Hello folks! Welcome back to our regular scheduled episode of Learning in the Challenge Zone. We have been learning about what Pauline Gibbons calls teaching in a “high challenging” way, which is the teaching of tasks that one cannot do unaided, accompanied by “high support”, which is the scaffolded support needed to accomplish the task alone at a future time. It is in the classroom of high challenge and high support that students can be stretched to successfully reach their true potential.
With us today is an English Language Learner from a local school who, through his interview, will help us see just what intellectual work in practice looks like in his classroom. Just to give you some background on this student, he is an English Language Learner, who’s first language is Vietnamese. He has attended the same elementary school for 5 years, and is now entering the 5th grade. So let’s begin.
Me: Good morning, Adam. Thank you for joining us today. I’d like to ask you some questions to understand how it is you learn best.
A: (Nods his head in agreement).
Me: I’ve been learning about what challenges you in your learning. In what learning atmosphere do you learn best, in a class where the teacher lectures (transmission model) or in a class where you can talk through things you are learning with your peers.
A: In a class where I can talk to my classmates.
Me: That’s in line with what Gibbons calls talking about things you are learning, or “substantive conversations with others”. (p.20) You can talk about what you are learning with your peers or with your teachers. The key idea here is “talk through” your learning.
A: (Adam nods as if he understands.)
Me: Next question…When you are learning about something in particular, like learning about a plant, is it more helpful to you to label the parts of the plant, then later repeat all the plant parts back to your teacher, or is it better to analyze how the plant survives in its environment and understand what interaction this plant has in the world?
A: I guess I would remember what the plants interaction is for longer than just listing the plant’s parts.
Me: That’s also consistent with Gibbons idea of engaging in “higher-order thinking” and making learning more authentic. She says that, “The mere reproduction of knowledge does not constitute academic achievement”. (p. 20), but analyzing, interpreting or evaluating information does.
A: (Nods in agreement).
Me: Ok. Next question. This next question applies to transforming and applying your learning in new contexts and taking on new roles. In reference to your your class science project, what helped you to learn the most from that?
A: Well, when I was looking at the data from the project, I tried to “mirror” the way of thinking that a scientist does. I tried to research stuff about the topic and then really tried to think like a scientist when I interpreted what the information meant and then I drew my conclusions.
Me: Yes, Gibbons says that in order for you to do this you need to have some “deep knowledge” of the field rather than just know isolated facts. This is helpful because you, as the student, reflect what the “expert” in the field is reasoning about.
A: Yup
Me: Well, Adam, thank you for participating today. We look forward to learning again from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment