2016.9.16
1.Response to “How does Kumashiro define ‘commonsense?’ Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’?
According to Kumashiro, a “common sense” is something a group of or most people have known, believed, and practiced for a long time and it gradually becomes normal concepts. People practice those common senses without asking why; they keep repeating what have been set and implemented over and over. Hence, Kumashiro starts questioning and thinks those so called “common sense” could become oppressive. It is because, to some degree, some “common sense” force people to follow no matter right or wrong; and this happens in education as well.
Kumashiro shares his experiences in Nepal; and I find the Nepali educational system and practice are very similar to the process in my country, China. I have experienced Chinese schooling for eighteen years before I came to Canada. The biggest similarity is that in my country, we practice and follow the “lecture-practice-exam” routine as well. We always have a teacher talking based on whatever in our textbooks; we do our homework related to what have been taught in class; and then we have to pass the big final test in order to move to next year. However, I almost have a completely different experience in Canada. For example, discussion and group work were both new to me when I first came to University. Different regions, countries, even individuals may have different common sense. As teachers, we need to be aware of those differences. Canada is a multicultural country; hence we often have students from other country in our classrooms. Those children may have diverse commonsensical ideas and perspectives; we need to know our students and help them find their way.
It is important to pay attention and questioning “common sense” in school. It seems pretty normal and common to follow the given curriculum, but sometimes we need a little change for students. A teacher does not have to repeat all the materials and steps on the curriculum or what he or she did last year. We could change and be better although the curriculum is unchangeable. For instance, group work is kind of a common practice in a Canadian classroom, but we do not have to grouping students everyday and every class because learning independently is important as well. Indeed, we could follow the so called “common sense” in schooling, but try our best not let it become oppressive and forcible.
2016.9.23
2.Respond in your blog to the following writing prompt: Curriculum development from a traditionalist perspective is widely used across schools in Canada and other countries. Can you think about: (a) The ways in which you may have experience the Tyler rationale in your own schooling? (b) What are the major limitations of the Tyler rationale? (c) What are some potential benefits?
I took elementary, middle school, and high school in China, but I think I have experienced the Tyler Rationale before. I have always felt that our schools using tests and marks to judge and evaluate students. Some people may have heard that for Chinese students, we have to pass the “BIG TEST” (Chinese College Entrance Examination) to take university or get higher education. So I think for Chinese students, the every step from daycare to high school is all prepared for the “BIG TEST.” Hence we have so many works to do and exams to take. I remember we have to pass the final exam to move to next year throughout my pre-secondary education.
Seriously, when I was in Grade 12, the final year of High school, I have four to five tests each week and they were all take place in our night self-study classes (7:00pm- 9:45pm). On Monday I had English test, Tuesday for Mathematics, Wednesday was for Chinese Language exam, Thursday we had a multiple choice test for Arts (synthesis of Politics, History, and Geography), and on Sunday afternoon (we have to back to school on Sunday afternoon), we had a complete Arts test. It was because those tests would all occur in the “BIG TEST”; we had to prepare. One of the reasons why we have to take the “BIG TEST” seriously is that it would influence our future career, which means that we better take a good or famous university to get a better job. In China, almost every company would ask a question like: Where did you graduate? They “prefer” those students from famous university such as Qinghua University and Beida university because they know those applicants have got good marks on the University Entrance Test. Unfortunately, most people still think that “Higher score students are better than lower score students.” Testing usually show how much students have memorized rather than how much they have learned.
The main limitation of the Tyler Rationale is that it focuses more on teaching than learning. It answers what teacher should teach but did not response what students need to learn. Tyler might imply that school should teach some useful knowledge and skills, which students can use after school. It seems like school need produce more good workers for the society. Schools should consider more about what students’ needs rather than just “public good.” Testing is often a good and effective way to evaluate students, but it is not the only way. However, there also have some good points in the Tyler Rationale. Basically, it wants good teaching and good teacher, so it gives teachers a direction. Also, it wants schools offer good and useful skills to students. Testing is not that bad, it can “push” students to study most times.
