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moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

ls650: That is what separates the sheep from the goats in the realm of teaching, IMHO.

One way you can avoid "spinning" information to suit your own aims instead of promoting learning and critical thinking on the part of your students is to make sure that they have an ample menu of choices to pursue in every class, and that you safeguard the right of each and every one of them to express his/her opinion. You are not in a classroom to create clones of you--you are there to support the students' process of discovery on their path to becoming conscious and articulate critical thinkers.

I use a cooperative learning model in the classroom--when students are working together in groups to learn, the dialog is among them--and you are there as a facilitator, not a pontificator.

I also use a socratic approach--that is to say I ask questions, and I don't give answers. That's not my job as a teacher.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

ls650: That is what separates the sheep from the goats in the realm of teaching, IMHO.

One way you can avoid "spinning" information to suit your own aims instead of promoting learning and critical thinking on the part of your students is to make sure that they have an ample menu of choices to pursue in every class, and that you safeguard the right of each and every one of them to express his/her opinion. You are not in a classroom to create clones of you--you are there to support the students' process of discovery on their path to becoming conscious and articulate critical thinkers.

I use a cooperative learning model in the classroom--when students are working together in groups to learn, the dialog is among them--and you are there as a facilitator, not a pontificator.

I also use a socratic approach--that is to say I ask questions, and I don't give answers. That's not my job as a teacher.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Tamara · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 108

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I wish I could believe you, Tamara. But I don't. I think you are just trying to CYA.

You talk about learning WITH your students, but YOU are the one who shapes them? Sorry, but that's an unresolvable contradiction. If you were truly learning with your students they would very probably be shaping you more than you them--after all, they are the majority.

Tamara · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 108

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Right back where we started...using the Bible in class.

Tamara, I assume that by the co-operative method, that you'll use a bible or scripture as a starting point for learning along with your students?

Perhaps it's your decision, perhaps it's that of the school where you teach, but would you allow your students to do this as an example?

Take creationism and evolution as reading topics for an ESL class. I assume you teach ESL of some form. Engage in co-operative learning, in groups, with some discursive aim for output. Would you do that? How would you do it?

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Contrast that with your statement about shaping them. Don't you see there is something really wrong there?

Tamara · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 108

I teach adults in a community college setting. I have never used the Bible in an ESL classroom, although I did use some portions when I taught 10th grade English. They were in the text book, not something I pulled out.

From the ESL classes I teach or have taught, examples of using cooperative learning (which, by the way, have nothing to do with using the Bible in the classroom):

Have students work together in small groups to present TPR examles of prepositions. Each group presents the same things, so the whole class sees the prepositions demonstrated several times in the course of the lesson.

Have students use the text's dialog models to practice language functions. Then, have them close the books and ask real, authentic questions of the same grammar function.

(A new one I'm just now trying, so we'll see how it goes) Have students research a communicative competency (in our case, compliments) and compile research and present a joint summary. We're just beginning this class, and though I've introduced the concept of the project, we haven't really started yet. I got the idea from a college text book, When They Don't All Speak English. The book is at work, so I can't verify the title or the author of the article I used. At any rate, I'm excited about the project and I hope it goes over well with the students. The goal is for them to take control and ownership of the project, although I am also a participant. (So don't be surprised if you eventually see a thread about compliments popping up somewhere.)

I like your idea of reading topics that lead to discursive output. In the past, I've used books provided by the school that covered news stories or disasters, etc. I'm not opposed to your idea of using E v. C, and I do think that choosing such a controversial topic would encourage more conversation than I have been able to elicit in the past. I don't know if I'd feel free to choose such controversial material where I teach, but it would probably be worth a try. Wink

As to how, hmmm. What comes to mind is setting it up as a forum or debate, maybe a panel discussion. Maybe the reading would be apologetics from both sides. The class level would have to be advanced, and I'm used to teaching early-intermediate and beginning students. The idea is great, it's just a jump from the types of plans I'm used to putting together. (As evidenced by the above project example, in which I chose a relatively simple concept for all of us to investigate to elicit authentic communication.)

Tamara · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 108

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Well, I like your ideas and how you do things. I didn't expect that for an answer.

Cool

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Here's a clip for you Paulie.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/12/09/martin-samesex041209.html

It's about Canadian parliament passing a law that makes same-sex marriage legal. Now, you posted earlier your opposition to this, so no need to reiterate.

But how would you tackle this in a classroom? I can't remember what age group you are teaching, but it shouldn't matter. Mommy and daddy, or now daddy and daddy/mommy and mommy is something that could come up at any age.

I've heard of some controversial reading materials for classes in California that touched on this...can't remember the titles though.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Paulie2003 · Joined: 29 Mar 2003 Posts: 541

A bit nervous...excited at the prospect maybe...but not scared!