Week 9 Reflections This week’s reading was enjoyable, Postman is so extreme that it really catches the attention and makes you think. The discussion that followed in class was good as well. Perhaps what I’m really chewing on right now were Postman’s three main ideas: 1. Let teachers teach subjects they aren’t good at so that they can understand a student having difficulty learning and come up with creative ways to teach their own subjects. 2. Throw out textbooks because most present information as if it were infallible. 3. Errors are universal- even teachers make them but they are crucial in human development. I think the last one doesn’t sound as extreme as the previous two, but they all make you think harder about education doesn’t it? The thing about these thoughts Postman presents is that they are mindsets that a teacher could adopt to help them teach better. I have a story that parallels Postman’s first idea. When I first started teaching the Thursday afternoon music class at my kindergarten, I bombed it (this was not too long ago by the way). I have ten kids ranging from 4-6 and they were bored, running around, and not interested. What I had planned to do was to teach them some songs, by going over lyrics first, then singing the song, and then going over the actions. It didn’t work. To make things worse my boss came in and observed. What she told me afterwards was no surprise to me. My class was too boring. It was my technique, my planning (or lack of it), and my classroom management all bunched up in a fiasco celebration. After that day I talked to a friend of mine who was a veteran teacher. What she told me was similar to the idea Postman puts forth. She told me to plan for it as if never done music before, because before I started teaching I was involved in music in church especially in children’s church. I thought that it was the same thing: just lead some songs with the guitar and they’ll follow along. I obviously wasn’t ready for that first day. So for the second class I put extra thought in planning for the class- picking the songs that I thought the children would like, breaking down my lesson about tempo so it’s understandable to a Japanese speaking 5 year old. The results were better than the first day, it wasn’t perfect and still isn’t. I’m learning the more I do it, but that advice my friend gave me was a help. Which is my first application: 1) Put yourself in your student’s shoes while planning. Plan your lesson as if you’ve never done it before, put extra effort in helping your students understand. As we said in class, we’re here for the struggling students aren’t we?
Now the idea of throwing out text books is a bit extreme for me. It reminds me of the science fiction novel “Farenheit 451”, where in the future no one’s allowed to read books and people who do end up on the wrong side of the law. That’s an extreme way of looking at it. However, I don’t think that that’s what Postman really meant when he said that. I think his main idea was that students and teachers alike should be wary of the sources of their textbooks and the information they present. In essence we need to think outside of the box searching for the real truth behind the facts and recognize that even textbooks can make errors. In hindsight though, I would have to say that in doing this I am apathetic. I often want to just gobble down what the book gives me. It’s so much harder thinking outside the box, searching for the other side of the story. This is bad. Education, in part, is the search for truth- to be put more extremely it’s the hunger for it. Which leads me to my second application: 2) Never stop searching for the truth, learning something new. I’m speaking for myself here when I say all of this, because I know who complacent I can become. I need to have a desire learn more than what the books give. This would help my learning process a lot.
Lastly I would like to support Postman in saying that mistakes are universally human. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t make any and of course teachers do too. I have to agree with some of my class mates tonight, however, in saying that you don’t always have to tell your students you always make mistakes. How would they trust in you as their teacher if you did. In contrast, I would also like to say that admitting that you made a mistake to a student does have profound effects. I have had some experiences with this- as a student. It was the month of December at my church and I was asked to lead the music with the youth band one Sunday. I was about 17 at the time and of course very nervous about it. Our youth pastor had talked to our Senior Pastor (who was 80 plus) at the time in to letting us lead. What our youth pastor told us was that we could lead any song we wanted to. It didn’t necessarily needed to be Christmas songs. The day came and we were at church early setting up and practicing to get ready. The band was young ranging from 13 year olds to 17 year olds (me). The pastors wife came up to me (also an elderly lady in her 80’s) saying, “They want Christmas music, I hope you have Christmas music.” She was giving me a look like, “You’d better have some Christmas music, boy… or else.” This was bad, I thought the pastors had talked it out. What’s worse was my band was watching the whole incident. We were nervous! There was so much pressure after that- especially since there were no Christmas songs. Nevertheless, we were encouraged to go on with what we had by our youth pastor and honestly the set was not bad. I mean people got in to singing the songs I picked and they seemed to have enjoyed the music. After the service, the pastor’s wife pulled in me in the corner and I thought I was dead. To my surprise, she ended up apologizing to me for coming down on me before the service for not picking Christmas songs. She even said that she enjoyed the music. All I did was smile and said it was ok, but inside I was like WHOA. I mean, an elderly lady- a pastor’s wife- had realized she’d done wrong and she was big enough to come down to my level, a teenager’s level to apologize. That struck me like lightning. I had an even higher respect for her after that. 3) Relating that to teaching, I would say never be afraid of admitting your mistakes, if you have genuinely made them to your students, either publicly or private. I think we have to recognize even more so nowadays that mistakes and errors are a part of education. We need to learn from our past mistakes to grow in maturity. I think that if we can recognize this as teachers, we won’t be limited. It wouldn’t be hard to take risks if we needed to. In the end, I wouldn’t take all of Postman’s ideas as commands or statutes, but I would say it’s an interesting approach to education. Thinking outside of the box can help improve our education and the education of future generations. We just have to put our students first in everything we do in regard to education. Thanks and see you all in the next class.
PS. Sorry my post is divided in to three parts, I have too much text :P
Three main ideas we discussed in class today were very interesting. The author Neil Postman’s writing is different from most authors of education, and he challenged us to come out of our comfort zone and try something new with creative ways. One of the Postman’s ideas we discussed was to toss out the textbooks. I don’t believe that Postman was suggesting us to toss out every single book we use because there are many valuable text books out there. But at the same time, as a teacher, I sometimes get comfortable with following the text books, and they become the main resources for teaching. While the textbooks give us systematic guidelines, the materials and lessons may not be always applicable to our students. For example: our school uses the text books from America. For subjects such as Math, Science, and Language Arts the textbooks can be very useful for teachers and the students. But the Social Studies text book is not written for the international students because the book only focuses on the United States, and the contents are not very applicable for our students. Therefore for Social studies, I have to put an extra effort that our students are learning what is important for them and something they can relate to their everyday experiences. Three ideas we discussed are also interrelated with one another. We limit ourselves to do things because we are afraid to make errors. We use textbooks as our resources because we trust the textbooks to be the reliable resources since they are approved and used by many schools. Therefore limiting ourselves has become the biggest error of all. At our school if subject teachers (such as PE, Music, Art, and Language Teachers) are absent or they can’t take the class for some reasons, the homeroom teachers have to keep the students for that period. It doesn’t bother me to take other subject teachers’ classes because I use that period to teach other subjects I am behind. For example: If PE teacher is absent, I don’t want to teach PE to my students because I think I can’t teach PE as good as the PE teacher therefore I shouldn’t mess up with that; instead I will use that period to do more Science. But I don’t necessarily need to teach PE; I can use that period to do different physical activities with my students. Again I need to plan ahead of different activities; I can’t go outside with the students and let them goof around. Planning different physical activities is a challenge for me. However I didn’t challenge myself to plan and think of different PE activities, I just went ahead with my other lessons that I’m more comfortable with. The discussion we had last night gave me an idea that I don’t need to limit myself; I can explore and take a risk to challenge myself. But that doesn’t apply to other subjects such as Thai, Korean, or Chinese. Challenging myself to teach Thai or Chinese to the students won’t be a good idea, it will become a complete disaster.
Three applications: 1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with: Before I read the reading material and the class discussion, I had a fixed mindset that if I am not good at it, I should avoid teaching it. But the discussion we had gave me a more positive view of how I can improve myself at other subjects. There are many resources available out there to help us improve and all we need to do is to have a positive mindset and are willing to take a risk. 2) Toss out the textbooks: Textbooks shouldn’t be my only resources to teach the students. I will use other resources such as books, journals, websites, and newspaper. 3) Error is universal: I will let my students know that error is universal, and it’s ok to make mistakes. Some students are afraid to make mistakes that they won’t even take a risk of trying something new. I will pass on to my students what Postman said. “We learn far more by failing.” We learn by making mistakes and correcting our mistakes.
Yestrday's class was very interesting and enjoyable. From the readings of Postman three main ideas were discussed which were as follows:
1. Throw out textbooks. 2. Let teachers teach the subject which they had faced difficulty, so that they can understand the situation of the student who is having the same difficulty with that subject, and help to create your own ideas of how to teach these subjects. 3. Errors are universal.
This class really caught my attention as we were talking about things that we face as a student and as a teacher. The idea about throwing out the textbooks was quite a surprise to me in the beginning, but as we discussed in class that not all information is provided in the text books and that teachers and students can challenge the text, through research and other means. I feel that textbooks are a guideline for what need to be taught but not the standards that have to be met. i personally have felt the need of textbooks to guide you to plan your lessons, but we use more than textbooks to get the correct information to teach. Another main idea about errors are universally human. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t make any mistakes. I agree with some of my class mates like Marcin and even what Micah has reflected that, you don’t always have to tell your students you always make mistakes. How would they trust in you as their teacher if you did. In contrast, I totally agree that admitting your mistake infront of a student does have positive effects.
3 Applications:
1. As a teacher try to make the lesson simple and creative, so that the students will understand and are motivated to study that subject. We as teachers have to challenge our own lessons.
2. If a student corrects you in class, appreciate what he has to say and acknowledge him for correcting you.
3. Learning is a constant process, so as teachers we also have to learn about the truth and let our students know if there is any other facts that are not mentioned in textbooks. With this application, the explae that Dr. Andy gave in class that if we as teachers cannot challenge the text then we can give students the right to challenge them and by this they will know most of the facts too.
Venus (Jinxin) Key points: 1. The three ideas---- “Conventional wisdom” ----common way of thinking A．Toss out text books ---facts beyond the textbook. Example: 5 years of Khmer Rouge. All the ideas are come from the Vietnamese in American’s books. If you want to teach kids, you should teach beyond the book. B．Let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with—“Guide to helping struggling students” -physics. Try my best and figure out the points I am not familiar with it. Study from books. College ague’s help. Consult expert. History--- not research, background, outside info. Science---look journals, books. Physics---learn different way from how tough. Math---teach at a low level. Math---learn basic skills+practical first. C．Errors are universal--- Accuracy academic (es. My student likes to have competition with me) Tom Peters ----negative thinker, find what is the problems and you will find the way to solve problems. Find the people who are different from you and you will find the way. 2. Option gives your flexibility. 3. Works on the thing that make you feel confidence and right. 4. The toppest person posses all the knowledge. You are endangered when you think you are always true. The three presidents make mistakes. The history was written by the winners
reflections: 1. I had been to Cambodia before. The Angkor Wat had been found by the Frenchman and restored by the Frenchman and Japanese. From my visiting, I found a post introducing a group students organized by a Japanese university, which help to restore the Angkor Wat. We may see this is a very vivid case that beyond the book, which encourage the students to learn the history and what is the “history”’s situation now. 2. Errors are universal. It is the most difficult common sense for my student who I teach at the weekend for tutor. Maybe the family pays too much attention on the correct and error and gives some negative reinforcements when the boy makes errors. Every time when I correct his mistakes, he denies it or says I already tell you the answer. I tell him many times making error is universal and tell him to correct my mistakes when he finds it. What is really improve it is the time I show my attitude when he points out my mistakes. I will continue to try it. 3. Option gives your flexibility. We may see corporal punishment is very common in many families, which happen in the situation, that the parents have no solutions for the naughty children. Negotiations can be the solutions for many things and it may happen all the time in our life. Find the options for any situations. I also support the points that the positive person can find the way to think out the solution from the problems the negative person think.
