One of the lessons I learned in my first year of teaching - fortunately before the end of the year - was that it's not enough for students to learn; they have to see clearly that they are learning; and for this purpose, it is not enough to give them ways to apply the new knowledge & skills; you have to really spell out for them here is what you have learned.
This morning, I saw an interesting illustration of the power of feeling that you do know something, in Oliver Sacks' account of one of my favorite stories of scientific discovery.
Dmitri Mendeleev had been playing with arranging and rearranging cards representing the various known elements, trying to discern the underlying pattern; one night he fell asleep and dreamed the Periodic Table, more or less as we know it.
Here is Sacks' footnote to the story:
This, at least, is the accepted myth, and one that was later promulgated by Mendeleev himself, somewhat as Kekule was to describe his own discovery of the benzene ring years later, as the result of a dream of snakes biting their own tails. But if one looks at the actual table that Mendeleev sketched, one can see that it is full of transpositions, crossings-out, and calculations in the margins. It shows, in the most graphic way, the creative struggle for understanding which was going on in his mind. Mendeleev did not wake from his dream with all the answers in place but, more interestingly, perhaps, woke with a sense of revelation, so that within hours he was able to solve many of the questions that had occupied him for years.
(Oliver Sacks, Uncle Tungsten. New York: Random House, Inc, 2001. p. 198)
Showing posts with label incentive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label incentive. Show all posts
Anatomy of a Learning Initiative: What Worked, What Didn't
I'm always interested to hear about people's special learning or middos initiatives for kids - particularly those that sustain momentum. I'm deeply interested in what makes an initiative last.
This is the story of one special learning initiative for kids. I thought it might last a couple of weeks. It's been going on now for, gee, almost five months.
Here are some factors that seem to contribute to the success of the program:
1. The task is simple, small, and specific: read a perek of Navi in English and tell me what happened in it.
2. The prizes are varied, cute, and very low-key -- on the order of magnitude of M&Ms, but not edible. The girls pick out one prize per perek. They not infrequently spend several minutes deliberating over which one they want to choose; but - this is my criterion for prizes - although some girls are drawn in by the prizes, I think they take more pleasure in the mastery of the material.
3. The initiative is public. The narrations take place in the shul social hall after davening on Shabbos, so when a girl comes up to tell me about a perek, her friends see and are reminded about the program. As long as someone is doing it, the other someones are interested.
Also, I put the prizes in a translucent bag, so they're in everyone's face. A number of girls have gotten involved because they came over to ask what those are, and can they have one?
Here are a couple of things that surprised me:
1. The e-mail I sent to parents explaining the initiative (with the graphic above) never went further than the parents. The only way communicate with the girls is to speak with them directly.
2. The fact that the initiative is l'ilui nishmas someone significant in our lives, while it is a nice thing and I'm glad we're doing it, seems to make no difference in anyone's motivation.
3. I need to remember not to underestimate the attractiveness of bite-sized anything. I now have several girls who've started learning Pirkei Avos instead of or in addition to Navi. It isn't any easier -- but the bites are smaller.
4. We've had tremendous surges in participation from all ages around Purim and Shavuos, because Megillas Esther and Megillas Rus are particularly user-friendly Navi.
5. We also have higher-than-average participation rates on Shabbosos or yamim tovim when the girls come to shul more than once, e.g. on two-day yontifs.
6. The age range surprised me. Girls who can't read yet are now participating because they get their sisters to tell them the stories in Navi. There is a sharp cut-off in participation at age 11: no one older will condescend to play with us (although several have said they want the prizes). I thought we might have one playful adult or even teen from this whole community, but no: it's turned out to be strictly a kid thing, ages 4-11.
So.
To sum up, I attribute the fact that what I thought might be a three-week program is still running five months later to
(a) nissim v'niflaos
(b) the fact that it's so low-key. It's an easy task and the prizes are tiny and consistent. There's absolutely nothing splashy about it... except that
(c) the content is real. The accomplishment is real. The girls really appreciate that they are learning something.
The one outcome I am still hoping to see that I haven't seen is whether the girls' interest will spill over to others in the community. We are starting an outreach kollel here in Elul but it would be pretty cool, if equally unlikely, if a group of 4-to-11-year-old girls can get the whole kehilla talking in learning before that.
Now that a lot of the girls are learning Pirkei Avos, when they come to tell me a Mishnah I suspect they don't really understand, I tell them they have to find an explanation for it. So they are engaging their parents, which is great.
