The main idea I take away from this book is a shift from thinking about teaching to instead think about the learning that must take place. While it seems like those two go naturally together, this book made it apparent to me that those who focus on the teaching only will miss the learning, sadly. Good teachers are focused on the learning and the teaching naturally comes out of that focus.
I also was encouraged that it is not about the method as much as it is the underlying heart of the teacher and what the objectives are. It is encouraging that all personalities, all styles and all methods can be successful (just as readily as they can be unsuccessful). Good teaching is about truly caring for and focusing on the students and HOW they are learning.
Overall, there was a reinforcement of what I have been learning on the subject. It also resonated with my worldview of human interactions and I liked that connection.
I would recommend this book (and already have to one person).
Regarding this blogging process, I already knew I am not a natural born blogger, but the discipline of slowly reflecting on pieces of a book and putting those thoughts into writing was beneficial. Probably due to the size of the class and the sheer number of blogs we could follow, the interaction wasn't huge but it was enough to know there were other people reading and processing similar books and to read their thoughts and to have some interaction on the subjects.
It is amusing that we look forward to the comments on the blogs. I guess part of human nature is to want someone else to find value in our ideas.
ReplyDeleteI plan to continue my blog for my own reflections. I have found the reflective part of learning to be quite helpful.
Good luck!
Margaret
Your conclusion is very appropriate and hits home for me right now. I just taught mys econd of fourteen first year experience courses and found that I wasn't as focused on this lesson as I was on the first lesson. For the first lesson, I could not get my projector to work and I just taught off my notes and interacted more with the students. For the second lesson, he projector worked, and I found myself focusing more on the slides and the material. I got bored and they got bored with that method, so lecturing from slides is clearly not the method that I prefer and one that reaches my audience. Nice posting.
ReplyDeleteI like your comment that there are many successful ways to teach as long as they are learner centered. That is great advice to think about.
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