Postman reading we discussed last night was quite interesting and his ideas really make sense as long as we do not treat them literally. I think it wasn't his intention to treat these ideas literally anyway.
Throw out textbooks - What I understand by it is for teachers not to stick to textbooks to much. Use other sources maybe even use different textbooks, just do not stick to one and do not follow it blindly. Let the teachers teach subjects they aren't good at - I would not go to the extreme of asking teachers to teach subjects they know little about. I thin what is meant by this is that teachers should try to empathize with the students, try to put themselves in the situation of their students. Errors are universal - I agree that we all make mistakes but, again, I would not tell the students to search for my mistakes and that I will be rewarding them for it. It was one of the ideas discussed yesterday and I am really opposed to it. I like when my students notice mistakes on the board, and I always acknowledge it. I never blame a student for telling me I made a mistake, however, I do not like the idea of telling the kids there will be mistakes and you should look for it.
Applications: 1. As a teacher, admit you made a mistakes. Do it in a way you are comfortable with, but never blame a student for noticing your mistake(s). 2. As a teacher, do not stick to one textbook and do not follow it blindly. Textbooks are there to help a teacher and teachers are welcome to use them but it should be done wisely. Be critical and always use plenty of resources for materials etc. (including textbooks of course). 3. As a teacher, empathize with your students, try to understand them, try "walk in their shoes". Remind yourself about when you were at school and how you felt.
Error is universal. We can help the students to see that people improve their learning by making mistakes. Doing mistakes or error in their studies is not thier own fault, because if they do not understand or know about the concept of the subject, they will make mistake, once they know their mistakes they can correct it. Application 1. If we want to teach the truth, go beyond the textooks, students can learn so many things out of the textbooks for example, in Burma, when we learn history, most of the stories were made up in the text books which are not truth. In this case, we can ask the students to do a project to find out or prove the things inside text book and the students can research or interview with the elderly people who knew well about it so that the students will know the truth about their own country. 2. No one is perfect in this world, every one can make mistakes so when we teach our students, we can make mistakes as well. Normlly, I used to say thank you whenever they correct me if I did mistake and when I broke my promise I use to say sorry and give the reason why I did so but I have never told my students to correct me when I make mistakes because I believe that we can lose their trust especially for the new teachers. But once they trust teacher, whatever you do, they will understand you. 3. As teachers, we need to help our students who have difficulties in their studies. Even though we are at the highest level of education but we must go down to the level according to the students. For example, if we are teaching in Grade one Mathematics, we need to go down to the level of students, we can't teach all what we have known and learned. So before we teach, if we don't have any experiences or if we have any difficulties about teaching in any subjects we can read the books concerned, consult with the senior teachers or break down all the difficulties and start with the basic one and practice and prepare well. After teaching, we can evaluate and can improve ourselves.
This weeks' topic was interesting. From the readings, three main ideas were discussed. 1. Toss out textbooks- Let the children make their own researches. As teachers, we can't just rely on books alone. My Applications: We need to encourage our students to make their own researches using the internet, not only the books. In my class, I use different kinds of books and resources. I encourage my students to use the net. Networks can be a great motivator for students. On net, there are lots of readings and speaking materials,online dictionaries, with impressive graphics and sound. The internet will greatly help my students and arouse their interests. Students can also learn drawing, watch videos- related to my lesson, pay a visit to some galleries or make some field trips on the internet, they don't need to imagine anymore because it's looks so real. These are 'interactive'- as they can help students to express their ideas, exchange ideas with others quickly, it can also improve their skills in communication and see the world as global.
2. Errors are Universal- Nobody can say that he/she is a perfect teacher. Teachers sometimes commit mistakes but we also learn from it. Moreover, there is a saying that,"Practice makes perfect", I know some teachers who rehearse before they teach their lessons. Some of them even find time to practice writing on the board.
My Applications: As a teacher, we should all be flexible to every situations that will come our way. If we committed some mistakes during our lesson, try to accept it,learn from it and always be positive. You can also avoid this, if you have a mastery of your lesson and this is very true. Providing ample time to ask students for some feedback after your lesson and activities. Write them in a small notebook and try to think of ways you could improve yourself as a teacher.
3. Let teachers teach subjects they had troubled with- I grew up in the Philippines. We speak 'Tagalog' and different kinds of dialects. English is our second language. We rarely use English in communicating with our parents, teachers, and friends and sometimes we even mix tagalog with English, which is very confusing. Most of my teachers used Direct Instruction and the teaching is very traditional.It was always a grand show for most of the teachers- all lectures, (They used both Tagalog and English when they teach us)assignments, and copying notes on the board.Everyday it would be like that- so boring!When I went to College (Centro Escolar University),I really had a hard time studying and understanding my professors,because they were using English as medium of instructions. I did a lot of self studies and disciplined myself in every way. Now that I am in the teaching field, I don't want to repeat the same scenario. My applications: -I'll prepare lessons suited for my student's needs -prepare learning materials to arouse their interest -Vary the nature of presentation demonstration and interaction in my class -ask the students for some feedback -encourage the students to speak English more often to increase their self-esteem. -provide guidance and understanding especially for low-achieving students -teach them how to self-monitor -incorporate different kinds of activities such as: role play, pair/group work activities, sort of cooperative learning,incorporating songs, pronunciation practice (Thais have some difficulties with some of the English alphabets), English conversation lessons, the basic ones, that they would be needing in the future such as: Introducing Oneself, At the Airport, At the Restaurant, etc. -incorporating the four macro skills- speaking, listening, reading and writing
This week's class discussion and reading was very interesting. Postman came up with three interesting aspects that includes tossing out the textbooks, letting teachers teach subjects they had trouble with and knowing that Errors are universal. The idea of "Accuracy in Academia" as Marcin mentioned in class that we should not tell our students in the beginning of the semester, i agree that it's not a good option since students would focus on picking the error instead of understanding the concept of the lesson. However, i do agree that students should be given the chance to speak up and help out if teachers go wrong since no one is prefect teachers do make mistakes. Everyone makes mistake we should admit it and correct it. Our discussion is class about the three United States president J.F.kennedy, Bill Clinton and G.W.Bush were great examples of leaders making mistakes and the way they react when their mistakes are exposed to public. - As a teacher we should set ourselves as good examples to our students since some of them see us as role models. However, this doesnt mean we cannot make mistakes, once we do we should admit it and improve it right away this way our students would do the same. - We should always have an open mind, respect and listen to our student's perspective as they might come up with new ideas that can easily relate to them. - 'Conventional Wisdom' as challenge by postman is another intersing theory. As a teacher i would challenge myself from the common way of thinking and try coming up with new approaches.
this class we have read the material and discussion some ideas,such as :1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with.2) Toss out the textbooks.3)error is universal.I'm really interested in our discussion,everyone has think about it. Application : 1)let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with,when i teach i will thinking on my students side,try my best to explain in easy way. 2)toss out textbook.I think textbook just stand by someone's idea,i think there are a lot of new information and things the textbook don't have ,so we can add some . 3)error is universal,I will tell my students that error means you're more close to the right.I will inspire them to do more.
this class we have read the material and discussion some ideas,such as :1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with.2) Toss out the textbooks.3)error is universal.I'm really interested in our discussion,everyone has think about it. Application : 1)let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with,when i teach i will thinking on my students side,try my best to explain in easy way. 2)toss out textbook.I think textbook just stand by someone's idea,i think there are a lot of new information and things the textbook don't have ,so we can add some . 3)error is universal,I will tell my students that error means you're more close to the right.I will inspire them to do more.
sorry i forget to write my name.this one and the one in front of this one is mine.
From this week’s reading, we discussed 3 main ideas in the class. These ideas are; 1. Throw out textbooks, 2. We should let teachers teach the subjects they had trouble with, 3. Errors are universal. These ideas are quite extreme, and these ideas challenge conventional wisdom. However, Postman gives us good insight in our education today, and his ideas are applicable to all levels (Kindergarten to adults).
3 applications
1) Throw out textbooks. I think I do need good textbooks to give my students well-planned, understandable lessons. However, it is also important not to stick to what textbooks say all the time. Instead, I should use my creativity to make my class more enjoyable and effective. I found many Japanese textbooks I use at school are not in Thai contexts and often outdated. I often prepare extra materials so that my students can relate themselves more to the topic.
2) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with. It is important to understand what it’s like to study the subject which you are not good at. My university students chose Japanese major, so I could say most of them are studying the subject they like. However, as a second language teacher, I always try my best to see Japanese (my native language) from my students’ perspective. I often try to remember how I learned English (my second language) and figure out what is the most understandable way to teach Japanese.
3) Errors are universal. We should let students understand that it is OK to make mistakes and that we can learn from mistakes. It is very important in the second language classroom. When students are afraid of making mistakes, they also become afraid of speaking the second language. I also should let them know I may make mistakes as well even though I am a native Japanese speaker. I would like to create the environment where students don’t have to feel afraid of making mistakes. I would also like them to improve their skills by trial and error.
The reading this week provided me a different outlook to education. I admire Mr. Postman’s thinking and his view of education. In particular I liked what he said about errors. Errors are universal. It is a part of life. However “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” (John Powell). This quote and parts of the reading can be applied to all areas of life.
Applications
1. Learning from one’s mistakes: Our classroom environment should allow for students to make mistakes and learn from them. This is one of the best ways to learn and remember. Problem solving skills involves making mistakes and knowing how to correct them.
2. Throw out the textbooks: A lot of teachers find that textbooks limit the scope and take away the freedom of teaching as they are rushed to complete it. So I think there should be days where teachers teach from their soul. Let students learn what the teacher finds interesting of the subject or topic they are teaching. Find comic books and other sources with relevant information to the topic. This will also help to connect to the students at their level.
3. Let students point out your mistakes. It serves many purposes. It makes sure they are listening, they are checking their information, they are having discussions and they will grow up to be independent thinkers who will stand up for what they think is right.
This week's reading pointed out our weakness and taught us how to learn from our mistake or weakness. Postman has three ideas; errors are universal, toss out textbooks, and let teachers teach subjects they have troble with. As for me, i disagree with his second and third idea. May be i could misunderstand these ideas. In my opinion, textbooks are the begining of our study and they build blocks of knowledge in our brain that allow us to organize and categorise information. For the third idea, if you want to be a expert in one area, you have to know that area very well and you have to be a knowledgeable in that area. That is why, if you want to be a sucessful and effective teacher, you have to concentrate on your subjects and you have to know very well in your area. It does not mean you do not need to know others.
Applications, 1) As a human being, we make many mistakes everyday because no one is perfect. Nevertheless, we have to learn from our countless mistakes to be better. 2) If i think that is not comfortable for me, i will not do it. 3) As a teacher, let students look or see diffferently because it is powerful.
we read three main factors highlighted by author Postman on last wednesday night. Among those three factors, two facts that caught my intention are let teachers teach subjects they aren't good at and errors are universal. My argument is that if we let teachers teach subjects they aren't good at, a myraid of disadvantages will ensue. For instance, it will take a long and difficult time to explain clearly to students if teachers are not expert in their subjects. Furthermore, students will not respect them and the expectation of students on their subjects will never meet if teachers are vague in their subjects clarification. Another one is errors are universal. Of course, errors are common in human beings. It doesn't mean one must be drown all the time in mistakes. But errors are reducible and are great reinforcers to success. If Edison didn't make a thousand mistakes or errors in his experiment, this world would be still a dark planet.