Bhutanese fashion
My mother sent me, as something that particularly moved her, this film about a man who seeks to promote pride in traditional Bhutanese dress in Bhutan by taking pictures of people wearing it (which is what they just do in Bhutan) and putting them online. Bhutan Street Fashion
And my question is - what are the applications of the idea for day schools?
The fact that someone comes up to you and takes an interest in some aspect of your life that you take for granted is, I think, the useful point here -- not all the tangents we could go on about what tsnius means.
And my question is - what are the applications of the idea for day schools?
The fact that someone comes up to you and takes an interest in some aspect of your life that you take for granted is, I think, the useful point here -- not all the tangents we could go on about what tsnius means.
A Montessorian on Motivation
"But do you think it can really be done, to have students studying different material simultaneously in one classroom?" the principal asked.
"Absolutely!" I said, and started ticking off - Montessori, and Sudbury, and the local middle school math class, and the entire history (and present) of the one-room schoolhouse in America, and -
"But," she said, cutting into my description of Montessori, "what if you have a student who just doesn't want to learn?"
I have some memories of what I've observed Montessori teachers doing for specific kids, but - does Montessori have a general prescription for this? I was curious.
So, I wrote to one of my Montessori teachers to ask her.
Here's her answer.
Her phone inserted its own line breaks; I've left them in because I like the found-poetry aspect of it.
You asked about discipline at the High School level — this probably will sound elitist but
It all begins with 2 1/2 year olds and builds on what is learned at that level through
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and into Jr High.
As you might remember one important aspect at any level of Montessori is learning to make good choices.
At all levels, students make mistakes and
***learn from these mistakes — are encouraged to work through them, talk them out and decide to try again.
Another important aspect is adult guidance to steer EACH INDIVIDUAL toward exactly what s/he needs (academically, socially,
and as an individual).
Montessorians try to instill a love of learning
In each student while guiding each student toward learning the basic skills needed in life.
Learning how to learn is VIP. As well as discovering what turns each person on
— what is their passion? But also realizing
that those disciplines that are not so interesting/more difficult, must be tackled as well.
At all levels our Montessori students are encouraged to pursue their interests;
work hard to overcome their weaker areas;
learn how to work with others in a variety of activities; and really care about the world around them.
My inner mantra was always:
Everything is connected.
We are connected to everything.
Anyway, I found this info from Cleveland
about their High School program and thought it might be of interest.
https://www.
"Absolutely!" I said, and started ticking off - Montessori, and Sudbury, and the local middle school math class, and the entire history (and present) of the one-room schoolhouse in America, and -
"But," she said, cutting into my description of Montessori, "what if you have a student who just doesn't want to learn?"
I have some memories of what I've observed Montessori teachers doing for specific kids, but - does Montessori have a general prescription for this? I was curious.
So, I wrote to one of my Montessori teachers to ask her.
Here's her answer.
Her phone inserted its own line breaks; I've left them in because I like the found-poetry aspect of it.
You asked about discipline at the High School level — this probably will sound elitist but
It all begins with 2 1/2 year olds and builds on what is learned at that level through
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and into Jr High.
As you might remember one important aspect at any level of Montessori is learning to make good choices.
At all levels, students make mistakes and
***learn from these mistakes — are encouraged to work through them, talk them out and decide to try again.
Another important aspect is adult guidance to steer EACH INDIVIDUAL toward exactly what s/he needs (academically, socially,
and as an individual).
Montessorians try to instill a love of learning
In each student while guiding each student toward learning the basic skills needed in life.
Learning how to learn is VIP. As well as discovering what turns each person on
— what is their passion? But also realizing
that those disciplines that are not so interesting/more difficult, must be tackled as well.
At all levels our Montessori students are encouraged to pursue their interests;
work hard to overcome their weaker areas;
learn how to work with others in a variety of activities; and really care about the world around them.
My inner mantra was always:
Everything is connected.
We are connected to everything.
Anyway, I found this info from Cleveland
about their High School program and thought it might be of interest.
https://www.
All Lessons as Music Lessons
A speaker I once heard, on the subject of growth mindset, illustrated his point by describing how music lessons are taught.
The emphasis is on using feedback. The student plays; the teacher listens and offers direction; and the student tries again.
What would school look like if all lessons were structured like music lessons?
