I would like to start a series regarding teaching and learning - my passion, of course :)
Let's see how many parts I can produce on this one. It's mostly reflections from my readings and also observations. I am to defend my doctoral prospectus this November, so I need to be "academically inclined" - big time!!
Feel free to comment or share. Let's learn together and change the world! (wishful thinking, of course).
All my posts can also be found in my Facebook notes.
..............................................
I am reading a book on Learner-Centered Teaching, written by Maryellen Weimer, a very experienced tertiary educator. She had mentioned something very interesting while discussing "The Role of the Teacher". Teachers' roles have changed over the decades, and the 21st century defines the teacher to be anywhere from a diaper-changer, a facilitator to an idol. Almost no literature will advocate the teacher as THE center of knowledge, as what we are used to during our years in school. Weimer suggested that for an educator to understand this concept, he or she must be made to take a credit course in a field outside of his or her expertise once every three years. And not just merely as an observer, but actually having to pass it as part of their professional development/promotion exercise/salary adjustment/etc... She said educators "...need to experience the learning process regularly if we expect to appreciate and understand our students' first encounters with content...". I totally agree with her! We have always talked about being hands-on, putting ourselves in others' shoes, etc etc... so, do it!
Not only teachers, college and university professors have to relive the experiences of learning, but PARENTS must do it, too! We often take for granted things that we "know" and have always lived by, but to get messages through to our young ones, students, apprentices, etc... we need to make sure that we understand the other side of the fence, too.
What are your thoughts?
Let's see how many parts I can produce on this one. It's mostly reflections from my readings and also observations. I am to defend my doctoral prospectus this November, so I need to be "academically inclined" - big time!!
Feel free to comment or share. Let's learn together and change the world! (wishful thinking, of course).
All my posts can also be found in my Facebook notes.
..............................................
I am reading a book on Learner-Centered Teaching, written by Maryellen Weimer, a very experienced tertiary educator. She had mentioned something very interesting while discussing "The Role of the Teacher". Teachers' roles have changed over the decades, and the 21st century defines the teacher to be anywhere from a diaper-changer, a facilitator to an idol. Almost no literature will advocate the teacher as THE center of knowledge, as what we are used to during our years in school. Weimer suggested that for an educator to understand this concept, he or she must be made to take a credit course in a field outside of his or her expertise once every three years. And not just merely as an observer, but actually having to pass it as part of their professional development/promotion exercise/salary adjustment/etc... She said educators "...need to experience the learning process regularly if we expect to appreciate and understand our students' first encounters with content...". I totally agree with her! We have always talked about being hands-on, putting ourselves in others' shoes, etc etc... so, do it!
Not only teachers, college and university professors have to relive the experiences of learning, but PARENTS must do it, too! We often take for granted things that we "know" and have always lived by, but to get messages through to our young ones, students, apprentices, etc... we need to make sure that we understand the other side of the fence, too.
What are your thoughts?
No comments:
Post a Comment