Applications 1. teachers should ensure students not to fear to make errors on their subjects
2. teachers should give one or more chances to let them start again if students are in errors
3. teachers should encourage students to trace back their mistakes step by step in order to discover the truth
-(3) main ideas were discussed on the week 9. Toss out the TEXT BOOKS,let teachers teach the SUBJECTS they had troubled with and ERROR is universal. The first idea means that actually not many subjective rights or wrongs, whatever had happened in the past, need to be stored. As e.g, we could say there will not come a war worse than first or second World War again. Perhaps if there another planet more convenient than the one we live now. It is clear that we need to taste or to be tasted even the bitter things. The second idea is that as ateacher we need to aware what we had discussed in the previous week " Multicultual education" and multiwillingnesses of students. Sharing of sufferings shows more meaningful in the field of education in teaching and learning process. Last idea is error. Page 121- everyone makes errors, including those who write about error. Error is inevitable or universal and undersandable but reducible becaus it is not we have but we do then it is important to be existed or commited with/by us as well for purposely being of puring and expert. But it has case, when we are most seriously endangered when we thik we are. Neil Postman,in the chapter, challeged us espctually for me by addressing his three excellent opinions. -Firstly, it is the time necessary to apply those ideas in to practice in my country -Myanmar-in every instituitions. I mean that there still somewhere who still want to or let students learn the very old subjects. Secondly, as a administrator or teacher, try to provide, to use, to build the community of social resources is the best way. I prefer correcting my mistakes by only facing with it not by fudging.
I found the reading interesting and good discussing in the class. Mainly discussed about three idea, I tend to know, as the first idea, that the text books should be used just as the tool that facilitate the learning (helper). My point is not to follow strictly the directions of the books, not mainly depend on the text books. Secondly, to understand the students' knowledge level is very important.Student's are learning what they still don't know;thus,we as teachers have to think from the perceptions of students.Finally, one thing to keep in mind is that mistakes are universal.
Applications: 1. when I am an administrator, I will encourage teachers to call outside resources (experts) to come and share their idea in school. It not only can be an exploration of new knowledge but it can also be very interesting for students.
2."Let teachers teach subjects that aren't good at" can sometime make some change in classrooms.
3. I will practice "not to judge others by one mistake", It is very important for me.
At week 9, I had learn postman's three main ideas: First, toss out the textbook, teach the student beyond the textbook. The experience would be chastening and even eye-opening.When the teacher reture to their specialties, it is possible they would bring with them refreshing idears about how to communicate about their subject, and with an increase empathy for their student.
Second, errors are univeral. Accuracy in Academia. We are all fallible human being, we will inevitably be making factual errors,drawing some unjustifiable conclusions, and perhaps passing along our oppinions as facts. To be a human being, we are not afaird that errors, we have to learn a lesson from the mistakes for avoid make the same mistake in the future, that is the human way.
Third, let theachers teach subjects they had trouble with. Most teacher especially high school or collage teachers, teach subject they were good at in school. They found the subject both easy and pleasurable. But if the each teacher were assigned a subject with he or she hated or always had trouble with, the teacher would be forced to see the situation as most students do, would see things more as a new learner than as an old teacher.
Application: - when i taught at the first time, i worry about the textbook, because the school didn't provide the textbook for me and students. and how can I teach? I asked myself. Finally I know, the textbook is not most important, because students' quetions always never come from the textbook, capability of teacher is more important.
- The teacher always right! I always think like that when I was a child. May be it relate with chinese educational system or cultures.The teachers are representative of right, justic, or sacred, even hero in china. we put a lot honor to the teacher so than we forgot the teacher also be a human. The teacher would be make mistake either. Like I teacher chinese, i use Thai-Chinese method to teach, so sometimes I unavoidable make mistake in Thai writting or pronunciation, if occured that case, my students help me to correct, I never felt shy, opposit I appreciate it and deepen impression.
-As a teaher, we have to bravely face to trouble or we can say the challages for improve yourself day by bay. we always in trouble, only in trouble we will find out the way the solve trouble, during that prosess, we can learn more things.
After reading and talking about Neil Postman’s perception on education, I become conscious that he was talking about the reality of education. That is so true that we must not fully rely on test books. Even though, test book is the first way to know subject that we are going to study, what we should do is that base on the test book to point out the controversial and critical topic. Education does not mean test book at all. Another point is that Postman said about error detector. If a person never made mistakes in life, it means he never tried much and he would never learn what is really true because one of the natures of human being is fallible and we must learn from mistakes. That is why, Postman recommends teachers to encourage student to find out teachers’ mistakes when they are teaching. The last one is that challenge teachers to teach their unfamiliar or trouble subject. In that point, honestly, I won’t stage myself to teach the subject which I have trouble much because students will lose reliable on me and they will not trust me anymore. On the other hand, it can be that teacher must study that subject fluently and all possible matter, before he teaches. At the same time, he is learning that subject with student in class. - I will not rely on only test book. I will use test book as a starter of a subject. That’s why; I must be intelligent and have a lot of knowledge to guide students. - Teacher must have remedial work in teaching methods or in something because everybody can do errors. Although I encourage student to find out my doing wrong in teaching, I must make sure that I should not make mistakes often or students will feel unmotivated. - Encourage students not to afraid to make mistake, show them that the best thing is learning from mistakes too and help them to reduce errors gradually.
I wasn't in the class last week but after my friend told me about the discussion details, I read Neil Postman explanation and I knew that I missed good opportunity to discussed 3 interesting topics.
First of all, I like the way of his thinking to throw away the textbooks. I understand his thinking as he just want us not too depends on Textbooks and find out they way ourselves to guide the students. He wrote textbooks are enemies of education because maybe he did find out some teachers cannot escape from using only textbooks and also using one method. But is we don't really need textbooks? It's an arguable question.
And I also learned that before we become a teacher and using the textbooks to teach our students, we should have our own skills to write the textbooks to publish in our own country. It is so simple, the one who don't know how to write and he might not know how to take out the good lessons from the textbooks. Frankly to say this, Mr. Postman wants us to find out ourselves not to be lazy and urge us to find quality textbooks and use those in a good way.
Applications
1) Throw out the textbooks I never use only one textbook to teach computer to my students and I always try to get the information, pictures, new gadgets details, and let them play some games with group what I get an idea from Internet forum. But I admit that I still can’t throw away textbooks because it still plays big part in the classroom.
2) Errors are universal
I always like to ask the question to know their knowledge about my subject(Computer) but there is a problem that if someone is wrong, all the other students are laughing even they are afraid of answer my questions. So I tell them, nobody escape from doing mistake and even I myself writing wrong spelling in the class sometime. That’s why I explain them just answer my question…..if you get right answers, I tell everyone to cheer the one who get right answer. It’s really work out well for most of the class. It’s more competitive than before and everyone is not shy to answer in the class right now. But it still needs to do for some classes.
3)Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with:
For me, I really had trouble with this kind of problem. I wasn’t a Professional to use a Photoshop but when the students asking me teach them how to use Photoshop , I decided to learn to be a better Adobe expert and it is really motivate me to do new things to learn that I afraid of a few years ago. And I also realized that Thai Students are really interested in Art subjects and most of them are dreaming of being an Art Designer after they finish a high school. Now I can use new techniques in Adobe to teach in the classroom but haven’t start yet for very exciting new lessons.
This week’s reading was controversial (for lack of a better vocabulary). Toss out text books?!...hell no! Teach a subject I have trouble understanding?! …well, yeah, maybe. Postman in these two bold statements, I think intended for teachers to move out of their comfort zone and look at what they have been doing from a different angle. I think he meant that teachers should assume that they don’t know anything and start exploring ways through which they can learn the materials they have, in other words, teachers should put themselves in their students’ shoes. This may provide a model for students to improve their learning techniques. Applications 1. Try all the time to find ideas that will get my students thinking differently, to get them out of their comfort zone a little bit, not far from it though lest they get discouraged. 2. Teach my students that everyone makes mistakes and that no one is perfect, so they don’t have to be afraid of failing…especially if it’s due to an error, because we learn from mistakes. 3. Always try to find my material from different sources (verifiable sources) and compare the material before going to class.
Reading about Postman's radical ways to improve education was quite interesting and it was kind of eye-opening for me in a sharp way. -Getting rid of all the text books -Teaching a subject that you are not good at -Instead of avoiding making mistakes try to learn from them
I also agree with Micah that the last one is not as extreme as the first two. And the things that were eye-opening for me, were in the concept of the first two, as they were guiding me to think free of templates. My applications will be in the light of these three key points;
1)Try not to stick to the textbooks strictly and instead, try to teach in a flexible way according to the needs, culture and level of the students' understanding. 2)After completing each unit, ask students to mention about the parts that they were confused or found it hard to understand; so that I can work on those parts more and try to see the big picture from their eyes and be in their shoes to make those parts clearer for them. 3)Encourage my students to make mistakes and learn from them, by even sometimes awarding points for the wrong answers, just to appreciate their courage to try.
Last week discussion was really a thought provoking and challenging one. Tossing out the textbook, telling students that human makes mistakes including teachers and challenging teachers to teach subject they had trouble with are just those overwhelming ideas or issues that educators will hardly put their hands on. As what Postman stated in this reading, all these thoughts are basically asking teachers to step out of their comfort zone, stretching their limits and stepping into uncertainties. It is actually not easy for a teacher to toss out the textbooks just like that because it is definitely easier to prepare the lessons with guided texts. However, as a professional educator, teaching the knowledge from planned and guided text should not be the only centre of teaching. In my opinion, helping or assisting the students to identify and to recognize of the truth, the significance and the lessons behind all the materials is equally important. This idea is relatively similar to the saying: teaching a person how to fish is better than feeding fish to them every day. We need to teach things that will benefit the students a lifetime and not just teaching them how to get 100% in test because students will eventually “toss out the textbook” themselves after each test or exam. Students will register in their mind when the teachers teach them something meaningful and relevant to their life looking through the window of reality.
One of the good ways of helping the students to see reality is helping them to understand that human do make mistakes and it is alright to be wrong because human learn from errors. It might be hard for a person to admit that he or she makes a mistake due to pride, status or other behavioral factors. Nevertheless, we can see that almost every turning point for critical situations in history started when someone realized that they had made mistakes. They learned from the mistakes and tried their best to find ways so that they will not repeat the mistake or error again. Students need to know that it is alright for them to make mistakes as long as they are willing to learn from their mistakes and find effective ways to avoid making the same mistakes again. Textbook teaches the students that they cannot make mistake because each mistake will be graded but reality shows that mistakes or errors could be the best mirror in students’ learning experience.
Another effective ways of helping students to understand reality is through teaching lessons or subjects that the teacher has never taught before or they had trouble with. Basically, teachers are helping the students to understand that each individual has their own uniqueness and their intelligence. There is not such person to say that he or she is good is everything even genius. Everyone is gifted or talented in some areas of life but if a person is willing to step out of their comfort zone and take up the challenge of trying something they are not familiar with, he or she might discover and identify new talent or intelligence. Students will be motivated to try new things and expand new areas in their learning experiences when they see that even teachers are willing to take up the challenge to teach something different.
My application for this week will be:
(1) To include an extra material or activity in every lesson other than those suggested in the textbook so that students are able to explore more about the particular knowledge.
(2) Volunteer to cover one or two classes for teachers that are away because it is a good opportunity to teach subjects outside of my expertise.
(3) Give space, time and opportunity to widen their perspectives about learning through different lesson and activities. One of the ways is not to get mad easily at students when they cannot understand the lessons or even when they make mistakes in the class but try to think at their level of understanding and the reasons behind the errors being made.
Week 9 reflections This week I went to class late and I'm sorry about that. Dr.Andy discuss about Postman thinking. Main ideas :First,what if you didnt like the subject but you have to teach what should you do. If I were in this situation, I would try my best and if I really cant teach them, i will find new subject for new teaching. Second, toss out the textbooks, we should know where the textbooks come from. It can apply for our country or not. Thus, errors are universal accuracy in acedemic.
