I was inspired to teach high school based on experiences I had throughout my own time in high school. Several teachers left a lasting impression and these were almost universally due to their ability to tell stories and connect with their students. My teachers loved their content and they just seemed to love life. They had hobbies and interests that often intersected with their content, and they weren't afraid to share it. Discussions were facilitated by my teacher, but were live and always changing based on students comments and interactions. Some days we did end up talking about one teacher’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle between research methods and biology, but in the end, we learned the content that was needed. Little did I know that my teachers were using the learning theories of constructivism. These conversations allowed us to develop ideas into our own schemas. According to Piaget’s theory, schemas are the way that we process new information by categorizing it without our contextual knowledge and learning happens when new ideas challenge our schemas. (Cherry, 2019). By allowing us to share our ideas, we were sharing our learning categories with our peers. Lev Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural learning suggests that learning is a collaborative process that is prompted by our culture and the people around us challenging our ideas (McLeod, 2019). This was also in play, as we were empowered to interact with our peers, share ideas, challenge each other, and genuinely learn from one another. I carried this idea into my own classroom. I wanted to be personable. I wanted to share enthusiasm for the material and connect it to me and my interests. I wanted, above all, to be a person who loved my content area, and loved talking about it with students so I could get their opinions, ideas, and perspectives. I wanted to learn with them. I have been in the classroom for 10 years and it didn't take long for me to consider that they grew up in a vastly different world than I did. My childhood was pre-internet, slower, and patient. My hobbies and interests were enriched largely through my friends and family. Now, my students have the world at their fingertips. Their sphere of influence is vast and the potential for hobbies and interests must be overwhelming. I am always curious about how they find their interests and these conversations quickly connect to material. When considering my personal theory of learning, I decided to ask my former students about what they experienced in my class. I asked them, “How do you describe learning in my classroom?. Please enjoy their responses in the video below: I was not surprised at the sheer amount of students who mentioned discussion. Nearly every day, I attempt to open with some questions that get them talking. This may or may not be attached to the current content, but it will usually get there. These conversations are in the spirit of Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning. I believe that facilitating discussions is one of my strengths, and I was happy to see the students mostly respond to the discussions in a positive way. Discussions allow students to frame their understanding within their experiences, and then, ideally, learn from other ideas that are presented. By having students share their perspective and challenge other ideals, students learn to empathize and understand situations in a more complex way (Cherry, 2022). As new ideas push the boundaries of our schemas we begin to learn (Cherry, 2019). By allowing students to use their context to discuss and connect with the material, they start the conversation empowered, and hopefully, leave the conversation challenged by other ideas and opinions. I want my students to be challenged by ideas and then given a venue to play with this new way of thinking. In addition to the question above, I asked my students, “What is one specific thing that you learned in my class?” I was curious what specific items stuck with them over the years, and I figured it would give me a sense of what my approach to sociocultural learning is yielding. Their answers are provided in the video below: I allow unlimited revision to empower a spirit of play in my classroom. The revision process was inspired by Papert’s constructionism, which focuses on play and making ideas sharable and tangible (Ackerman, 2001). Through the revision process my students share their information with me and their peers. The process is iterative and collaborative. We work together to make the work better, and putting your ideas out there in a public space is key to Papert’s constructionism theory (Ackerman, 2001). I stress the idea that learning doesn't always look like an A on a test or a successful essay and it often is seeing something in a new light, and those significant moments don’t always come from me. I also continue to consider Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning, which theorizes that we learn best when supported - and challenged - by our peers (Cherry, 2022), and discussions and revision work well to respect what students know, make them feel welcome, and then challenge them to grow through successes and failures. We need others to challenge our understanding and ideals. To fully teach my students, I need them to challenge my understanding of the content and the best way to reach them. I allow unlimited revision to empower my students to understand that mistakes are where the learning happens. Each group of students that graces my presence is made up of different experiences, culturals, and contexts, and they help me guide the discussion to ensure we all learn something. References:
Ackerman, E. (2001). Piaget’s constructivism, Papert’s constructionism: What’s the difference. Future of learning group publication, 5(3), 1-11. Cherry, K. (2019, September 23). The role of a schema in psychology. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-schema-2795873 Cherry, K. (2022, June 3). Sociocultural theory of development. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-sociocultural-theory-2795088 McLeod, S. A. (2019, July 17). Constructivism as a theory for teaching and learning. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/constructivism.html
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David McGregorI am an English teacher and cat lover from Genesee County, Michigan who is eager to learn new things. Archives
August 2022
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