Another event that has caused me to once again really think hard and reflectively about teaching and learning is one that you might not expect. Last July I became a grandma for the first time. It's absolutely the most glorious thing that has happened to me since the birth of my own children! On a personal level, I knew this would be a wonderful experience. I didn't expect it to have an impact on me professionally, but indeed it has.
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As I sit with my granddaughter (11 months old) and she plays with the plastic ball that you put the shapes inside, I tell her the name of each shape that she picks up, turn the ball so that correct hole for that shape is on top, and help to guide her hands as she tries to put the shape inside. Then I praise her for doing a good job. Next shape, next shape, next shape and so on until all 10 blocks are inside the ball. Then we dump it out and do it again. Sometimes she wants to play over and over and sometimes she moves quickly on to a different endevour. Who determines when we play this game? Brianna does. Who determines when we are finished? Brianna does. As I was playing the shape game for the 10th time one day, I started thinking about the teaching and learning that was happening and how that connects to what we do or don't do in schools.
How did Brianna become interested in this game? I showed it to her one day (Teacher introducing new content). She was curious and wanted to do something with it (Student interest in new content - the proverbial "teachable moment"). That determined when we began. I didn't wait until a previously determined time in the "baby curriculum" when I knew that it would be good for her to learn about the shape ball. There is no scope and sequence to this. I didn't wait until a list of prerequisite skills in isolation was learned first. Brianna can't name the shapes. She can't even talk yet. But still I tell her the name of each shape as we play. I have an expectation that she will be able to learn the names of the shapes when she's ready, so patiently I say them over and over again. There is no test. I don't say the names 3 times and then stop, deciding that her time is up and she's failed to learn them. I know in my heart of hearts that I'll keep saying the names and some day, she'll start saying them back. She can't find the correct holes for each shape on her own. This is not an independent skill for her yet, so I provide the scaffolding she needs in order to be successful. Again, I have an expectation that some day she'll be able to do this on her own and until that time, Grammy will provide the help she needs, whether it takes weeks, months or even years. I think that we, as teachers, understand the need for scaffolding, and we do provide it initially, but do we provide it as long as a child needs it or do we take it away at a predetermined time when we "think they should know it by now?" Repetition after a point seems to drive adults nuts, but not kids. Brianna will play this same game over and over and over again with me. Brianna decides when we play this shape ball game and how long we play it (child centered learning). Brianna is in control of her own learning. And there is no fear of failure, no negative and positive. She'll make mistakes and I'll show her how to fix them and neither one of us will be sad or discouraged or upset. As a matter of fact, we'll rejoice in each tiny step Brianna makes towards doing this on her own.
So what is the result of all of this? Brianna loves to learn. She understands that this game has a purpose. There is something you are supposed to do with those shape blocks. She's learned that they go into the holes and that you keep doing it until they are all inside. Then you start over again. She rarely stops before all the shapes are inside the ball. She seems to understand that the game has a beginning and an end. She knows Grammy will be there to help. She gets the ball, brings it to me, watches my hands and my face as we play. She "studies" me and the ball and the shapes. She knows there is something to learn and she wants to learn it. And observing all this in her, and participating in the process, is grandly exciting and rewarding for me. Brianna has a whole world of content to learn, but I'm learning too, as I take the opportunity to reflect on my own practice.
Why are we so infinitely patient with babies? Why do we so eagerly and freely model and teach and guide, never worrying about how many mistakes are made or how long it takes? Why do we lose this when we go into the classroom and are faced with students who can walk and talk? Being a grandma and getting so close to the core of teaching and learning definitely gives me a renewed perspective on what it means to be a learner and what it means to be a teacher.
1 comment:
What a refreshing perspective! Your reflections have made me stop and think about why we do things different in the classroom. As a support staff who works with all special needs children I wonder if we approached studnets as infants like they are learning for the first time would we are teaching style be the same? Would we the teacher demonstrate the same patience and understanding if we thought we were working with a baby? Because we see a physically large child in front of us do we automatically teach like the child has a different capacity to learn.
You have given me much to ponder! Life styles today move so fast we sometimes forget to stop and look around.
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