Three applications 1. I can know what should I do when I have to teach the subject that I dont like.
2. I have to adapt the textbooks for our reality. I should know the material suit for our country or not.
3. I know that error can occur for everyone. Everybody have to face with the error in this world but difference in how to solve that error.
The ninth class’ reading and discussion are significant and instructive. There are three points were mentioned: 1, letting teachers teach subjects they had trouble with . This is a big challenge to a teacher who is not specialized in ,this situation make a teacher nervous and lack of confidence ,when face this situation ,how can do is better ?and is it a sensible idea for teaching –learning ? Depend on the time need to teach. If just replace other teachers’ class 1-2times ,that ok ,even we are not professional in this subject .at first , confident you can ,challenge self .must to prepare for class seriously .we needn’t to teaching deep Profound specialized knowledge, because we are not expert in specialized knowledge .we just to design to teach some points relevant and important .use flexible teaching methods . But if let teachers teach subject they had trouble with long time ,that is not a sensible thought . 2,toss out text book . sometimes text book exist error also ,and limited teachers’ and students’ thoughts. therefore ,when we teaching ,we just reference it ,but don’t follow and reject absolutely . pick reasonable and excellent points to put to use . 3,errors are universal. Yes ,nothing and nobody is perfect. making mistakes is universal in teaching and learning process occasionally.
Application : 1,uphold the truth .as a teacher .when we teaching ,we have to uphold the truth ,transfer pinpoint knowledge to students .in my experience ,my history text book in high school is fiasco. About the second world war in Asia, Communist party and the nationalist party against Japan offense jointly, in fact , nationalist party have shown magnificent courage made tremendous sacrifices , they are the key force to win the war. but in our history text book, distorts the truth to confuse right and wrong. As a teacher ,face to this situation ,just toss out text book ,uphold the truth .educational aim is emancipate mind ,seek the truth . 2,don’t afraid make mistake .tell students don’t avoid error , face it actively. then , In the process of correct, students can know more ,get more .for a teacher , teaching right point as far as possible, but we are impossible keep correct always. when make mistakes , admit it ,and then correct it .Teacher who can admit and correct mistakes ,can get respect form students .
Class Reflection 4 Aug 2010 I learn about the conventional wisdom that gives us the idea of the teacher toward to the student and way of teaching. I really interesting the idea about error are universal that inspire me to think about the way that I behave to my student. Sometime when my students make a mistake I try to understand them and also when I make a mistake I also accept. But sometimes I felt angry when I found they make the same mistake again and again. I forgot to think about that I use the same approach to teach them again but I didn’t change the approach to teach them for the different learning result. I forgot the experience when I was a student I also make a lot of mistake again and again in class and then the teacher also angry to me and sometime the way that they behave to me it make me feel that I couldn’t be better. Because we didn’t concern about that the error is the nature of human that can be happen any times. If the teachers understand this idea they will have a strong attitude about the student’s error. The students have potential inside but they have different styles of learning so we should provide them the proper approach to enhance their potential. In Thailand tradition the teachers seem as the master so the students believe that teachers know everything and always right. The student shouldn’t question anything that they learn from teacher and they should avoid to makes a mistake. This is the limitation for Thai teachers to apply this idea in their class. The new paradigm of teaching should become more simply we should concern that teacher also be a human that can be wrong and error is the nature of people but we should learn that we should never do it again. This attitude will encourage the student to share more opinion in the class.
Application As the teacher when some error occur in my class I will explain to my student that everybody can be wrong but I will try to challenge them to research to adjust the error together. As we know that nobody perfect so I will listen to them first and accept them as they are not as we see. I will appreciate them when they are right and when they wrong let all find the right answer. Use cooperate learning to reach the goal of learning together. More facilitate than lecture. As the administrator I will organized the program for the teacher to discuss together for the lesson that they learnt for the error in classroom. Define the best way that they use to adjust it. And develop it to use for the best practice for teaching in classroom. As we know that mistake makes a teacher.
Dr.Andy talks about the three main ideas from Postman last week. Toss out text books, let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with and errors are universal. I quite agree with the ideas that toss out text books and errors are universal. As text books have limitation, sometimes it does have the enough solution or knowledge for the students to understand completely. Errors are universal that no one can run away from making mistakes. Everybody have to make mistakes to learn more or the truth. This idea reminds me of Dr.nora once said ‘enjoy loosing face in the class.’ Some students feel shy to speak out and make mistakes in the class. We’ll have to put away our feeling of shy and pride of loosing face in learning. This idea is not very used to with our context and need more practice for Asian people I think. Therefore, my application will be the above three main ideas. -Toss out text books for understanding the context absolutely and may be giving some references for further study for the students. This shows preparation before the class because we’ll have to make sure and know well about the lessons so that the students will be satisfied with our teaching. -let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with is a kind of encouragement for me because I never want to teach the subjects that I cannot do well. But the end of last week, I feel that this is a good idea. When the teacher don’t understand the subjects, she’ll have to study so basically and thoroughly more than usual and try to find the easiest way to make the student understand it like she tries to understand the subjects on her own ways. -Make the student learn from their mistakes. Making them used to with mistakes and enjoying loosing face when learning. And I’ll make them correct me when I make mistakes in the class to show I’m also making mistakes and we are learning and teaching from each others.
Again another interesting week we had, and again I did learn a lot of new things. When we talk about teaching, I believe a teacher isn't successful because they have spoken for hours and hours, have taught for 6 hours straight etc etc, and they have very well managed to complete their day at school. But I think a teacher is really successful when at the end of their lesson their students have actually learnt something valuable. Random people can talk for a long span of time, even kids, teenagers spend hours on the phone talking, so are they all teachers? Students can understand a concept within a minute the teacher teaches or even it might take days, but the focus of many teachers nowadays has become that they just "kill their time" by getting through their lessons and that they can go home and enjoy a wonderful meal at night. Three main applications would be:
1) Yes everyone makes mistakes, we're all human, a teacher is no alien or angel so its obvious even they would at some point make some mistake somewhere. When I'm teaching I wont directly imply that students can pick out my errors but instead I'll create an environment where students feel comfortable to speak up. If a student somehow picks my mistake, I'll try hard to appreciate and be kind, which is sometimes hard to do if you're having a bad day.
2) I think that in a class both textbooks and handouts should be used. One reason could be that in my handouts I might not be able to put in a thousand websites for my students to go through like they have in some of the textbooks, and so by just giving them handouts I wouldn't want them to feel that I'm narrowing down their resources of study bu just studying the material I give them.
3) When Dr. Andy discussed the mistakes of the 3 US presidents, I just wanted to make a short point. I think that these mistakes somehow are connected to the students we teach as well in the sense, if for example, the US president makes a mistake and doesn't even own up, then that creates a negative image about him in the minds of the people around the globe, and that perception or viewpoint if its really very strong would affect the kids in those respective families also and somehow they would also be encouraged to walk with that viewpoint. So if that is negative, then with this example, it becomes very convenient to use the term "americans" instead of "american president" and it spreads around, then at the end we find out that before it was just american president but now its americans also? And with that perception in diverse classrooms, it could become difficult for a muslim/asian/any other culture to make friends with american people in the class because their parents back home don't really like americans. Therefore, being a teacher we need to try to change the perception step by step so that students become more co=operative and understanding towards each other.
Last class discussion was on “toss out text books” which was a very challenging topic for the teachers. It is true that sometimes text books does not cover whole subject or sometimes it may not reveal the facts. The teacher can explain more facts about the subject matter from their own learning and experiences. But text books are sources of information and teachers may not be expert. I think the discussion on this two will go on for some time. Another interesting topic was “errors are universals, everyone makes errors.” As a human being teachers also make mistakes and no one is fully perfect in every subjects. As a teacher we have to admit our errors. One can learn more by knowing his or her mistakes .Here is one quote which impressed me so much. “You will make mistakes in front of your student. Yes, you will. Hide these, and you teach your student to hide. Use these, and you teach your student to learn from mistakes.”
From the class discussion there are some applications which I can use in my teaching in future. They are:
o As a textbook can not give much information or truth, you have to go further than the text books. By giving them project works; asking them to collect real data by themselves can help them find more and explore reality about the subject matters;
o Learning is a life long process. Update yourself to the current events to know more information and also try to study and find more facts on each subject.
o Motivate your students to find mistakes and learn from mistakes. You can ask them to find your mistake. Our small mistake can make big effect for the students. Be conscious of the mistakes and try not to repeat the same mistakes. As teacher if we make more and more mistake it will be difficult for students to trust us. Anjana
I wasn’t in the class last week. But when I read the text, Neil Postman explanations are very new for me. I had new ideas to think. He explained three ideas that are very interesting. If teachers teach the subject they hated or always trouble with, teachers will understand the situation of students who are not good at it, or don’t care about it, or both. So when teachers teach their subjects, they have new ideas to make their lessons more effectively. Throw out the text book and find facts from newspaper, journal or website. Like Zarni said some subjects text books are not related for the students. Or sometime we can find more outside the text. Errors are universal. Everybody makes mistakes even teachers. We learn from mistake to get better and mature in life. My application 1. Throw out the text book. As a teacher, I will not only depend on text book. Find out more material from different sources. 2. Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with. As an administrator and teacher, I will do to know students difficulties and to prepare better lessons for students. 3. Encourage students not to afraid to make mistake and we can learn from mistakes. Thanks. K. Hkawn San Mai
I liked this week's discussions and activities a lot, however I'd like to point out that I don't agree with all of Postman's ideas. Some of the ways that I can apply or reject them are as follows:
1) "Don't be frightened to apologize from the students when you make a mistake": I totally agree with this point. We are all human and make mistakes. Humility is a good personal trait that we'd like our students to have, so we should be a good example to them by cutting down the ego and showing them that teachers are human too. I will use this point with my students more often from now on.
2) "Throw away the books": I partially agree with this one as books are written by people who make mistakes (as I mentioned above). These mistakes need not be related to content (even though I have seen my fair share of typos and plain wrong information in the books), but also can be about using the wrong teaching methodologies. As a result, I wouldn't throw away the books, but rather reject the parts that I don't agree with and supplement the weak or confusing ones with my own material.
3) "Let the teachers teach subjects that they are not comfortable with": I completely and wholeheartedly disagree with this one from an educational administrator's point of view. I believe that trying to do that will not only confuse the students (which may lead to a "lost generation" of students who wouldn't have the slightest idea about the topic taught), but also generate anxiety and bitterness in the teacher who is forced to do so. In my opinion, unhappy teachers are uncooperative teachers and I wouldn't want to upset and alienate them by using this method. Furthermore, other repercussions of Postman's method may include problems with parents, damage to the society at large (due to the lack of skills on behalf of the students) and lost productivity/manhours due to uncooperative teachers.
Reflection 9: What Postman said really hit to the heart, especially mine. After our class discuss, I went back to read it and digest more on those three thoughts. Here are some questions that help me to ponder it more: (one) Am I always stick to my teacher textbook or notes from precious? Am I willing to make changes to make to my teaching more effectively? If so, I need to take a risk and try out new methods. Even so I know I will make mistake. Am I willing to challenge myself by trying out new ways or able to forgive myself and give room for growing? Postman ideas had kept me thinking and questioning myself and see where am I standing on a true educator. With these thoughts, I realized that if and only if I treasure and see teaching is a vocation more than a job then like Postman said: Don't limit myself or my students in learning, but to explore more and beyond the textbook or myself only. Great! Secondly, Learning is always a process not a product yet, so leave room for trying out new things. If my students or myself make a mistake, it is okay. Lastly, teachers who are willing to go extra miles and take on curiosity, the price is great and the reward is also exceptional.
applications: 1. I will challenge myself learning more things that I am not yet familiar. 2. This year I will have additional learning activities that challenge my students and myself to learn from variety of resources available at my school and internet. 3. Knowing that mistake are universal, I will let myself and my students know that it is okay to make mistake and try again.
