There is not one approach that I would say is the best. This chapter looks at a series of theories that can and should happen in the classroom. As professionals, you need to be aware of why you are approaching a task in a certain way and then try to stretch yourself and imagine ways that would include some of the other theories.
As you observed classrooms in your school visits, did you see examples of the different ways of teaching?
" The aim of education, then, is not to guide learners toward completion, but to provide them with experiences that challenge and enlarge their understanding" (p. 101) I think this quote captures the essence of the chapter. As teachers we will use all of the teaching theories addressed in the chapter to achieve this goal. All of these theories can be applied to the classroom. I think routines, for instance, are based on the behaviourism.
I do not think that there is a best or most effective process of learning for elementary school. I think as teachers in order to benefit our students as much as possible we have to be aware of all of these processes and implement them into our classrooms in as many ways as possible.
However, the fact that there are so many processes of learning reinforces to me the fact that it is very important that we as teachers understand who we are and what our teaching philosophies are.
Personally I feel very strongly about student-centered education. I believe that students should have a say in their education and be able to contribute to it. In this regard I am pulled toward the Constructionism theory in which there is a focus on small groups of students. The small groups are groups of learners who work together to build understandings and come to shared conclusions. I like this theory because the focus is not what the teacher wants the students to learn, but what the students can discover for themselves with the aide of the teacher. As a result I will most definetly use this process in my classrooms. I do though understand that all people are different and if a student is not responding to this method then it is only fair to alter the process of learning.
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There is not one approach that I would say is the best. This chapter looks at a series of theories that can and should happen in the classroom. As professionals, you need to be aware of why you are approaching a task in a certain way and then try to stretch yourself and imagine ways that would include some of the other theories.
As you observed classrooms in your school visits, did you see examples of the different ways of teaching?
" The aim of education, then, is not to guide learners toward completion, but to provide them with experiences that challenge and enlarge their understanding" (p. 101) I think this quote captures the essence of the chapter. As teachers we will use all of the teaching theories addressed in the chapter to achieve this goal. All of these theories can be applied to the classroom. I think routines, for instance, are based on the behaviourism.
I do not think that there is a best or most effective process of learning for elementary school. I think as teachers in order to benefit our students as much as possible we have to be aware of all of these processes and implement them into our classrooms in as many ways as possible.
However, the fact that there are so many processes of learning reinforces to me the fact that it is very important that we as teachers understand who we are and what our teaching philosophies are.
Personally I feel very strongly about student-centered education. I believe that students should have a say in their education and be able to contribute to it. In this regard I am pulled toward the Constructionism theory in which there is a focus on small groups of students. The small groups are groups of learners who work together to build understandings and come to shared conclusions. I like this theory because the focus is not what the teacher wants the students to learn, but what the students can discover for themselves with the aide of the teacher. As a result I will most definetly use this process in my classrooms. I do though understand that all people are different and if a student is not responding to this method then it is only fair to alter the process of learning.
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