The article I found this week is based off of the book by Eric Jensen, called Teaching With the Brain in Mind. The more I read about this bases of learning the more sense it made. Eric Jensen believes that the way our educational system is right now is completely backwards. He has done intense studies of the brain and how we learn and it turns out that testing is not something our educational system should be based on. We have already talked about this in class but I have always wondered in what way do we get our children to learn if its not by scaring them to do good on tests. Eric Jensen says that we need to focus more on teaching children how to learn instead of what to learn. In his model we should be focusing on long term neurological developments, focusing developing thinking processes and problem solving skills. Jensen does not think that standardized tests help that at all. "We become more intelligent by learning to think on our own two feet, test out a hypothesis, make mistakes and practice skills and knowledge in a supportive environment. We do not become smarter by being taught a narrow range of responses that will be needed on a test. Smart people got smart not by knowing all the answers, but by being better thinkers and eliminating the bad answer choices. That comes from time-consuming projects, discussions, research, building, designing, reflection, and brainstorming. Tests rarely reflect those items."
This article is such an empowering way to think about teaching and I hope that more of his research and studies find there way to a bigger group of classrooms. I think creativity is one of the most important parts of every one of us and I know that embracing that and being able to build upon the thought that children have a natural curiosity and if we let them they will build upon that and become life long learners.
Audrey, I found your post very interesting and think it is a great concept. Children should want to learn because they want to expand their knowledge not because it should be information that we are shoving at them to be tested on. This is what is happening though like you said we give so many standardized tests now a days that children are forced into memorizing material because it is important that they pass the next test. This doesn't seem right but passing tests especially standardized test have become so important!
ReplyDeleteAudrey,
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this approach to teaching before! This is a really cool idea. I love the focus on a "natural curiosity" within our kids! Definitely something I am going to look more into. Thanks for sharing!
Alyssa