I know I am reading this late. Over Thanksgiving break I am trying
to catch up with my saved email on the To Understand List and
reviewing the book. This post reminds me of my first experiences
with Constructivism. When I went to college I learned Behaviorism in
the late 70s. Then when I did my Master's degree in the late 90s I
had a professor who taught the foundations course and had us learning
about educational theory. I didn't even know what constructivism
was. She taught in a constructivist way. She was creating an online
museum of educational theory and we each had to choose an artifact to
create for the museum highlighting one of the three theories that we
were learning about (Behaviorism, Information Processing, and
Constructivism). I chose Constructivism and learned SO much. I felt
empowered. I knew what I wanted to learn and put so much into it.
It was exciting.
Another friend of mine tells the story of her first experience of
construtivism. She was doing an independent study with a professor
and went in to talk about what she should do. She was shocked that
the professor just ASKED her what she wanted to learn! She was
expecting to hear about a list of readings, papers, and en exam. At
first she felt like the professor was a slacker. Why should she pay
for a course where she was doing ALL of the work! Hmmmm
Janice
On Oct 25, 2008, at 4:51 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Lori
Thanks for your words of advice. Leadership doesn't have to be an
administrative position...and I truly feel that we as teachers can
help to change
things right from where we are now...in the classroom. SO...even
though I
eventually may find myself in an administrative position, what I am
learning has
import for me now in the classroom as well.
Yes, there are constructivist schools or at least pockets of
constructivism
around. SO...there is hope, Lori. My own instructional facilitator
is nudging
me in that direction even faster than my natural inclinations are
taking me!
So...there are good leaders out there who are not caving in to
NCLB pressure
and I am proud to be working for a couple of those folks. :-) I do
know I am
lucky though...those pockets seem to be dwindling. All the more
reason for
we as teachers to understand the importance of teacher leadership
so that we
can advocate for what is best for kids.
Interestingly, I started my career by teaching the way I had been
taught...in a very teacher-directed manner with the thought in my
head that I needed to
give my students their knowledge. As I began to learn about how
to guide
students to develop their own understandings...to construct their own
knowledge...I have seen my own philosophy of education shift. I am
not a
constructivist teacher...yet...but every step I take in giving
more control over the
learning to my students shows me that I am heading in the right
direction. The
students are more engaged...and learn more...when I give up more of
the control
to them.
I think that few of us could say that we have been taught ourselves
in the
way Ellin recommends. We have no examples to guide us...so it is a
long journey
when you have to figure this out for yourself. I will say that
the college
class I have just finished is probably the first one I have
experienced that
was taught by a true constructivist...where the professor set up
reading,
conversations and learning experiences and helped us to develop
our own learning
community. There was not one lecture the entire three credits and
I learned
more than just leadership in that class...LOL-I learned that when
I grow up,
I want to be a constructivist just like Dr. Svenning! :-)
Anyway, I actually got to see, for the first time, what a
constructivist
environment could be for adult learners. It was fascinating and it
has me
thinking about what she did to set that up and what I could do to
set up that same
environment in my own classroom.
I wonder how many of us really have seen or experienced the learning
environment Ellin describes in chapter two. If you are out
there...enlighten us!
What are some things we can do to start developing this wonderful
environment
for learning that is the literacy studio? Has anyone taken some
baby steps
toward the studio model? What is working? What is not working?
Jennifer
In a message dated 10/25/2008 5:21:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Vision, leadership, learning communities, celebration of
success...those
are hallmarks of a truly great school and staff...are there any
constructivist
schools out there given today's climate of test scores?
Lori
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[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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