After reading Situated Cognition and completing the Kahoot I thought I had a relatively good handle on the reading. When we got to class and started taking the quizzes of my classmates I felt even better about my understanding of the reading. I was excited and happy because I knew the answers! Then we started discussing the reading and getting deeper into the meaning and I realized how it was so much more than just the vocabulary terms and phrases we all pulled out for our Kahoots.
The two main things I took from it was first Authentic Activity, what is real in our students worlds not the school world. It’s more than just worksheets and textbooks, it’s bringing the learning to their real world. Second Enculturation which is adopting the behaviors and beliefs of a social group. If we want our students to learn math they need to become mathematicians. In order to put these into practice we need tools, these can either be physical or a concept. Learning is best when we use all three: activity, culture and tools. This made sense to me, it’s how you learn outside of school. It’s how babies learn, it's how we learn to play a sport. Yet in school we are doing the opposite.
We talked about the ABCs, SPD, and AeCTS which all follow the same principle of authentic learning. When we began discussing these I began to think of my lessons and projects and wonder if they fit into these acronyms or what I can do to change them. Already my mind is spinning with ideas on how to bring more authentic learning into my classroom. I even called a friend after class to ask her if she would be a part of a project I have in mind and Skype with my students.
What I loved most about this class is these are things I already knew I wanted to do but just didn't have the tools to do it. I feel like now I have the tools and system for how to create an authentic problem for my students to use, even in a Spanish classroom.
One final thought, something that definitely stuck out to me the most was the “e” in AeCTS. Which stands for the exit strategy. It never occurred to me that we give our students an authentic situation to solve with no conclusion. What was the point of that? I guess in part because I new what the exit strategy was and just always left it at that. This is definitely a game changer for me and my teaching.
Hey Mel! Great post! I loved that you picked up on the same quote that I did: "Don't teach students math; teach them to be mathematicians." I think that says it all! My head was spinning last class also. I felt like everything from the first few classes finally came together for me.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I felt empowered after I left class. As we discussed it I kept nodding and agreeing, with everything. This is the way we should be teaching. I find myself discussing this with anyone who will listen.
DeleteHa! Me too!! (:
Delete"It’s more than just worksheets and textbooks." You hit the nail on the head!!! I thought instantly about when my friends and I have a new board game and want to learn the rules. Usually one person reads the pamphlet and then summarizes the rules to the group, and then we have a "practice round" where we can get going and ask questions as we play. Why not incorporate the same kinds of methods in classrooms?
ReplyDeleteI love your board game example! It makes perfect sense. That's how we learn best. I cant figure out why we haven't used these methods in our classrooms.
DeleteI am also feeling empowered by the concepts we're learning. Everything we've talked about in class fits in with my philosophy of what "good teaching" should be but before the path from Point A to Point B was clouded and with each new tool we add I see the path getting a little clearer.
ReplyDelete