The emphasis is on using feedback. The student plays; the teacher listens and offers direction; and the student tries again.
What would school look like if all lessons were structured like music lessons?
Math Manipulative: Montessori Binomial and Trinomial Cube Puzzles
Montessori is great for beautifully made manipulatives.
I finally found a good excuse to order the binomial and trinomial cube puzzles.
This site which explains how to use them recommends them for the youngest children; but I seem to remember working on these cubes (and finding the trinomial very challenging) in both my Lower Elementary (1st-3rd grade) and Upper Elementary (4th-6th grade) classrooms.
Personally, my excuse for ordering them is a group of high school students who are studying polynomials. I think we never outgrow good visuals.
I handed the boxes to my second grader, told her they were puzzles, and let her figure out on her own how to solve them. She found them an absorbing and pleasant challenge.
(The math-genius grown-up of the family walked in, took one look at the trinomial and, without stopping to think, FOIL'd it and built up all three layers at once, diagonally.)
A significant part of the Montessori philosophy is that children are sensitive to beauty, so their learning materials should be beautiful. The school I attended used, I remember, beautifully crafted, polished Montessori materials.
I ordered the (relatively) cheap version of the puzzles from China. I'm satisfied with the quality. They're still lovely and curiously attractive (like Uncle Andrew's magic rings) and satisfying to handle.
I finally found a good excuse to order the binomial and trinomial cube puzzles.
This site which explains how to use them recommends them for the youngest children; but I seem to remember working on these cubes (and finding the trinomial very challenging) in both my Lower Elementary (1st-3rd grade) and Upper Elementary (4th-6th grade) classrooms.
Personally, my excuse for ordering them is a group of high school students who are studying polynomials. I think we never outgrow good visuals.
I handed the boxes to my second grader, told her they were puzzles, and let her figure out on her own how to solve them. She found them an absorbing and pleasant challenge.
(The math-genius grown-up of the family walked in, took one look at the trinomial and, without stopping to think, FOIL'd it and built up all three layers at once, diagonally.)
A significant part of the Montessori philosophy is that children are sensitive to beauty, so their learning materials should be beautiful. The school I attended used, I remember, beautifully crafted, polished Montessori materials.
I ordered the (relatively) cheap version of the puzzles from China. I'm satisfied with the quality. They're still lovely and curiously attractive (like Uncle Andrew's magic rings) and satisfying to handle.
Girls at War
There are some interesting insights into teenage girls' education in this article on girls in the Shomron:
Girls at War
Like this one:
"This was every rebel teenager’s paradise—nature and a cause."
Girls at War
Like this one:
"This was every rebel teenager’s paradise—nature and a cause."
A Thoughtful Essay on Teaching
I think this is a good one.
A Veteran Teacher Turned Coach Shadows Two Students for Two Days - A Sobering Lesson Learned
I see she's very kindly written up instructions to help others mine equally useful insights when shadowing students:
How-to
A Veteran Teacher Turned Coach Shadows Two Students for Two Days - A Sobering Lesson Learned
I see she's very kindly written up instructions to help others mine equally useful insights when shadowing students:
How-to
"The Batman Effect"
Someone - I've now forgotten who; sorry - directed my attention to this article:
The Batman Effect
The gist of the study is that a child who thinks of himself as Batman, and stops periodically to ask himself "How is Batman doing?" will be able to persevere longer in a dull task than a child who approaches the job as himself.
(The article doesn't mention whether a control study was done in which the children were instructed to think of themselves as Batman, but were not given costumes. I'd be curious to see such a study -- I suspect the costumes are superfluous.)
Anyway, why does it work?
Is it because, as the article proposes, that when a child thinks of himself as Batman, he distances himself from the situation?
My first thought was that when a child sees himself as Batman, he identifies with a clearly defined character to emulate. The question "What would Batman do?" lies before him, and he probably envisions the answer vividly. He knows exactly what to do.
I keep coming back to the idea that children need bedtime stories, so that they will have heroes, for this reason.
The Batman Effect
The gist of the study is that a child who thinks of himself as Batman, and stops periodically to ask himself "How is Batman doing?" will be able to persevere longer in a dull task than a child who approaches the job as himself.
(The article doesn't mention whether a control study was done in which the children were instructed to think of themselves as Batman, but were not given costumes. I'd be curious to see such a study -- I suspect the costumes are superfluous.)
Anyway, why does it work?
