Often in schools we errantly believe that our curriculum objectives and identified learning targets are the source of students' knowledge gains. The lessons that we directly engage the students in are the ones that result in student learning gains. While for specific skills this might be true, the reality is significantly different. In Krashen's theory of language acquisition, he identifies that language is acquired through exposure and experience. He notes in this natural approach that there are certain conditions that must be met for learning to occur. He talks of the affective filter, situations in which we feel less stress, more comfort, and safety, are ones in which the learning mechanism can maximize its potential.
The question becomes is this natural approach limited to language acquisition or is it applicable to most learning contexts. The answer to this is simply, yes! We know from the work of David Golman, that emotional intelligence can have as much of an impact as innate skill when interacting with the environment. This means that our feelings of self-worth and internal motivation impact when we are available to effectively undertake challenges and develop skills. Often the times when we feel safest are ones in which we can learn the most. When one pieces the work of Krashen and Golman together, it becomes evident that learning can be occurring in 3 contexts: Learning through engagement within our environment, Learning through interaction, and Learning through direct instruction. Furthermore, the learning mechanism probably does not turn on at 8:25 in the morning and turn off at 2:55 in the afternoon, but rather continues throughout are days. Put into context, we always have the opportunity to learn, we simply will learn more when it is something we value and we feel safe while we will learn less when it is not valued as much or we feel uncomfortable.
Understanding learning as a continuous process has dramatic affects on how we approach Value-Added Measures in teacher evaluation and the Achievement Gap. Simply put, direct instruction is not the only variable in either of these components and may not even be the driving variable either. Learning as a continuos process requires us to look at and influence the entirety of a students environment. Increasing reading opportunities in the home, providing exposure to technology, developing opportunities to create new experiences beyond the schools matter as much as the experiences within the school walls. As we realize this, parent education and strong community partnerships become vital if we want to raise our children as successful learners because the children's knowledge and skill gains are as impacted by these outside experiences as they are from those within school.
In our school district, it has been a busy winter. Each month, there have been additional learning opportunities for students. Musical performances, a science fair, the Student Involved with Technology Conference, and the "Reading Games" have been school-led but parent involved learning opportunities. These seem like extras, but in reality are as core to the learning opportunity as the algebra quiz we studied for on Friday. The power of these experiences may be more valuable than those learned in algebra as the children who participated choose this challenge on their own and such were more available to the learning experience inside.
I think back to my early learning experiences. As a young pre-teen preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. I think of when learned to read decode Hebrew on Wednesday nights at Etz Chaim and when I learned to speak and read Hebrew at OSRUI summer camp. Learning occurs all the time. We learn the most when we feel safest. Environment impacts all that we do.
Keeping the Faith - Bar Mitzvah Training
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