Week 10

Teaching as if Life Matters: Chapter 3

1. Read & Reflect:

            This chapter encourages and provides strategies for teachers to steer away from "the status quo pedagogy employed in schools to foster intellectual development" (pg 48), and to instead create a climate that forces students to question. This begins with fostering an appetite for questions. Students typically link questioning to unenthusiastic feelings and even fear. This is a result of their past experiences with questioning. We need to advance more positive experiences with questioning by nurturing curiosity and creating an appetite for inquiry. Children need to see that  we sincerely considering their questions. Teachers should not mechanically answer questions right away. Instead they need to validate the question and give it some wait time, investigation, and encourage more student response and further questioning into the matter. In order for teachers to adopt these view in their work, they must: "trust that to be human is to have natural curiosity, trust that student curiosity is a much better foundation for a curriculum, and trust that by slowly giving up control we can create conditions for genuine learning in our classrooms" (pg 53-54).

             On page 52, the text tells a story about a boy finding a rock and bringing it to school. In the first scenario, the teacher dismisses the rock and make the boy feel, "I have done something wrong; cool stuff (like a rock) doesn't belong in school; it is best for me to lie low and avoid any more scolding." The second teacher, used the rock as a tool for a learning moment with the whole class. This made me think about "toys" and how children aren't allowed to bring them to school. I realize that they can be a distraction, but they could also be great tools. What would happen if toys were encouraged instead of prohibited? A few short discussions in the classroom about toys could encourage children to think more deeply at home.

            Pages 35-36, discuss Schultz's approach to question-centered learning. In the end, his class "created a curriculum based on their needs and desires" I think this approach is very do-able in the art classroom, but I wonder how achievable it would be in a regular classroom. Most administrators don't give too much consideration to art. Yes, it's sad; but it's also to our benefit. We aren't required to meet as many stipulations and we are able to incorporate more of our own ideas into our teaching. This means we should all strive to incorporate the question-centered learning into our art rooms, because it is less likely the students will obtain similar teachings in their regular classrooms.

            "Everything we know today arose because people in the past were curious" (pg 56). The power of question (exploration 3) discusses types of questions and their influence. Less powerful to most powerful are which, when, who, where, what, how, and why. "Why" is the most powerful question, because it makes us reflect and it creates actual conversation. The text explores a teaching approach called, the power of why and Jensen's practice the "annoying child". Instead of fighting out own case when someone expresses an opinion, teachers should just continue to ask why. Why do you think that? Why is that? Why? Why? Why? This will help the individual "begin to uncover some of the underlying beliefs and hidden assumptions that frame his or her definition of progress" (pg 66). I am curious to try this out on a 5th grader I have (I've talked about him before). This student wants to argue with me on everything. I don't think it's because he disagrees, but he just wants to test me. I wonder if this approach will quiet him or encourage him further.

            The textbook gives a few other explorations to use in cultivating a love for questioning. Exploration 1: questions to create community is an exercise to use in the first day of class. It encourages student engagement, because it gives students an opportunity to discuss their own questions. This approach is geared toward an older group. Does anyone have any ideas how to alter this for an elementary classroom? Exploration 2: observation as the foundation for questions helps students become conscious of their own ability to formulate many questions. They not only generate questions, but they also, examine their questions, and share what they think is their best question. Exploration 4: using questioning to promote critical thinking is useful in helping students think through something. First, they focus on the plus and minus. Then, they discuss interesting points. This would be a great group approach. Exploration 5: using questions in the context of contemplation helps students define the meaning of a text. It helps them re-state what they are supposed to learn. Exploration 6: going public with questions/strategic questioning helps to deepen listening and self-understanding.

            "Questions aren't just things to be explored within the confines of the classroom" (pg70). Here are a few things to remember when questioning.  Keep queries simple, don't add two or more parts to questions. Keep questions general, open-ended, avoid yes-no questions. Remember to listen! Give the person your full attention and try not to have your own agenda. Try to keep themes general.

2. Pre thinking on lesson with “why questioning”:

This week, my 3rd graders are going to begin a unit on Van Gogh. We are going to view images of Van Gogh's work and discuss the history and some fun facts. I will add my PMI to this discussion. We will review by playing "pin the ear on Van Gogh". Then, they are going to create their own version of a Van Gogh painting (I'm going to let them all pick their own painting to re create). 
PMI: Van Gogh did not become famous until after his death.
What are some possible positives about this fact?
What are the negatives about this fact?
Interesting.

My answers for the Van Gogh PMI:
P's: he painted simply for his own satisfaction, his beautiful style was not changed because of other's opinions, he is a good example to use when teaching children about leaving a legacy
M's: his depression caused him to end his life very early, he did not experience the personal happiness felt when others admire your work, he lived modestly and only sold 1 painting

I's: If he had lived longer what else would he have created? If he had more funds from selling more work, what other supplies would he have utilized? If he were famous, we would have more insight into his thoughts, because it is more likely they would have been documented.
Why will this benefit my students? It will help them to relate to the artist and explore how this would personally effect them. It will assist them in thinking about their own legacy and help them understand that it is important to never give up, even when you feel like no one cares. Also, it may encourage them to provide their peers more frequent praise.
Why do I think this will work? They are intrigued by Van Gogh. We are studying him, because he was the table artist the majority of them voted for learning about next. Also, they've had a few outside lessons about legacy and this will help them make connections.
  

3. Questions for the teacher:

· Why the Saturday deadline? During my undergrad courses, I took a lot of online classes. All of the deadlines were always Sunday at midnight. If we had to respond to others, it was usually due the following week. Since I teach during the week and have my other classes every Thursday evening, the extra day and response time would have been very helpful.

· Why did you decide to use LORE and blogs to post our assignments? I understand that they are more visually appealing, but they seem to provide the same attributes as Blackboard and the discussion board. BB would also have saved us from having to repost our responses.

· You said to add/alter our lineage tree. What exactly does that entail? I feel like I included everything the first time, but I don't want to just not do it.

- Note: These questions are NOT at all intended to come across as rude or argumentative. These are just some things I have been curious about for awhile. Thank you for providing us an opportunity to ask you about them.

Other: Revisiting my Post Modern Portrait:
Updates have been made to Week 8! :)