40 comments:
Week 9 Reflections
This week’s reading was enjoyable, Postman is so extreme that it really catches the attention and makes you think. The discussion that followed in class was good as well. Perhaps what I’m really chewing on right now were Postman’s three main ideas:
1. Let teachers teach subjects they aren’t good at so that they can understand a student having difficulty learning and come up with creative ways to teach their own subjects.
2. Throw out textbooks because most present information as if it were infallible.
3. Errors are universal- even teachers make them but they are crucial in human development.
I think the last one doesn’t sound as extreme as the previous two, but they all make you think harder about education doesn’t it? The thing about these thoughts Postman presents is that they are mindsets that a teacher could adopt to help them teach better. I have a story that parallels Postman’s first idea.
When I first started teaching the Thursday afternoon music class at my kindergarten, I bombed it (this was not too long ago by the way). I have ten kids ranging from 4-6 and they were bored, running around, and not interested. What I had planned to do was to teach them some songs, by going over lyrics first, then singing the song, and then going over the actions. It didn’t work. To make things worse my boss came in and observed. What she told me afterwards was no surprise to me. My class was too boring. It was my technique, my planning (or lack of it), and my classroom management all bunched up in a fiasco celebration.
After that day I talked to a friend of mine who was a veteran teacher. What she told me was similar to the idea Postman puts forth. She told me to plan for it as if never done music before, because before I started teaching I was involved in music in church especially in children’s church. I thought that it was the same thing: just lead some songs with the guitar and they’ll follow along. I obviously wasn’t ready for that first day. So for the second class I put extra thought in planning for the class- picking the songs that I thought the children would like, breaking down my lesson about tempo so it’s understandable to a Japanese speaking 5 year old. The results were better than the first day, it wasn’t perfect and still isn’t. I’m learning the more I do it, but that advice my friend gave me was a help. Which is my first application:
1) Put yourself in your student’s shoes while planning. Plan your lesson as if you’ve never done it before, put extra effort in helping your students understand. As we said in class, we’re here for the struggling students aren’t we?
Now the idea of throwing out text books is a bit extreme for me. It reminds me of the science fiction novel “Farenheit 451”, where in the future no one’s allowed to read books and people who do end up on the wrong side of the law. That’s an extreme way of looking at it. However, I don’t think that that’s what Postman really meant when he said that. I think his main idea was that students and teachers alike should be wary of the sources of their textbooks and the information they present. In essence we need to think outside of the box searching for the real truth behind the facts and recognize that even textbooks can make errors. In hindsight though, I would have to say that in doing this I am apathetic. I often want to just gobble down what the book gives me. It’s so much harder thinking outside the box, searching for the other side of the story. This is bad. Education, in part, is the search for truth- to be put more extremely it’s the hunger for it. Which leads me to my second application:
2) Never stop searching for the truth, learning something new. I’m speaking for myself here when I say all of this, because I know who complacent I can become. I need to have a desire learn more than what the books give. This would help my learning process a lot.
Lastly I would like to support Postman in saying that mistakes are universally human. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t make any and of course teachers do too. I have to agree with some of my class mates tonight, however, in saying that you don’t always have to tell your students you always make mistakes. How would they trust in you as their teacher if you did. In contrast, I would also like to say that admitting that you made a mistake to a student does have profound effects. I have had some experiences with this- as a student.
It was the month of December at my church and I was asked to lead the music with the youth band one Sunday. I was about 17 at the time and of course very nervous about it. Our youth pastor had talked to our Senior Pastor (who was 80 plus) at the time in to letting us lead. What our youth pastor told us was that we could lead any song we wanted to. It didn’t necessarily needed to be Christmas songs. The day came and we were at church early setting up and practicing to get ready. The band was young ranging from 13 year olds to 17 year olds (me). The pastors wife came up to me (also an elderly lady in her 80’s) saying, “They want Christmas music, I hope you have Christmas music.” She was giving me a look like, “You’d better have some Christmas music, boy… or else.” This was bad, I thought the pastors had talked it out. What’s worse was my band was watching the whole incident. We were nervous! There was so much pressure after that- especially since there were no Christmas songs. Nevertheless, we were encouraged to go on with what we had by our youth pastor and honestly the set was not bad. I mean people got in to singing the songs I picked and they seemed to have enjoyed the music.
After the service, the pastor’s wife pulled in me in the corner and I thought I was dead. To my surprise, she ended up apologizing to me for coming down on me before the service for not picking Christmas songs. She even said that she enjoyed the music. All I did was smile and said it was ok, but inside I was like WHOA. I mean, an elderly lady- a pastor’s wife- had realized she’d done wrong and she was big enough to come down to my level, a teenager’s level to apologize. That struck me like lightning. I had an even higher respect for her after that.
3) Relating that to teaching, I would say never be afraid of admitting your mistakes, if you have genuinely made them to your students, either publicly or private. I think we have to recognize even more so nowadays that mistakes and errors are a part of education. We need to learn from our past mistakes to grow in maturity. I think that if we can recognize this as teachers, we won’t be limited. It wouldn’t be hard to take risks if we needed to.
In the end, I wouldn’t take all of Postman’s ideas as commands or statutes, but I would say it’s an interesting approach to education. Thinking outside of the box can help improve our education and the education of future generations. We just have to put our students first in everything we do in regard to education. Thanks and see you all in the next class.
PS. Sorry my post is divided in to three parts, I have too much text :P
Brilliant examples so well illustrating the concept Micah! Outstanding!
Three main ideas we discussed in class today were very interesting. The author Neil Postman’s writing is different from most authors of education, and he challenged us to come out of our comfort zone and try something new with creative ways. One of the Postman’s ideas we discussed was to toss out the textbooks. I don’t believe that Postman was suggesting us to toss out every single book we use because there are many valuable text books out there. But at the same time, as a teacher, I sometimes get comfortable with following the text books, and they become the main resources for teaching. While the textbooks give us systematic guidelines, the materials and lessons may not be always applicable to our students. For example: our school uses the text books from America. For subjects such as Math, Science, and Language Arts the textbooks can be very useful for teachers and the students. But the Social Studies text book is not written for the international students because the book only focuses on the United States, and the contents are not very applicable for our students. Therefore for Social studies, I have to put an extra effort that our students are learning what is important for them and something they can relate to their everyday experiences.
Three ideas we discussed are also interrelated with one another. We limit ourselves to do things because we are afraid to make errors. We use textbooks as our resources because we trust the textbooks to be the reliable resources since they are approved and used by many schools. Therefore limiting ourselves has become the biggest error of all. At our school if subject teachers (such as PE, Music, Art, and Language Teachers) are absent or they can’t take the class for some reasons, the homeroom teachers have to keep the students for that period. It doesn’t bother me to take other subject teachers’ classes because I use that period to teach other subjects I am behind. For example: If PE teacher is absent, I don’t want to teach PE to my students because I think I can’t teach PE as good as the PE teacher therefore I shouldn’t mess up with that; instead I will use that period to do more Science. But I don’t necessarily need to teach PE; I can use that period to do different physical activities with my students. Again I need to plan ahead of different activities; I can’t go outside with the students and let them goof around. Planning different physical activities is a challenge for me. However I didn’t challenge myself to plan and think of different PE activities, I just went ahead with my other lessons that I’m more comfortable with. The discussion we had last night gave me an idea that I don’t need to limit myself; I can explore and take a risk to challenge myself. But that doesn’t apply to other subjects such as Thai, Korean, or Chinese. Challenging myself to teach Thai or Chinese to the students won’t be a good idea, it will become a complete disaster.
Three applications:
1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with: Before I read the reading material and the class discussion, I had a fixed mindset that if I am not good at it, I should avoid teaching it. But the discussion we had gave me a more positive view of how I can improve myself at other subjects. There are many resources available out there to help us improve and all we need to do is to have a positive mindset and are willing to take a risk.
2) Toss out the textbooks: Textbooks shouldn’t be my only resources to teach the students. I will use other resources such as books, journals, websites, and newspaper.
3) Error is universal: I will let my students know that error is universal, and it’s ok to make mistakes. Some students are afraid to make mistakes that they won’t even take a risk of trying something new. I will pass on to my students what Postman said. “We learn far more by failing.” We learn by making mistakes and correcting our mistakes.
Zarni Lwin
Reflection # 9
Yestrday's class was very interesting and enjoyable. From the readings of Postman three main ideas were discussed which were as follows:
1. Throw out textbooks.
2. Let teachers teach the subject which they had faced difficulty, so that they can understand the situation of the student who is having the same difficulty with that subject, and help to create your own ideas of how to teach these subjects.
3. Errors are universal.
This class really caught my attention as we were talking about things that we face as a student and as a teacher. The idea about throwing out the textbooks was quite a surprise to me in the beginning, but as we discussed in class that not all information is provided in the text books and that teachers and students can challenge the text, through research and other means. I feel that textbooks are a guideline for what need to be taught but not the standards that have to be met. i personally have felt the need of textbooks to guide you to plan your lessons, but we use more than textbooks to get the correct information to teach.
Another main idea about errors are universally human. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t make any mistakes. I agree with some of my class mates like Marcin and even what Micah has reflected that, you don’t always have to tell your students you always make mistakes. How would they trust in you as their teacher if you did. In contrast, I totally agree that admitting your mistake infront of a student does have positive effects.
3 Applications:
1. As a teacher try to make the lesson simple and creative, so that the students will understand and are motivated to study that subject. We as teachers have to challenge our own lessons.
2. If a student corrects you in class, appreciate what he has to say and acknowledge him for correcting you.
3. Learning is a constant process, so as teachers we also have to learn about the truth and let our students know if there is any other facts that are not mentioned in textbooks. With this application, the explae that Dr. Andy gave in class that if we as teachers cannot challenge the text then we can give students the right to challenge them and by this they will know most of the facts too.
Manpreet
Venus (Jinxin)
Key points:
1. The three ideas---- “Conventional wisdom” ----common way of thinking
A．Toss out text books ---facts beyond the textbook. Example: 5 years of Khmer Rouge. All the ideas are come from the Vietnamese in American’s books. If you want to teach kids, you should teach beyond the book.
B．Let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with—“Guide to helping struggling students”
-physics. Try my best and figure out the points I am not familiar with it. Study from books. College ague’s help. Consult expert. History--- not research, background, outside info. Science---look journals, books. Physics---learn different way from how tough. Math---teach at a low level. Math---learn basic skills+practical first.
C．Errors are universal--- Accuracy academic (es. My student likes to have competition with me)
Tom Peters ----negative thinker, find what is the problems and you will find the way to solve problems. Find the people who are different from you and you will find the way.
2. Option gives your flexibility.
3. Works on the thing that make you feel confidence and right.
4. The toppest person posses all the knowledge. You are endangered when you think you are always true. The three presidents make mistakes. The history was written by the winners
reflections:
1. I had been to Cambodia before. The Angkor Wat had been found by the Frenchman and restored by the Frenchman and Japanese. From my visiting, I found a post introducing a group students organized by a Japanese university, which help to restore the Angkor Wat. We may see this is a very vivid case that beyond the book, which encourage the students to learn the history and what is the “history”’s situation now.
