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Creating Lifelong Learners
Many of the educational goals and expectations that out government has created for students fail to meet qualifications for what Bill Beattie and other educators describe as “teach[ing]…how to think [rather] than what to think” so that we have the ability to “improve our minds…to enable us to think for ourselves.” An effective public education based on Beattie’s ideals has the potential to become “a progressive discovery of our own ignorance” in which students gain the capability to become more accepting of the diversity and multiculturalism that exist within our nation (Will Durant). These concepts of learning must be present within schools in order to allow for a valuable education for all students regardless of their background. Valuable learning experiences consist less of memorizing specific facts required by standardized examinations and more on real, meaningful experiences. When learning becomes an exploration motivated by student interests rather than a mandated process, all students have the opportunity to succeed. Teaching, for me, represents the ability to guide students through the discovery of learning to transform them into critical thinkers through a social justice lens.
The standardization of curriculum has forced the content to have little relevancy for students. Many students lose interest in school as a result, and end up falling between the cracks and dropping out of school.
These drop-outs b
ecome a write off that schools too easily make. An effective educator must be able to make the content relevant and interesting. Successful teaching captures the attention of students and relates to their own life and experiences.. In my cooperative work to school class I taught at Arlington High School, I was able to bring in a police officer from their community who served a dual purpose; she was able to represent a potential career tract for students while discussing issues in the surrounding community. In these engaging activities, students were excited to provide input from their own experiences which in turn empowered their own knowledge. An effective education does not only relate to students' experiences, but builds on them to provide a new perspective that may not have been previously considered. In the same class at the high school, I looked to the students as sources of knowledge when we discussed the policies and contemporary issues concerning Abercrombie & Fitch, a store that many of them shop at regularly. Students were able to debate whether Abercrombie should be able to protect it's image by engaging in discriminatory hiring practices. Within this lesson I was able to represent social issues relevant to the students and transform their beliefs of basic human rights. Within examining and debating the topic, students were able to build their critical thinking, research, and presentation skills.
As curriculum standardization centers around testing and independent achievements, meaningful learning for
students must also include opportunities for collaborative learning activities. Peer collaboration allows for students to develop communication and teamwork skills, and can be initiated in the classroom through multiple formats. Providing a few minutes after an activity for students to discuss their results or findings with a partner allows each member to confirm their own knowledge and abilities while being able to assist a classmate who may be in need. As the resources of a sole teacher are limited, I have learned to collaborate with both my students and other educators while reflecting upon my own practices to improve as a teacher and provide the greatest education possible.
In order to achieve positive learning outcomes with the success of all students, I plan to use multiple forms of evaluation and qualitative assessments to represent student growth and progress. It comes as no surprise that students learn differently; educators must provide individualized instruction to meet every student's need and various opportunities for evaluation woven throughout the curriculum. Evaluation should not be based solely on tests and quizzes at the culmination of the unit, but instead as a dynamic process measuring student engagement, participation, and reflection. A career research project I developed allowed students to choose between a brochure, PowerPoint Presentation, poster, or essay in which they were to describe a career of their choice. Providing for opportunities of choice within evaluation allowed each student to utilize their own strengths.
As a result of my teaching, I want students to feel comfortable providing their valuable input to contribute to any classroom community. An effective education develops students into thinkers for critical justice through a curriculum diverse in content and cultures. I plan to embody these teaching practices in my classroom to allow all students to succeed. Students leaving my courses will be able to examine and question the world around them in becoming active democratic citizens of society.
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