Monday, September 10, 2012
Teaching Styles
When the teacher began the lesson on probability, she handed all of us a worksheet and told us to complete it. There also would have been manipulatives involved but someone threw them away so we were just told what the manipulatives would have been. There was little instruction about what we were to do, what probability was, and how we were to figure the problems out. We attempted the problems and answered the questions, and then the teacher explained this method as being an discovery learning method. This method differs from the teaching-learning method I was accustomed to. I was familiar with the teacher lecturing what we needed to know, then regurgitating the information I was just taught. Even though the exploring method seemed out of my element at first and was a little uncomfortable simply because I was not totally sure how to answer all of the questions, it makes much more sense. I was able to think and try for myself. I had to push myself to really be able to answer the questions. I definitely think this was a valuable lesson for me, as a future educator. It is vital to get students to try and learn for themselves. If I just lecture to my class they may not retain much of the information. If they work on it, and explore the math on their own they will remember a lot more. This lesson was a reminder that there are many different ways to teach students and many different learning styles. I must try and accommodate for everyone.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign/tutorial/strategies.html
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When I read this post, I totally understood what you were saying! I havehad a couple teachers that will give the class an activity to do and we are expected to finish it by the end of class. In most cases, I panic and hate it to death! I have learned recently and from your post, how effective this method of teaching is. I learned more from doing the activity then I would have in a lecture. Doing the activity helped me to learn how to problem solve and work with other people to solve the problems. That's how life is isn't it? We aren't always going to have a person there to lecture us on how to do something. We will have to figure things out ourselves. I love your thoughts! It is also important to mix up different teaching styles and not do the same method every day because it can get old fast and ruin the purpose. Love your blog! Good job!
ReplyDeleteHey Jessica!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you're saying here! In all of my other math classes it's hasn't been so much me "learning" but more just doing what I know the teacher or textbook will tell me to do! I was super confused at first when the probability worksheet was passed out but it was a good way to not only learn it but understand what I was doing! I'll definitely want to do that in my future classroom as well.
-Michaelah Mazek
Hey Jessica!
ReplyDeleteI just want to say I know what you mean and how you were feeling when our teacher gave us the activity and let us go. For as long as I can remember all my teachers would first explain what the assignment was and then let us go. It was interesting to see it the other way around. Like you said though, it was uncomfortable and different in the beginning, but in the end you felt satisfied and confident because you were able to think and try for yourself. I think that one of the best ways for students to learn and fully understand a concept is if they are diving in and trying to solve the problems this way or that way. Plus, most students love when things are hands on. Great job! :)