I have to agree with Meagan that I think the most basic skills, that are definitely worth knowing are the three "R"s. Reading, writing and arithmetic. These skills transend most courses and definitely impact upon a student's success in these courses. But what else? Is the knowledge from my History 30 class worth knowing? Law 30? Econ 30? Will the students even remember the specifics that I "taught" them.

The answer is most obviously no (at least for many of them). I am sure that some students will hang onto some of the information for whatever reason. Fun moment, links to them, etc. When I look at the various courses I teach there is a recurring thread that is present in them all. Perhaps this is what I value as the knowledge most worth knowing.

What is it you may ask? Critical thinking and exercising their own opinions. This is something that in all classes I take the time to develop in them. I make it clear at the start of the term that I want to hear about their values and beliefs. Often times they have their opinions but they do not clearly explain them. This is something that has always bothered me. But am I making a judgement? Is this something that they need to know? I think the answer is yes! Basic communication skills are a must: literacy and writing. I believe that this is just an obvious extension of that subject material.

Throughout the term we work on being able to clearly state their opinions and then have the ability to back them up. We work with dialectical essays that exercise their critical thinking skills to see others opinions. This is an ongoing process that takes time and if in all the courses in which I teach this is the only skill/knowledge they came out with I think I have succeeded in helping them.

So what knowledge do I think is worth knowing? In my beliefs it is helping the students find their voice. A voice that can clearly explain their beliefs and values, while backing those beliefs up.