A Teacher’s Thoughts

The Learning never stops, recently posted on Durff’s Blog really resonates with me as I find this a constant struggle in my classes.

I needed the information, I sought it out, I knew where to look. These are research skills that educational leaders need to develop in learners. They are the lifelong-learners of tomorrow. If they ever feel they have arrived then we have failed.

So often students are accustomed to an education which is a collection of arrivals, all independent of the others. My science class is a place where I constantly question, ask for clarification, reject known truths to seek evidence, infrequently answer, and nurture a willingness to risk and be wrong. And the students do grow tired. Often they just want a straight answer, something I very carefully consider before handing out. It is as if they want to settle out of the strong current of learning and find a nice place to just sit. They want the learning to stop, at least the learning I am asking of them.

Today was a case in point. We are trying to understand the concepts behind the relationship of temperature and volume, through a floating and sinking event involving water balloons. The engagement is certainly there. But at some point every class comes to the conclusion that “warmer balloons float because they are less dense”. When a student finally suggests this, all heads will nod in agreement as if the knowledge had been just under the surface the whole time. In fact, the knowledge was under the surface, as this is largely review of the previous year’s work. When I ask them, however, if they are satisfied with the answer, they unanimously agree that they are. My response is, of course, to ask “why?”. Why are hot water balloons less dense?

And, this is where my students can’t believe what they are hearing. They just gave me the “answer”. How can another question follow? Isn’t it time to move onto something else?

Students become accustomed to reciting an answer, regardless of understanding, and getting positive feedback in the form of a correct response. If a student can tell me that hot water balloons are less dense does that mean they understand that molecules move faster when heated? Do they understand that the volume will expand as a result of this increased energy?

Teaching the desire and skills to always question one’s own knowledge should be central to our curriculum.

Again, from Durff:

If they ever feel they have arrived then we have failed.

Going on my board tomorrow is the following:

When you grow comfortable the learning has stopped. Ask the questions that make you uncomfortable and you will continue to grow.