A tremendous proportion of what I do as a teacher derives from my conviction that I’m not such a very important part of the process. I don’t mean to suggest that I don’t lecture, or give assignments, or those other teacherly things; but I do them tactically, on the premise that the real learning takes place around the edges of what the magister does in the center of the classroom.
Some wise teachers advise me to abandon the center stage, to put everyone in the center and stand to the side. With all due respect, and fully acknowledging that (as the Apostle saith) “not that I have attained, or have already been made perfect,” but working out my pedagogy with fear and trembling, I try to constitute the center as a masque of instruction, while cultivating the kind of atmosphere in which motivation flourishes and instigates (on the student’s own time, on the margins of the classroom) the learning that really sticks.
This is how and why we home-school; this is why I’m pouring energy into the Disseminary; and it sounds to me as though it’s at least close to what George Siemens is getting at (via Stephen Downes). &ldqu;;Year One of a new program should somewhat resemble courses (i.e. provide structured exposure to content)...but subsequent years should resemble the way in which knowledge will be acquired once in the workplace. As I've stated before: ‘Small communities of practice, loosely joined, are the future of effective, lifelong learning...’ ” That’s a vision of seminary instruction I can get very enthusiastic about.
Already, Pippa’s standard response to any unknown situation is, “Google it!”
Posted by AKMA at September 16, 2003 11:07 PM | TrackBackSome of us a very thankful you haven't abandoned center stage. Some of us are thankful for the lectures. Some of us a very thankful for all the teacherly things you do.
Posted by: Jeff Reich at September 17, 2003 09:21 PMAmen. What he said. Twice.