Dearest Pumpkin: perhaps it was the way you told the story. As I recall, you described the students of one class running to the library to take out all the books on the subject so the others couldn't get to them. Perhaps it was out of context and didn't do justice to the technique, as elaborated below.
Originally, it seemed a little bit like one team puncturing the tires on the school bus carrying their opponents to a tournament, ensuring forfeiture. In sports, we'd call that poor sportsmanship, not healthy competition. A competition is when both teams are on the field. I'm not against competition per se, as you suppose. It's just that we have an ample supply of it already. Karen Karen - ma petite cabbage, Competition can be great fun, and when learning is fun, we'll get lots of it. Competition is a great way to produce enthusiasm in a the classroom I have no idea why intelligently you can react to competition as you do. Must be a philosophical thing. It's better to have a philosophy than not have one. We need a rock to support our thinking. But a lot depends on the rock. Anyway, I came across this letter from a teacher of InterStudent. Harry -------------------------------------------------------------------- Jan. 27, 1998 Dear Harry: It was so good to talk with you on the phone. My introduction to InterStudent was five years ago at the National Social Studies Convention in Phoenix. I sat in on your group session and decided to buy your Inter student Unit on the spot. I was teaching American Government and Economics at the time. The unit seemed to be my answer to teaching difficult economic concepts to my students. Inter student changed my teaching methods. It provided a method for delivery of instruction that placed the student in the position of teaching themselves. The Socratic Method is an incredible method of instruction. The focus of learning becomes the student and not the teacher. The student must produce every day in the classroom. The peer pressure of other students in their groups forces the less achieving students to learn also. Inter student provided an interesting change in my classroom. All of a sudden my lower achieving students were participating. They had no choice. All of a sudden my attendance improved because students (groups) didn't want to be penalized. The student became the focus of learning. They had to learn the information provided in the units. It forced them to think.(yes!) They were forced to write papers(debates) and they also produced an Inter student newspaper in some of my classes. Probably the most interesting part of the InterStudent was the Trivium Debates. Students really got into the questioning process. All students had to participate and most were prepared before the debates. They learned the value of working together and the high achieving students had the opportunity to achieve even when the group didn't. I also adapted the Inter student for my Government class. It really sets you free from the traditional methods of teaching. Sincerely, JB Retired Teacher Agua Fria Union High School ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------- Karen wrote: >Harry, >Thanks for sharing the story about the students who swarmed the library. >That particular story sounded a bit more like competitiveness to my ears, >not joy of learning, but they were enthusiastic, nonetheless. > >Just so long as you aren't teaching them that the losers are killed, >gladiator style, maybe they will carry their enthusiasm into adulthood and >mature into inquisitive souls with a hunger for learning and facility for >adapting. We have more than enough cutthroats as it is. > >But it does "take all kinds" in society, and this we recognize. Would just >like for there to be more balance, more creativity, more celebration of >learning, not resentment of it by those gave up, who didn't get turned on, >who weren't taught how to learn. > >But if we adults don't communicate a joy to our children why should we >expect them to exceed our own example? > >Karen ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 ******************************* _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