Is it because, as the article proposes, that when a child thinks of himself as Batman, he distances himself from the situation?
My first thought was that when a child sees himself as Batman, he identifies with a clearly defined character to emulate. The question "What would Batman do?" lies before him, and he probably envisions the answer vividly. He knows exactly what to do.
I keep coming back to the idea that children need bedtime stories, so that they will have heroes, for this reason.
Learning Everything through LARP
LARP stands for Live-Action Role Play. It's a hobby. To LARP, you dress up in costume and go out with your friends to a big, open space and act out whatever story you have in mind. LARPing may follow a script, or be an improvisation that starts with a couple of givens (e.g., the year, the place, and a quest).
(There are various solutions to the problem of how to LARP combat. Some people learn actual combat skills; some use foam weapons; some halt the drama at its climax for a game of rock-paper-scissors.)
There's also a school in Denmark (I gather that it serves to fill in a sort of European gap year) that teaches all its subjects through LARP.
Here's the school's website:
Østerskov Efterskole
Q. Do you lose something when you teach a subject in a different subject's framework instead of organizing it according to its own internal logic (e.g., teaching whatever math happens to fit with the LARP scenario)?
Q. Or do you gain something?
I'm intrigued by the relationship in this educational model between what the teachers put together and what the students furnish themselves. It's a very teacher-determined course of study. Somehow, it doesn't feel like one.
I've also been trying to figure out where LARP might serve in the Judaics department. It has obvious applications in halacha l'maaseh, since that's all about understanding what to do in situations as they arise. I think it would be great to teach students halacha and then send them into a series of scenarios to test their knowledge.
But in, say, Navi class... I'm still thinking about it.
(There are various solutions to the problem of how to LARP combat. Some people learn actual combat skills; some use foam weapons; some halt the drama at its climax for a game of rock-paper-scissors.)
There's also a school in Denmark (I gather that it serves to fill in a sort of European gap year) that teaches all its subjects through LARP.
Here's the school's website:
Østerskov Efterskole
Q. Do you lose something when you teach a subject in a different subject's framework instead of organizing it according to its own internal logic (e.g., teaching whatever math happens to fit with the LARP scenario)?
Q. Or do you gain something?
I'm intrigued by the relationship in this educational model between what the teachers put together and what the students furnish themselves. It's a very teacher-determined course of study. Somehow, it doesn't feel like one.
I've also been trying to figure out where LARP might serve in the Judaics department. It has obvious applications in halacha l'maaseh, since that's all about understanding what to do in situations as they arise. I think it would be great to teach students halacha and then send them into a series of scenarios to test their knowledge.
But in, say, Navi class... I'm still thinking about it.
Why Animal Training
I like reading about animal training for the same reason that I like reading about very ancient history: it's relevant to the material that more often concerns me, but there are fewer factors to keep track of.
Animal training is focused on how to create new habits and reinforce them and... not much else. No one is concerned with equipping dolphins with such lasting inspiration that in a moment of crisis they will be motivated to make self-sacrificing moral decisions -- as we are in educating humans.
On the other hand, educating people also involves establishing and reinforcing habits (say please). So it's interesting to me to see which techniques do and don't work for other creatures in this one specific area.
Questions.
1a. Maybe because humans are moral creatures, it's not right to draw comparisons after all.
1b. If the answer to 1a is that it isn't, what would the Kuzari say about Jewish education?
2a. Where is the line between training in good habits, and manipulation? -- in other words, if I fling fish at you every time you remember to say please, does that make me a cult leader?
3. If the answer to 2 is yes, is it because I have reduced what should be a moral decision to an animal instinct?
Animal training is focused on how to create new habits and reinforce them and... not much else. No one is concerned with equipping dolphins with such lasting inspiration that in a moment of crisis they will be motivated to make self-sacrificing moral decisions -- as we are in educating humans.
On the other hand, educating people also involves establishing and reinforcing habits (say please). So it's interesting to me to see which techniques do and don't work for other creatures in this one specific area.
Questions.
1a. Maybe because humans are moral creatures, it's not right to draw comparisons after all.
1b. If the answer to 1a is that it isn't, what would the Kuzari say about Jewish education?
2a. Where is the line between training in good habits, and manipulation? -- in other words, if I fling fish at you every time you remember to say please, does that make me a cult leader?
3. If the answer to 2 is yes, is it because I have reduced what should be a moral decision to an animal instinct?
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