2. Errors are universal. It is the most difficult common sense for my student who I teach at the weekend for tutor. Maybe the family pays too much attention on the correct and error and gives some negative reinforcements when the boy makes errors. Every time when I correct his mistakes, he denies it or says I already tell you the answer. I tell him many times making error is universal and tell him to correct my mistakes when he finds it. What is really improve it is the time I show my attitude when he points out my mistakes. I will continue to try it.
3. Option gives your flexibility. We may see corporal punishment is very common in many families, which happen in the situation, that the parents have no solutions for the naughty children. Negotiations can be the solutions for many things and it may happen all the time in our life. Find the options for any situations. I also support the points that the positive person can find the way to think out the solution from the problems the negative person think.
Postman reading we discussed last night was quite interesting and his ideas really make sense as long as we do not treat them literally. I think it wasn't his intention to treat these ideas literally anyway.
Throw out textbooks - What I understand by it is for teachers not to stick to textbooks to much. Use other sources maybe even use different textbooks, just do not stick to one and do not follow it blindly.
Let the teachers teach subjects they aren't good at - I would not go to the extreme of asking teachers to teach subjects they know little about. I thin what is meant by this is that teachers should try to empathize with the students, try to put themselves in the situation of their students.
Errors are universal - I agree that we all make mistakes but, again, I would not tell the students to search for my mistakes and that I will be rewarding them for it. It was one of the ideas discussed yesterday and I am really opposed to it. I like when my students notice mistakes on the board, and I always acknowledge it. I never blame a student for telling me I made a mistake, however, I do not like the idea of telling the kids there will be mistakes and you should look for it.
Applications:
1. As a teacher, admit you made a mistakes. Do it in a way you are comfortable with, but never blame a student for noticing your mistake(s).
2. As a teacher, do not stick to one textbook and do not follow it blindly. Textbooks are there to help a teacher and teachers are welcome to use them but it should be done wisely. Be critical and always use plenty of resources for materials etc. (including textbooks of course).
3. As a teacher, empathize with your students, try to understand them, try "walk in their shoes". Remind yourself about when you were at school and how you felt.
Marcin
Error is universal. We can help the students to see that people improve their learning by making mistakes. Doing mistakes or error in their studies is not thier own fault, because if they do not understand or know about the concept of the subject, they will make mistake, once they know their mistakes they can correct it.
Application
1. If we want to teach the truth, go beyond the textooks, students can learn so many things out of the textbooks for example, in Burma, when we learn history, most of the stories were made up in the text books which are not truth. In this case, we can ask the students to do a project to find out or prove the things inside text book and the students can research or interview with the elderly people who knew well about it so that the students will know the truth about their own country.
2. No one is perfect in this world, every one can make mistakes so when we teach our students, we can make mistakes as well. Normlly, I used to say thank you whenever they correct me if I did mistake and when I broke my promise I use to say sorry and give the reason why I did so but I have never told my students to correct me when I make mistakes because I believe that we can lose their trust especially for the new teachers. But once they trust teacher, whatever you do, they will understand you.
3. As teachers, we need to help our students who have difficulties in their studies. Even though we are at the highest level of education but we must go down to the level according to the students. For example, if we are teaching in Grade one Mathematics, we need to go down to the level of students, we can't teach all what we have known and learned. So before we teach, if we don't have any experiences or if we have any difficulties about teaching in any subjects we can read the books concerned, consult with the senior teachers or break down all the difficulties and start with the basic one and practice and prepare well. After teaching, we can evaluate and can improve ourselves.
This weeks' topic was interesting. From the readings, three main ideas were discussed.
1. Toss out textbooks- Let the children make their own researches. As teachers, we can't just rely on books alone.
My Applications:
We need to encourage our students to make their own researches using the internet, not only the books. In my class, I use different kinds of books and resources. I encourage my students to use the net. Networks can be a great motivator for students. On net, there are lots of readings and speaking materials,online dictionaries, with impressive graphics and sound. The internet will greatly help my students and arouse their interests. Students can also learn drawing, watch videos- related to my lesson, pay a visit to some galleries or make some field trips on the internet, they don't need to imagine anymore because it's looks so real. These are 'interactive'- as they can help students to express their ideas, exchange ideas with others quickly, it can also improve their skills in communication and see the world as global.
2. Errors are Universal- Nobody can say that he/she is a perfect teacher. Teachers sometimes commit mistakes but we also learn from it. Moreover, there is a saying that,"Practice makes perfect", I know some teachers who rehearse before they teach their lessons. Some of them even find time to practice writing on the board.
My Applications:
As a teacher, we should all be flexible to every situations that will come our way. If we committed some mistakes during our lesson, try to accept it,learn from it and always be positive. You can also avoid this, if you have a mastery of your lesson and this is very true.
Providing ample time to ask students for some feedback after your lesson and activities. Write them in a small notebook and try to think of ways you could improve yourself as a teacher.
3. Let teachers teach subjects they had troubled with- I grew up in the Philippines. We speak 'Tagalog' and different kinds of dialects. English is our second language. We rarely use English in communicating with our parents, teachers, and friends and sometimes we even mix tagalog with English, which is very confusing. Most of my teachers used Direct Instruction and the teaching is very traditional.It was always a grand show for most of the teachers- all lectures, (They used both Tagalog and English when they teach us)assignments, and copying notes on the board.Everyday it would be like that- so boring!When I went to College (Centro Escolar University),I really had a hard time studying and understanding my professors,because they were using English as medium of instructions. I did a lot of self studies and disciplined myself in every way. Now that I am in the teaching field, I don't want to repeat the same scenario.
My applications:
-I'll prepare lessons suited for my student's needs
-prepare learning materials to arouse their interest
-Vary the nature of presentation demonstration and interaction in my class
-ask the students for some feedback
-encourage the students to speak English more often to increase their self-esteem.
-provide guidance and understanding especially for low-achieving students
-teach them how to self-monitor
-incorporate different kinds of activities such as: role play, pair/group work activities, sort of cooperative learning,incorporating songs, pronunciation practice (Thais have some difficulties with some of the English alphabets), English conversation lessons, the basic ones, that they would be needing in the future such as: Introducing Oneself, At the Airport, At the Restaurant, etc.
-incorporating the four macro skills- speaking, listening, reading and writing
Thanks,
Ms. Evan
This week's class discussion and reading was very interesting. Postman came up with three interesting aspects that includes tossing out the textbooks, letting teachers teach subjects they had trouble with and knowing that Errors are universal. The idea of "Accuracy in Academia" as Marcin mentioned in class that we should not tell our students in the beginning of the semester, i agree that it's not a good option since students would focus on picking the error instead of understanding the concept of the lesson. However, i do agree that students should be given the chance to speak up and help out if teachers go wrong since no one is prefect teachers do make mistakes. Everyone makes mistake we should admit it and correct it. Our discussion is class about the three United States president J.F.kennedy, Bill Clinton and G.W.Bush were great examples of leaders making mistakes and the way they react when their mistakes are exposed to public.
- As a teacher we should set ourselves as good examples to our students since some of them see us as role models. However, this doesnt mean we cannot make mistakes, once we do we should admit it and improve it right away this way our students would do the same.
- We should always have an open mind, respect and listen to our student's perspective as they might come up with new ideas that can easily relate to them.
- 'Conventional Wisdom' as challenge by postman is another intersing theory. As a teacher i would challenge myself from the common way of thinking and try coming up with new approaches.
-Navnita Charucharoen- :)
this class we have read the material and discussion some ideas,such as :1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with.2) Toss out the textbooks.3)error is universal.I'm really interested in our discussion,everyone has think about it.
Application :
1)let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with,when i teach i will thinking on my students side,try my best to explain in easy way.
2)toss out textbook.I think textbook just stand by someone's idea,i think there are a lot of new information and things the textbook don't have ,so we can add some .
3)error is universal,I will tell my students that error means you're more close to the right.I will inspire them to do more.
this class we have read the material and discussion some ideas,such as :1) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with.2) Toss out the textbooks.3)error is universal.I'm really interested in our discussion,everyone has think about it.
Application :
1)let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with,when i teach i will thinking on my students side,try my best to explain in easy way.
2)toss out textbook.I think textbook just stand by someone's idea,i think there are a lot of new information and things the textbook don't have ,so we can add some .
3)error is universal,I will tell my students that error means you're more close to the right.I will inspire them to do more.
sorry i forget to write my name.this one and the one in front of this one is mine.
thanks
zhangya
From this week’s reading, we discussed 3 main ideas in the class. These ideas are; 1. Throw out textbooks, 2. We should let teachers teach the subjects they had trouble with, 3. Errors are universal. These ideas are quite extreme, and these ideas challenge conventional wisdom. However, Postman gives us good insight in our education today, and his ideas are applicable to all levels (Kindergarten to adults).
3 applications
1) Throw out textbooks.
I think I do need good textbooks to give my students well-planned, understandable lessons. However, it is also important not to stick to what textbooks say all the time. Instead, I should use my creativity to make my class more enjoyable and effective. I found many Japanese textbooks I use at school are not in Thai contexts and often outdated. I often prepare extra materials so that my students can relate themselves more to the topic.
2) Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with.
It is important to understand what it’s like to study the subject which you are not good at. My university students chose Japanese major, so I could say most of them are studying the subject they like. However, as a second language teacher, I always try my best to see Japanese (my native language) from my students’ perspective. I often try to remember how I learned English (my second language) and figure out what is the most understandable way to teach Japanese.
3) Errors are universal.
We should let students understand that it is OK to make mistakes and that we can learn from mistakes. It is very important in the second language classroom. When students are afraid of making mistakes, they also become afraid of speaking the second language. I also should let them know I may make mistakes as well even though I am a native Japanese speaker. I would like to create the environment where students don’t have to feel afraid of making mistakes. I would also like them to improve their skills by trial and error.
Thank you!
Chie Katsuda
The reading this week provided me a different outlook to education. I admire Mr. Postman’s thinking and his view of education. In particular I liked what he said about errors. Errors are universal. It is a part of life. However “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” (John Powell). This quote and parts of the reading can be applied to all areas of life.
Applications
1. Learning from one’s mistakes: Our classroom environment should allow for students to make mistakes and learn from them. This is one of the best ways to learn and remember. Problem solving skills involves making mistakes and knowing how to correct them.
2. Throw out the textbooks: A lot of teachers find that textbooks limit the scope and take away the freedom of teaching as they are rushed to complete it. So I think there should be days where teachers teach from their soul. Let students learn what the teacher finds interesting of the subject or topic they are teaching. Find comic books and other sources with relevant information to the topic. This will also help to connect to the students at their level.
3. Let students point out your mistakes. It serves many purposes. It makes sure they are listening, they are checking their information, they are having discussions and they will grow up to be independent thinkers who will stand up for what they think is right.
Week nine reflections and thoughts
This week's reading pointed out our weakness and taught us how to learn from our mistake or weakness. Postman has three ideas; errors are universal, toss out textbooks, and let teachers teach subjects they have troble with. As for me, i disagree with his second and third idea. May be i could misunderstand these ideas. In my opinion, textbooks are the begining of our study and they build blocks of knowledge in our brain that allow us to organize and categorise information. For the third idea, if you want to be a expert in one area, you have to know that area very well and you have to be a knowledgeable in that area. That is why, if you want to be a sucessful and effective teacher, you have to concentrate on your subjects and you have to know very well in your area. It does not mean you do not need to know others.
Applications,
1) As a human being, we make many mistakes everyday because no one is perfect. Nevertheless, we have to learn from our countless mistakes to be better.
2) If i think that is not comfortable for me, i will not do it.
