journal 4: a child’s quest for understanding ernest solar george mason university educ 800 dr....
TRANSCRIPT
Journal 4: A Child’s Quest for Understanding
Ernest Solar
George Mason University
EDUC 800
Dr. Anastasia P. Samaras
Fall 2008
Me
An Invitation …
If you are a dreamer, come in,If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer …If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fireFor we have some flax-golden tales to spin.Come in!Come in!”
- Shel Silverstein
Child
How do schools teach?
Me
Current schools …
• base learning and education on quantitative knowledge,
• which causes the current education system to use a “monolithic approach” to research and instruction.
Child
What does that mean?
Me
There is a School Paradigm with …
• Strengths– Systematic approach
towards educating and graduating students.
– Provide standardized testing to measure student success.
– Set rules and expectations for teachers and students.
• Limitations– Learning has become
rote memorization.
– Learning is no longer personal or related to real world experiences.
– Students who are not quantitative learns are being left behind.
Child
I don’t like that approach,
can you change it?
Me
There needs to be a …
revolution,
a transformation,
a change from one way of thinking to another,
a paradigm shift.”
The Educational System needs to incorporate …
a “pluralistic” approach to learning.
Child
What does that mean?
Me
Learning needs to be …
• Enjoyable and active• Focus on thinking and understanding• Transferable• Encourage students to ask questions
and explore• Provide real-world experiences to
engage students• Promote social and communication
skills
Child
What would a school in the future look like?
Me
A school in the future would differentiate how you would understand and know things.
Let me show you a school in the future …
There are as many worlds as there are ways to describe them. – Nelson Goodman (1978)
Qualitative QuantitativeMixed Method
Technology
Cultural Problem Solving
Imagination
Invention
ArtStudents of tomorrow chose how they learn.
School of Tomorrow
Child
I like the school of tomorrow!
Me
One last piece of advice.
To end where we began …
… listen to the immortal words of Shel Silverstein.
Listen to the Mustn’ts
Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me – Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.