Teaching = Learning

In the mid 1st Century A.D.,  Roman philosopher Seneca stated,
"While we teach, we learn."

In the late 18th Century A.D., French moralist and essayist Joseph Joubert wrote,

To teach is to learn twice. 

In 1993, American educator Dr. Gary Phillips determined,

"we remember 92% of what we teach each other."

Despite knowing that the best way to truly understand, one must be able to teach.

The American educational system is still dependent upon a model that places the expert

at the front, in the position of both teaching and learning,

while presenting knowldege to a captive group of passive students.

We must demand better of ourselves as educators and place our students in the

optimum position for their learning.   Students must become their own teachers. 

We must create in them a desire to understand the knowledge,

we hope for them to apply and retain, to a point that they can teach each other.   

We must place the burden of learning on the students and diminish the role of the educator

from expert presenter of the information to guide and facillitator of the learning process.

Students must understand that in a community of learning that they are responsible to and for each other in order to maximize the potential of learning for all.  It is in the ultimate success of the group that success as an individual is actualized.  

     

   

Dynamic Teaching in the Block

The Dynamic Teaching in the Block Schedule Workshop focuses on the creation of a community of learning, based upon those skills that are absolutely necessary for students to transition into their future.  A future where the majority of jobs do not even exist yet, using technology that has yet to be invented and solving problems that have not yet been created.  The skills students must master for success in the next three decades are the Three C's of learning: Think Critically, Work Collaboratively and Communicate Effectively.  It is these three skills that educators should promote within their classroom whether the curriculum path they are on is English, History, Math, Science, Art or Technology.

The workshop will incorporate powerful teaching strategies to enhance the culture of learning, to enhance problem solving skills, increase student participation, develop creativity and increase collaborative abilities. Teachers will be immersed in a classroom experience that places the student at the center of the learning and allows the teacher to become the mentor of their learning success. Imbedded in the workshop is the idea that transforming teachers in to the "Guide on the Side" will have a more positive influence on student learning than does remaining the "Sage on the Stage".  

Dynamic Teaching in the Block Schedule will provide a model of an interactive and robust classroom where both students and teachers value learning as a process of exploration and discovery.

For more informaiton on this workshop contact Brian S. Miller at smarterteacher@gmail.com.

Lessons From Geese

I use the You Tube video "Lessons From Geese"  in all of my classes to introduce the concept of collaboration and cooperation in my classroom.  I stress the importance of developing a teaching/learning relationship among the students in my classroom.  I try to eliminate the concept of competition for grades.

I want the students to help each other to learn and encourage the idea that all students can achieve success. The teaching/learning concepts of Dr. Gary Phillip's are further developed in understanding that when students teach each other they actually improve their own understanding of the material. 

I go to great lengths to explain the difference between cheating and actually assisting students to understand as a means of improving the learning process for everyone.

T  -  Together

E -   Each 

A -   Achieve

M -  More 

Once a coach, always a coach.

  

92% Of What We Teach Each Other

In my classroom I have a chart of the work of Dr. Gary Phillips on Brain Research completed as part of the National School Improvement Project.

I use this chart to remind me that when we teach each other we solidify our own understanding of the material. I design my classes to be teacher guided but student driven.  I implore students to assist each other in the understanding of material as a means of increasing their own knowledge.  I purposely design projects, activities and lessons to initiate the student to student interaction. 

This is not cooperative learning, as some teachers mistakenly call it.  I spend a great deal of time discussing the integrity of the process.  This is not giving answers to another student, but truly assisting another student to understand and in doing so increasing their own knowldge base. 

Amazingly you will find that sometimes, the student who struggles the most is actually the best teacher of material once they understand it. These students usually had to deconstruct the information in order to undertand the material and therefore can do a better job of actually building up and explaining the basic components of the topic. 

Remember, It's not about you; it's about them - "a guide on the side" 

Brain Reaserach Summary

We learn and remamber after one month...