3) As a teacher, let students look or see diffferently because it is powerful.
we read three main factors highlighted by author Postman on last wednesday night. Among those three factors, two facts that caught my intention are let teachers teach subjects they aren't good at and errors are universal. My argument is that if we let teachers teach subjects they aren't good at, a myraid of disadvantages will ensue. For instance, it will take a long and difficult time to explain clearly to students if teachers are not expert in their subjects. Furthermore, students will not respect them and the expectation of students on their subjects will never meet if teachers are vague in their subjects clarification. Another one is errors are universal. Of course, errors are common in human beings. It doesn't mean one must be drown all the time in mistakes. But errors are reducible and are great reinforcers to success. If Edison didn't make a thousand mistakes or errors in his experiment, this world would be still a dark planet.
Applications
1. teachers should ensure students not to fear to make errors on their subjects
2. teachers should give one or more chances to let them start again if students are in errors
3. teachers should encourage students to trace back their mistakes step by step in order to discover the truth
-(3) main ideas were discussed on the week 9. Toss out the TEXT BOOKS,let teachers teach the SUBJECTS they had troubled with and ERROR is universal.
The first idea means that actually not many subjective rights or wrongs, whatever had happened in the past, need to be stored. As e.g, we could say there will not come a war worse than first or second World War again. Perhaps if there another planet more convenient than the one we live now. It is clear that we need to taste or to be tasted even the bitter things.
The second idea is that as ateacher we need to aware what we had discussed in the previous week " Multicultual education" and multiwillingnesses of students. Sharing of sufferings shows more meaningful in the field of education in teaching and learning process.
Last idea is error. Page 121- everyone makes errors, including those who write about error. Error is inevitable or universal and undersandable but reducible becaus it is not we have but we do then it is important to be existed or commited with/by us as well for purposely being of puring and expert. But it has case, when we are most seriously endangered when we thik we are.
Neil Postman,in the chapter, challeged us espctually for me by addressing his three excellent opinions.
-Firstly, it is the time necessary to apply those ideas in to practice in my country -Myanmar-in every instituitions. I mean that there still somewhere who still want to or let students learn the very old subjects.
Secondly, as a administrator or teacher, try to provide, to use, to build the community of social resources is the best way.
I prefer correcting my mistakes by only facing with it not by fudging.
Markokee MARK
I found the reading interesting and good discussing in the class. Mainly discussed about three idea, I tend to know, as the first idea, that the text books should be used just as the tool that facilitate the learning (helper). My point is not to follow strictly the directions of the books, not mainly depend on the text books. Secondly, to understand the students' knowledge level is very important.Student's are learning what they still don't know;thus,we as teachers have to think from the perceptions of students.Finally, one thing to keep in mind is that mistakes are universal.
Applications:
1. when I am an administrator, I will encourage teachers to call outside resources (experts) to come and share their idea in school. It not only can be an exploration of new knowledge but it can also be very interesting for students.
2."Let teachers teach subjects that aren't good at" can sometime make some change in classrooms.
3. I will practice "not to judge others by one mistake", It is very important for me.
Thanks.
At week 9, I had learn postman's three main ideas:
First, toss out the textbook, teach the student beyond the textbook. The experience would be chastening and even eye-opening.When the teacher reture to their specialties, it is possible they would bring with them refreshing idears about how to communicate about their subject, and with an increase empathy for their student.
Second, errors are univeral. Accuracy in Academia. We are all fallible human being, we will inevitably be making factual errors,drawing some unjustifiable conclusions, and perhaps passing along our oppinions as facts. To be a human being, we are not afaird that errors, we have to learn a lesson from the mistakes for avoid make the same mistake in the future, that is the human way.
Third, let theachers teach subjects they had trouble with. Most teacher especially high school or collage teachers, teach subject they were good at in school. They found the subject both easy and pleasurable. But if the each teacher were assigned a subject with he or she hated or always had trouble with, the teacher would be forced to see the situation as most students do, would see things more as a new learner than as an old teacher.
Application:
- when i taught at the first time, i worry about the textbook, because the school didn't provide the textbook for me and students. and how can I teach? I asked myself. Finally I know, the textbook is not most important, because students' quetions always never come from the textbook, capability of teacher is more important.
- The teacher always right! I always think like that when I was a child. May be it relate with chinese educational system or cultures.The teachers are representative of right, justic, or sacred, even hero in china. we put a lot honor to the teacher so than we forgot the teacher also be a human. The teacher would be make mistake either. Like I teacher chinese, i use Thai-Chinese method to teach, so sometimes I unavoidable make mistake in Thai writting or pronunciation, if occured that case, my students help me to correct, I never felt shy, opposit I appreciate it and deepen impression.
-As a teaher, we have to bravely face to trouble or we can say the challages for improve yourself day by bay. we always in trouble, only in trouble we will find out the way the solve trouble, during that prosess, we can learn more things.
Eva
After reading and talking about Neil Postman’s perception on education, I become conscious that he was talking about the reality of education. That is so true that we must not fully rely on test books. Even though, test book is the first way to know subject that we are going to study, what we should do is that base on the test book to point out the controversial and critical topic. Education does not mean test book at all. Another point is that Postman said about error detector. If a person never made mistakes in life, it means he never tried much and he would never learn what is really true because one of the natures of human being is fallible and we must learn from mistakes. That is why, Postman recommends teachers to encourage student to find out teachers’ mistakes when they are teaching. The last one is that challenge teachers to teach their unfamiliar or trouble subject. In that point, honestly, I won’t stage myself to teach the subject which I have trouble much because students will lose reliable on me and they will not trust me anymore. On the other hand, it can be that teacher must study that subject fluently and all possible matter, before he teaches. At the same time, he is learning that subject with student in class.
- I will not rely on only test book. I will use test book as a starter of a subject. That’s why; I must be intelligent and have a lot of knowledge to guide students.
- Teacher must have remedial work in teaching methods or in something because everybody can do errors. Although I encourage student to find out my doing wrong in teaching, I must make sure that I should not make mistakes often or students will feel unmotivated.
- Encourage students not to afraid to make mistake, show them that the best thing is learning from mistakes too and help them to reduce errors gradually.
I wasn't in the class last week but after my friend told me about the discussion details, I read Neil Postman explanation and I knew that I missed good opportunity to discussed 3 interesting topics.
First of all, I like the way of his thinking to throw away the textbooks. I understand his thinking as he just want us not too depends on Textbooks and find out they way ourselves to guide the students. He wrote textbooks are enemies of education because maybe he did find out some teachers cannot escape from using only textbooks and also using one method. But is we don't really need textbooks? It's an arguable question.
And I also learned that before we become a teacher and using the textbooks to teach our students, we should have our own skills to write the textbooks to publish in our own country. It is so simple, the one who don't know how to write and he might not know how to take out the good lessons from the textbooks. Frankly to say this, Mr. Postman wants us to find out ourselves not to be lazy and urge us to find quality textbooks and use those in a good way.
Applications
1) Throw out the textbooks
I never use only one textbook to teach computer to my students and I always try to get the information, pictures, new gadgets details, and let them play some games with group what I get an idea from Internet forum. But I admit that I still can’t throw away textbooks because it still plays big part in the classroom.
2) Errors are universal
I always like to ask the question to know their knowledge about my subject(Computer) but there is a problem that if someone is wrong, all the other students are laughing even they are afraid of answer my questions.
So I tell them, nobody escape from doing mistake and even I myself writing wrong spelling in the class sometime. That’s why I explain them just answer my question…..if you get right answers, I tell everyone to cheer the one who get right answer. It’s really work out well for most of the class. It’s more competitive than before and everyone is not shy to answer in the class right now. But it still needs to do for some classes.
3)Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with:
For me, I really had trouble with this kind of problem. I wasn’t a Professional to use a Photoshop but when the students asking me teach them how to use Photoshop , I decided to learn to be a better Adobe expert and it is really motivate me to do new things to learn that I afraid of a few years ago. And I also realized that Thai Students are really interested in Art subjects and most of them are dreaming of being an Art Designer after they finish a high school. Now I can use new techniques in Adobe to teach in the classroom but haven’t start yet for very exciting new lessons.
Thanks,
N.HT Linn
This week’s reading was controversial (for lack of a better vocabulary).
Toss out text books?!...hell no! Teach a subject I have trouble understanding?! …well, yeah, maybe. Postman in these two bold statements, I think intended for teachers to move out of their comfort zone and look at what they have been doing from a different angle. I think he meant that teachers should assume that they don’t know anything and start exploring ways through which they can learn the materials they have, in other words, teachers should put themselves in their students’ shoes. This may provide a model for students to improve their learning techniques.
Applications
1. Try all the time to find ideas that will get my students thinking differently, to get them out of their comfort zone a little bit, not far from it though lest they get discouraged.
2. Teach my students that everyone makes mistakes and that no one is perfect, so they don’t have to be afraid of failing…especially if it’s due to an error, because we learn from mistakes.
3. Always try to find my material from different sources (verifiable sources) and compare the material before going to class.
Reading about Postman's radical ways to improve education was quite interesting and it was kind of eye-opening for me in a sharp way.
-Getting rid of all the text books
-Teaching a subject that you are not good at
-Instead of avoiding making mistakes try to learn from them
I also agree with Micah that the last one is not as extreme as the first two.
And the things that were eye-opening for me, were in the concept of the first two, as they were guiding me to think free of templates.
My applications will be in the light of these three key points;
1)Try not to stick to the textbooks strictly and instead, try to teach in a flexible way according to the needs, culture and level of the students' understanding.
2)After completing each unit, ask students to mention about the parts that they were confused or found it hard to understand; so that I can work on those parts more and try to see the big picture from their eyes and be in their shoes to make those parts clearer for them.
3)Encourage my students to make mistakes and learn from them, by even sometimes awarding points for the wrong answers, just to appreciate their courage to try.
Gaye Sadic
Last week discussion was really a thought provoking and challenging one. Tossing out the textbook, telling students that human makes mistakes including teachers and challenging teachers to teach subject they had trouble with are just those overwhelming ideas or issues that educators will hardly put their hands on. As what Postman stated in this reading, all these thoughts are basically asking teachers to step out of their comfort zone, stretching their limits and stepping into uncertainties. It is actually not easy for a teacher to toss out the textbooks just like that because it is definitely easier to prepare the lessons with guided texts. However, as a professional educator, teaching the knowledge from planned and guided text should not be the only centre of teaching. In my opinion, helping or assisting the students to identify and to recognize of the truth, the significance and the lessons behind all the materials is equally important. This idea is relatively similar to the saying: teaching a person how to fish is better than feeding fish to them every day. We need to teach things that will benefit the students a lifetime and not just teaching them how to get 100% in test because students will eventually “toss out the textbook” themselves after each test or exam. Students will register in their mind when the teachers teach them something meaningful and relevant to their life looking through the window of reality.
One of the good ways of helping the students to see reality is helping them to understand that human do make mistakes and it is alright to be wrong because human learn from errors. It might be hard for a person to admit that he or she makes a mistake due to pride, status or other behavioral factors. Nevertheless, we can see that almost every turning point for critical situations in history started when someone realized that they had made mistakes. They learned from the mistakes and tried their best to find ways so that they will not repeat the mistake or error again. Students need to know that it is alright for them to make mistakes as long as they are willing to learn from their mistakes and find effective ways to avoid making the same mistakes again. Textbook teaches the students that they cannot make mistake because each mistake will be graded but reality shows that mistakes or errors could be the best mirror in students’ learning experience.
Another effective ways of helping students to understand reality is through teaching lessons or subjects that the teacher has never taught before or they had trouble with. Basically, teachers are helping the students to understand that each individual has their own uniqueness and their intelligence. There is not such person to say that he or she is good is everything even genius. Everyone is gifted or talented in some areas of life but if a person is willing to step out of their comfort zone and take up the challenge of trying something they are not familiar with, he or she might discover and identify new talent or intelligence. Students will be motivated to try new things and expand new areas in their learning experiences when they see that even teachers are willing to take up the challenge to teach something different.
