Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Click here to read a new article by Prensky. Respond in any way that strikes you but somewhere in your thinking let us know if you believe the following statement is true: Today's kids hate being talked at. If so, is there something we should do or is there something they should do?
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17 comments:
I agree with the article that kids do indeed dislike being talked at. It reminds me that I really do need to be intentional about generating feedback from my students on my teaching practices and lesson ideas. The use of 'exit slips', has helped me in the past in judging if students have enjoyed/understood the lessons that I teach. Also creating more experiences when student are truly engaged with hands-on learning experiences, and inquiry based learning.
I thought that this was an interesting article...I think Prensky's efforts to include students in discussions about instruction seems to be a wise move. I believe that there are most definitly kids who hate being talked at and some change needs to be made in order to meet their learning needs, however they do need to learn to LISTEN as well. So, I guess I'm saying that teachers need to make changes and provide more hands on/technology opportunities for learning on a frequent basis. At the same time, we need to continue to teach kids the value of listening and functioning in a lecture style lesson.
This article reminds me of the importance of teaching with engaging lessons in the classroom and using feedback from the students to generate future lessons.
I suppose it sort of depends on your definition of "talked at." I think of "talking at" as being similar to a direct instructional time, where the teacher is "lecturing" - explicitly teaching new information. I do think there is a place for this in the classroom, and I do see my third grader's eyes light up with engagement when they realize they are learning some cool new facts!
However, I also see the point of the article. Too much talking at makes the students feel silenced, disenfranchised, and bored. There has to be a balance. The Prensky article seemed to suggest that technology is the way to engage these students, but I think it's important to remember that it's only one way to engage and involve young minds in learning.
I certainly agree that I talk way too much at my students and I am being careful to try and minimize this in my instruction this year. In addition, I agree that my students really hate it. That being said, just as I need to work at making sure my words are significant and meaningful, my students need to work at active listening as an important life skill.
It would be interesting to have the students design the projects that they are to do. Pransky says in this article that "We just don't listen enough to our students. The tradition in education has been not to ask the students what they think or want, but rather for adult educators to design the system and curriculum by themselves, using their "superior" knowledge and experience." Maybe we should stop doing what we want, and start listening to them. If we want them to be lifelong learners, we need to get them interested in learning now.
Having a son in high school, I can tell you that the sentiments of this article ring true in my household. My son tells me all the time that his teachers do not teach the way he learns. My own son (and his friends) have really prompted me to stop and think about my own teaching; how am I teaching my kids and is it truly the way that they learn? I want to make sure that how I am teaching promotes what I am teaching. Hence, my involvement in ITP this year!
I too, agree that kids dislike being talked at. I feel that I do too much talking in the classroom and have made an intentional effort at giving the kids the floor more this year. As a teacher of primary students, teaching my students to listen is a prime goal. This goal goes further than just listening to me - I stress all the time that they can learn more from their friends than from me, but I find that they listen to me better. By including more class discussions and truly listening to what the students have to say - my hope is that they will begin to listen to each other better, and in turn, learn from their peers. They will also feel validated and needed within the classroom.
I found it interesting how Prensky connects student boredom at school to drop out -- that makes clear sense to me. When I get bored, I tend to want to "find something better to do" -- why wouldnt it be the same with our kids? It is a solid reminder that teachers need to remember the importance of student engagement.
The use of the GLAD 10-2 (Art Costa) has been a recent wake up call to me that teachers should talk no more than 10 minutes without 2 minutes of student processing time. This helps me avoid the trap of talking at the kids for too long.
I agree that school must be a fun, engaging and safe place for kids to learn. Lecture, hands-on/experiential learning, simulations, and technology all play a part in this. It just requires a conscious effort on behalf of the teacher to make sure these activities are a part of daily life at school.
I am not surprised that kids have so much to say when they are actually asked what works and what doesn't. I have always wanted to be that teacher that kids remember for years to come after elementary school. Engaging lessons are so rewarding and effortless.
