This chapter discussed valuing each student as an individual with a unique contribution to make. The approach is free of bias or stereotype, and relies on an instructor belief that every student can learn and achieve. Bain describes the many toxic effects of gender and racial stereotype can have on student achievement—and the need for strong trust, encouragement, and reassurance for all learners.
Standards for achievement are set high, but with assurances to students they can meet them and that they’ll receive help to do so. Teachers put the focus on excitement, meaningful goals, and intellectual curiosity rather than on “making the grade.”
The best teachers expect more, but not just by piling on the assignments. Learners are encouraged to produce exceptional works of art or complex and well-reasoned works of scholarship that are similar in quality to what artists and scholars create outside of school.
This makes me recall the inspirational video I put in “Shared Resources.” In that, the writing of the students being tutored was published in an anthology and they could see the final results of their work. This strikes me as a powerful motivational tool.
The author reiterates the need for challenge, practice, feedback, controversy, and reflection as part of the learning process.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with you regarding having the thought process that every learner can learn. Unfortunately, I have seen instructors go so far as to "label" a learner on their first day of class, which is truly unfortunate as they are not given a complete opportunity to learn.
ReplyDeleteYes, and I think those prophecies all too frequently have a way of fulfilling themselves. If you write someone off on day one, how are they going to get a fair shot?
ReplyDeleteI see that with newer trainers a lot. As if they can look at someone and divine whether they're going to be successful or not. I'm like, what...so you read minds?
It is so ingrained to label and classify as it keeps the complicated and chaotic more manageable. How are we supposed to turn off this automatic and seemingly subconscious behavior?
ReplyDeleteGreg
I think it's at least worth testing out your theories. When I began asking people what was going on for them I found, much to my surprise, I was wrong...like, a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the same token a lot of people can't read me very well either. I guess when I'm really thinking hard about something I get an expression on my face people variously interpret as "angry" or "disagreeing" but really I'm just working things out in my head.
Over time I've learned that asking people directly is far more reliable than my weak mind-reading skills.
I think Greg makes an excellent point! And I like your answer too, Patrick. I think techniques that open up the challenges to the entire group might work also. I was in a diversity training class once and we were randomly divided into groups of about 5 to 7 people. I was with 5 or 6 other people who were different gender, or race, or religion, or culture, or sexual orientation and I thought our little group activity was going to be horrible. Our assignment was to list as many things as we could that we had in common! That was an amazing wake-up call for me. We came up with a huge list. That activity brought my unconscious behavior out into my conscious awareness. I presupposed I would not be able to be comfortable with these strangers nor that we would accomplish anything. I was wrong on both counts and I discovered much about myself in that one simple exercise!
ReplyDeleteI still have a hard time accepting some cultures and belief systems. I have not tried being direct about it and that may just be the ticket!
Lorrie
Hi Lorrie--thanks for adding your experiences to the discussion. It sounds like that little activity was a real eye-opener. I think as human beings, we probably have a lot more in common than not. It's amazing to me how much time we spend focusing on the differences.
ReplyDelete