2016.9.30
Choose 1 idea about education that is meaningful to you (we all have philosophies of education). Find a quote about education (probably from a theorist) that connects with your philosophy. In a post, unpack that quote. Think about what it makes possible/impossible in education. What does the quote say about the teacher, about the student? How is it related to your own philosophical understanding of curriculum and of school?
“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.”
---- Albert Einstein
In this quote, Einstein suggests that the sense of curiosity helps learning more effective. Curiosity can be a great motivator that makes the brain sincerely want to learn.I nstead of filling a student’s mind as filling a pail, it is better to inspire the student’s curiosity. So, I think natural curiosity leads students to be more interested in what they are supposed to learn, which makes studying more effective.
Every child is curious for the unknown initially. However, as students grow older, some of them seem to get bored and reduce their desire to know; such is the case with high school students. We always have more questioners in a grade1 classroom than a grade12 classroom. To re-stimulate student’s curiosity of knowledge is a challenge. Based on my personal experiences, when a teacher says: “Open your book and turn to page…” I have already lost half interests. However, if my chemistry teacher starts his lecture with showing an experiment, I would pay more attention and want to know how he did it.
However, what we should do when we teach a subject area, which does not include science experiments (English, for example)? I remembered one of my high school classmates asked: “Why we have to take Chinese language class, I do not think we need it much.” Some students may think that people do not have to learn their first language because they may think they have knew enough. Students would not want to learn when they are neither curious nor interested. It is hard to motivate students’ curiosity when they found a subject is too difficult or uninteresting.
But please do not give up, English teachers, we can figure out some way to survive! First, we want know our students and design the best lessons and activities for them. We can play videos, post nice pictures on our powerpoints, play games for practice, and so forth. Next, instead of answering question, we can question students and encourage them to work out their answers. Open-ended questions are much better than Yes Or No questions. Open-ended questions motivate people to think. Besides, we can seek a way to relate our lecture to students’ daily lives. For instance, we can ask students to compare Coke Cola and Pepsi or Instagram and Snapchat when we introducing Compare and Contrast essay to them. It is a challenge to re-inspire students’ interests, but it is possible.
So, I think I will try my best to re-stimulate my students’ curiosity and make them feel engaged and enjoyed in learning.
1.Response to “How does Kumashiro define ‘commonsense?’ Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’?
According to Kumashiro, a “common sense” is something a group of or most people have known, believed, and practiced for a long time and it gradually becomes normal concepts. People practice those common senses without asking why; they keep repeating what have been set and implemented over and over. Hence, Kumashiro starts questioning and thinks those so called “common sense” could become oppressive. It is because, to some degree, some “common sense” force people to follow no matter right or wrong; and this happens in education as well.
Kumashiro shares his experiences in Nepal; and I find the Nepali educational system and practice are very similar to the process in my country, China. I have experienced Chinese schooling for eighteen years before I came to Canada. The biggest similarity is that in my country, we practice and follow the “lecture-practice-exam” routine as well. We always have a teacher talking based on whatever in our textbooks; we do our homework related to what have been taught in class; and then we have to pass the big final test in order to move to next year. However, I almost have a completely different experience in Canada. For example, discussion and group work were both new to me when I first came to University. Different regions, countries, even individuals may have different common sense. As teachers, we need to be aware of those differences. Canada is a multicultural country; hence we often have students from other country in our classrooms. Those children may have diverse commonsensical ideas and perspectives; we need to know our students and help them find their way.
It is important to pay attention and questioning “common sense” in school. It seems pretty normal and common to follow the given curriculum, but sometimes we need a little change for students. A teacher does not have to repeat all the materials and steps on the curriculum or what he or she did last year. We could change and be better although the curriculum is unchangeable. For instance, group work is kind of a common practice in a Canadian classroom, but we do not have to grouping students everyday and every class because learning independently is important as well. Indeed, we could follow the so called “common sense” in schooling, but try our best not let it become oppressive and forcible.
2016.9.23
2.Respond in your blog to the following writing prompt: Curriculum development from a traditionalist perspective is widely used across schools in Canada and other countries. Can you think about: (a) The ways in which you may have experience the Tyler rationale in your own schooling? (b) What are the major limitations of the Tyler rationale? (c) What are some potential benefits?