I agree that kids do not like to be talked at but the article made me think about my first college experience. I realize that students are "bored" but I remember being very much in control of how bored I was. I think it's an issue teachers and students need to tackle. Yes,teachers need to listen to their students to get important feedback about their interests but students also need to be accountable for their engagement as well. It is a two-way street that will not improve unless everyone (teachers and students) are on board.
I agree that students do not like to be talked at. However the article made me think about my indergrad experience and how "bored" I was. I know that I was very much in control of my boredom and I assume many other students are as well. Yes, it is important to listen to our students and get feedback about their interests and their engagement but it is equally important for students to be acountable for their engagement as well. It is a two-way street and will not improve unless everyone (teachers and students) are on board.
I agree that most students do not like being talked at but I also think that students need to learn to be active listeners, even if the topic may not be that exciting or interesting to them.
That being said I've sat through some great lectures and some very bad lectures so like anything how exciting or interesting the lecture depends on the teacher and how they choose to lecture about the material.
I really think it is all about communicating with the students. Drawing from their experiences and relating them to what we need to teach and the only way we can do this is by talking to the students and asking them what they want to learn about the topic.
I'm working hard this year to limit my "lecture" time, and keep kids moving more. I also am trying to be aware about what kids want to learn and making sure I hit on questions that they think are important.
Oh, bless you ,Prensky, for empowering students and giving them a voice! How do you engage learners and make learning meaningful? This is a question I have come back to over and over again in my 10-year career. In my mind, it’s all in the approach (keeping lectures to a minimum) and the application (giving students the chance to DO something with their new knowledge). And I absolutely agree that taking the time to listen to what your students have to say is critical. Less talking and more listening should be the goal!
I also understand the realities (and confines) of teaching in a "traditional" classroom. I mean, most classrooms look pretty similar to the way they did a hundred years ago ... aside from a few computers and a snazzy ActivBoard ... and instruction still relies heavily on worksheets and lecture. Yet I think we'd all agree that students do not "look" the same ... and they certainly don't learn in the same ways they did when Laura Ingalls was calling all the town's children into the one-room schoolhouse! But I've seen a lot of instruction - and I am guilty of it as well - that is held tight by the teacher ... "I have all the books and all the knowledge, and I intend to pass it along to you in the way that makes the most sense to me." How in the world do we create LIFELONG LEARNERS if we aren't willing to let students play a role in what they are learning?
Oh, geez, I think that is a bit of a ramble, but I hope some of it makes sense. Yes, today's kids (and yesterday's kids for that matter) hate being talked at ... and with good reason ... without a say students don't "own" their learning!
Also, want to say that Erica Johnson has a good point ... to some degree boredom is a choice students make ... I've said to my students, "This will only be as fun, interesting, fanastic as you make it!" If students aren't going to "buy-in" to what they are learning, some of the "blame" does rest with them.
Points I agree with: Most kids hate being talked at and we should plan with their interests in mind. That said, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to content we are required to follow. I'm sorry kiddo that you hate social studies, but it's required!
Before I make my next statement, let me preface it with this-I know I can make most topics engaging and exciting, that's why I learn new teaching techniques. I've got to reach my kids any way I can! Now, I'm probably going to irk some people here, but really...Sometimes life just isn't all woo-who and excitement. How much of this boredom quoted by the kids comes from their classroom lives not meeting the same "excitement quota" as the time they spend on their cell phones, X-boxes and Wiis? Yes, we need to do a better job of engaging today's students, but I also think that it needs to be tempered with reality...
I agree with portions and would like to challenge other portions of the article. First of all, it concerns me when we suggest that education is the same as business. I just don't find that to be a reasonable assumption. It also concerns me that we are suggesting that we should ask students what they learn. I think it is TOTALLY reasonable to talk with students about HOW we present material, but not the what.
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