I took elementary, middle school, and high school in China, but I think I have experienced the Tyler Rationale before. I have always felt that our schools using tests and marks to judge and evaluate students. Some people may have heard that for Chinese students, we have to pass the “BIG TEST” (Chinese College Entrance Examination) to take university or get higher education. So I think for Chinese students, the every step from daycare to high school is all prepared for the “BIG TEST.” Hence we have so many works to do and exams to take. I remember we have to pass the final exam to move to next year throughout my pre-secondary education.
Seriously, when I was in Grade 12, the final year of High school, I have four to five tests each week and they were all take place in our night self-study classes (7:00pm- 9:45pm). On Monday I had English test, Tuesday for Mathematics, Wednesday was for Chinese Language exam, Thursday we had a multiple choice test for Arts (synthesis of Politics, History, and Geography), and on Sunday afternoon (we have to back to school on Sunday afternoon), we had a complete Arts test. It was because those tests would all occur in the “BIG TEST”; we had to prepare. One of the reasons why we have to take the “BIG TEST” seriously is that it would influence our future career, which means that we better take a good or famous university to get a better job. In China, almost every company would ask a question like: Where did you graduate? They “prefer” those students from famous university such as Qinghua University and Beida university because they know those applicants have got good marks on the University Entrance Test. Unfortunately, most people still think that “Higher score students are better than lower score students.” Testing usually show how much students have memorized rather than how much they have learned.
The main limitation of the Tyler Rationale is that it focuses more on teaching than learning. It answers what teacher should teach but did not response what students need to learn. Tyler might imply that school should teach some useful knowledge and skills, which students can use after school. It seems like school need produce more good workers for the society. Schools should consider more about what students’ needs rather than just “public good.” Testing is often a good and effective way to evaluate students, but it is not the only way. However, there also have some good points in the Tyler Rationale. Basically, it wants good teaching and good teacher, so it gives teachers a direction. Also, it wants schools offer good and useful skills to students. Testing is not that bad, it can “push” students to study most times.
2016.9.30
Choose 1 idea about education that is meaningful to you (we all have philosophies of education). Find a quote about education (probably from a theorist) that connects with your philosophy. In a post, unpack that quote. Think about what it makes possible/impossible in education. What does the quote say about the teacher, about the student? How is it related to your own philosophical understanding of curriculum and of school?
“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.”
---- Albert Einstein
In this quote, Einstein suggests that the sense of curiosity helps learning more effective. Curiosity can be a great motivator that makes the brain sincerely want to learn.I nstead of filling a student’s mind as filling a pail, it is better to inspire the student’s curiosity. So, I think natural curiosity leads students to be more interested in what they are supposed to learn, which makes studying more effective.
Every child is curious for the unknown initially. However, as students grow older, some of them seem to get bored and reduce their desire to know; such is the case with high school students. We always have more questioners in a grade1 classroom than a grade12 classroom. To re-stimulate student’s curiosity of knowledge is a challenge. Based on my personal experiences, when a teacher says: “Open your book and turn to page…” I have already lost half interests. However, if my chemistry teacher starts his lecture with showing an experiment, I would pay more attention and want to know how he did it.
However, what we should do when we teach a subject area, which does not include science experiments (English, for example)? I remembered one of my high school classmates asked: “Why we have to take Chinese language class, I do not think we need it much.” Some students may think that people do not have to learn their first language because they may think they have knew enough. Students would not want to learn when they are neither curious nor interested. It is hard to motivate students’ curiosity when they found a subject is too difficult or uninteresting.
But please do not give up, English teachers, we can figure out some way to survive! First, we want know our students and design the best lessons and activities for them. We can play videos, post nice pictures on our powerpoints, play games for practice, and so forth. Next, instead of answering question, we can question students and encourage them to work out their answers. Open-ended questions are much better than Yes Or No questions. Open-ended questions motivate people to think. Besides, we can seek a way to relate our lecture to students’ daily lives. For instance, we can ask students to compare Coke Cola and Pepsi or Instagram and Snapchat when we introducing Compare and Contrast essay to them. It is a challenge to re-inspire students’ interests, but it is possible.
So, I think I will try my best to re-stimulate my students’ curiosity and make them feel engaged and enjoyed in learning.