My application for this week will be:
(1) To include an extra material or activity in every lesson other than those suggested in the textbook so that students are able to explore more about the particular knowledge.
(2) Volunteer to cover one or two classes for teachers that are away because it is a good opportunity to teach subjects outside of my expertise.
(3) Give space, time and opportunity to widen their perspectives about learning through different lesson and activities. One of the ways is not to get mad easily at students when they cannot understand the lessons or even when they make mistakes in the class but try to think at their level of understanding and the reasons behind the errors being made.
Week 9 reflections
This week I went to class late and I'm sorry about that. Dr.Andy discuss about Postman thinking.
Main ideas :First,what if you didnt like the subject but you have to teach what should you do.
If I were in this situation, I would try my best and if I really cant teach them, i will find new subject for new teaching.
Second, toss out the textbooks, we should know where the textbooks come from. It can apply for our country or not.
Thus, errors are universal accuracy in acedemic.
Three applications
1. I can know what should I do when I have to teach the subject that I dont like.
2. I have to adapt the textbooks for our reality. I should know the material suit for our country or not.
3. I know that error can occur for everyone. Everybody have to face with the error in this world but difference in how to solve that error.
Pakorn S.
The ninth class’ reading and discussion are significant and instructive. There are three points were mentioned:
1, letting teachers teach subjects they had trouble with . This is a big challenge to a teacher who is not specialized in ,this situation make a teacher nervous and lack of confidence ,when face this situation ,how can do is better ?and is it a sensible idea for teaching –learning ?
Depend on the time need to teach. If just replace other teachers’ class 1-2times ,that ok ,even we are not professional in this subject .at first , confident you can ,challenge self .must to prepare for class seriously .we needn’t to teaching deep Profound specialized knowledge, because we are not expert in specialized knowledge .we just to design to teach some points relevant and important .use flexible teaching methods .
But if let teachers teach subject they had trouble with long time ,that is not a sensible thought .
2,toss out text book . sometimes text book exist error also ,and limited teachers’ and students’ thoughts. therefore ,when we teaching ,we just reference it ,but don’t follow and reject absolutely . pick reasonable and excellent points to put to use .
3,errors are universal. Yes ,nothing and nobody is perfect. making mistakes is universal in teaching and learning process occasionally.
Application :
1,uphold the truth .as a teacher .when we teaching ,we have to uphold the truth ,transfer pinpoint knowledge to students .in my experience ,my history text book in high school is fiasco. About the second world war in Asia, Communist party and the nationalist party against Japan offense jointly, in fact , nationalist party have shown magnificent courage made tremendous sacrifices , they are the key force to win the war. but in our history text book, distorts the truth to confuse right and wrong. As a teacher ,face to this situation ,just toss out text book ,uphold the truth .educational aim is emancipate mind ,seek the truth .
2,don’t afraid make mistake .tell students don’t avoid error , face it actively. then , In the process of correct, students can know more ,get more .for a teacher , teaching right point as far as possible, but we are impossible keep correct always. when make mistakes , admit it ,and then correct it .Teacher who can admit and correct mistakes ,can get respect form students .
Class Reflection 4 Aug 2010
I learn about the conventional wisdom that gives us the idea of the teacher toward to the student and way of teaching. I really interesting the idea about error are universal that inspire me to think about the way that I behave to my student. Sometime when my students make a mistake I try to understand them and also when I make a mistake I also accept. But sometimes I felt angry when I found they make the same mistake again and again. I forgot to think about that I use the same approach to teach them again but I didn’t change the approach to teach them for the different learning result. I forgot the experience when I was a student I also make a lot of mistake again and again in class and then the teacher also angry to me and sometime the way that they behave to me it make me feel that I couldn’t be better. Because we didn’t concern about that the error is the nature of human that can be happen any times. If the teachers understand this idea they will have a strong attitude about the student’s error. The students have potential inside but they have different styles of learning so we should provide them the proper approach to enhance their potential. In Thailand tradition the teachers seem as the master so the students believe that teachers know everything and always right. The student shouldn’t question anything that they learn from teacher and they should avoid to makes a mistake. This is the limitation for Thai teachers to apply this idea in their class.
The new paradigm of teaching should become more simply we should concern that teacher also be a human that can be wrong and error is the nature of people but we should learn that we should never do it again. This attitude will encourage the student to share more opinion in the class.
Application
As the teacher when some error occur in my class I will explain to my student that everybody can be wrong but I will try to challenge them to research to adjust the error together. As we know that nobody perfect so I will listen to them first and accept them as they are not as we see. I will appreciate them when they are right and when they wrong let all find the right answer. Use cooperate learning to reach the goal of learning together. More facilitate than lecture.
As the administrator I will organized the program for the teacher to discuss together for the lesson that they learnt for the error in classroom. Define the best way that they use to adjust it. And develop it to use for the best practice for teaching in classroom. As we know that mistake makes a teacher.
Dr.Andy talks about the three main ideas from Postman last week. Toss out text books, let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with and errors are universal. I quite agree with the ideas that toss out text books and errors are universal. As text books have limitation, sometimes it does have the enough solution or knowledge for the students to understand completely. Errors are universal that no one can run away from making mistakes. Everybody have to make mistakes to learn more or the truth. This idea reminds me of Dr.nora once said ‘enjoy loosing face in the class.’ Some students feel shy to speak out and make mistakes in the class. We’ll have to put away our feeling of shy and pride of loosing face in learning. This idea is not very used to with our context and need more practice for Asian people I think. Therefore, my application will be the above three main ideas.
-Toss out text books for understanding the context absolutely and may be giving some references for further study for the students. This shows preparation before the class because we’ll have to make sure and know well about the lessons so that the students will be satisfied with our teaching.
-let teachers teach subjects they had trouble with is a kind of encouragement for me because I never want to teach the subjects that I cannot do well. But the end of last week, I feel that this is a good idea. When the teacher don’t understand the subjects, she’ll have to study so basically and thoroughly more than usual and try to find the easiest way to make the student understand it like she tries to understand the subjects on her own ways.
-Make the student learn from their mistakes. Making them used to with mistakes and enjoying loosing face when learning. And I’ll make them correct me when I make mistakes in the class to show I’m also making mistakes and we are learning and teaching from each others.
Again another interesting week we had, and again I did learn a lot of new things. When we talk about teaching, I believe a teacher isn't successful because they have spoken for hours and hours, have taught for 6 hours straight etc etc, and they have very well managed to complete their day at school. But I think a teacher is really successful when at the end of their lesson their students have actually learnt something valuable. Random people can talk for a long span of time, even kids, teenagers spend hours on the phone talking, so are they all teachers? Students can understand a concept within a minute the teacher teaches or even it might take days, but the focus of many teachers nowadays has become that they just "kill their time" by getting through their lessons and that they can go home and enjoy a wonderful meal at night. Three main applications would be:
1) Yes everyone makes mistakes, we're all human, a teacher is no alien or angel so its obvious even they would at some point make some mistake somewhere. When I'm teaching I wont directly imply that students can pick out my errors but instead I'll create an environment where students feel comfortable to speak up. If a student somehow picks my mistake, I'll try hard to appreciate and be kind, which is sometimes hard to do if you're having a bad day.
2) I think that in a class both textbooks and handouts should be used. One reason could be that in my handouts I might not be able to put in a thousand websites for my students to go through like they have in some of the textbooks, and so by just giving them handouts I wouldn't want them to feel that I'm narrowing down their resources of study bu just studying the material I give them.
3) When Dr. Andy discussed the mistakes of the 3 US presidents, I just wanted to make a short point. I think that these mistakes somehow are connected to the students we teach as well in the sense, if for example, the US president makes a mistake and doesn't even own up, then that creates a negative image about him in the minds of the people around the globe, and that perception or viewpoint if its really very strong would affect the kids in those respective families also and somehow they would also be encouraged to walk with that viewpoint. So if that is negative, then with this example, it becomes very convenient to use the term "americans" instead of "american president" and it spreads around, then at the end we find out that before it was just american president but now its americans also? And with that perception in diverse classrooms, it could become difficult for a muslim/asian/any other culture to make friends with american people in the class because their parents back home don't really like americans. Therefore, being a teacher we need to try to change the perception step by step so that students become more co=operative and understanding towards each other.
Last class discussion was on “toss out text books” which was a very challenging topic for the teachers. It is true that sometimes text books does not cover whole subject or sometimes it may not reveal the facts. The teacher can explain more facts about the subject matter from their own learning and experiences. But text books are sources of information and teachers may not be expert. I think the discussion on this two will go on for some time. Another interesting topic was “errors are universals, everyone makes errors.” As a human being teachers also make mistakes and no one is fully perfect in every subjects. As a teacher we have to admit our errors. One can learn more by knowing his or her mistakes .Here is one quote which impressed me so much. “You will make mistakes in front of your student. Yes, you will. Hide these, and you teach your student to hide. Use these, and you teach your student to learn from mistakes.”
From the class discussion there are some applications which I can use in my teaching in future. They are:
o As a textbook can not give much information or truth, you have to go further than the text books. By giving them project works; asking them to collect real data by themselves can help them find more and explore reality about the subject matters;
o Learning is a life long process. Update yourself to the current events to know more information and also try to study and find more facts on each subject.
o Motivate your students to find mistakes and learn from mistakes. You can ask them to find your mistake. Our small mistake can make big effect for the students. Be conscious of the mistakes and try not to repeat the same mistakes. As teacher if we make more and more mistake it will be difficult for students to trust us.
Anjana
I wasn’t in the class last week. But when I read the text, Neil Postman explanations are very new for me. I had new ideas to think. He explained three ideas that are very interesting. If teachers teach the subject they hated or always trouble with, teachers will understand the situation of students who are not good at it, or don’t care about it, or both. So when teachers teach their subjects, they have new ideas to make their lessons more effectively. Throw out the text book and find facts from newspaper, journal or website. Like Zarni said some subjects text books are not related for the students. Or sometime we can find more outside the text. Errors are universal. Everybody makes mistakes even teachers. We learn from mistake to get better and mature in life.
My application
1. Throw out the text book. As a teacher, I will not only depend on text book. Find out more material from different sources.
2. Let teachers teach the subject they had trouble with. As an administrator and teacher, I will do to know students difficulties and to prepare better lessons for students.
3. Encourage students not to afraid to make mistake and we can learn from mistakes.
Thanks.
K. Hkawn San Mai
I liked this week's discussions and activities a lot, however I'd like to point out that I don't agree with all of Postman's ideas. Some of the ways that I can apply or reject them are as follows:
1) "Don't be frightened to apologize from the students when you make a mistake": I totally agree with this point. We are all human and make mistakes. Humility is a good personal trait that we'd like our students to have, so we should be a good example to them by cutting down the ego and showing them that teachers are human too. I will use this point with my students more often from now on.
2) "Throw away the books": I partially agree with this one as books are written by people who make mistakes (as I mentioned above). These mistakes need not be related to content (even though I have seen my fair share of typos and plain wrong information in the books), but also can be about using the wrong teaching methodologies. As a result, I wouldn't throw away the books, but rather reject the parts that I don't agree with and supplement the weak or confusing ones with my own material.
3) "Let the teachers teach subjects that they are not comfortable with": I completely and wholeheartedly disagree with this one from an educational administrator's point of view. I believe that trying to do that will not only confuse the students (which may lead to a "lost generation" of students who wouldn't have the slightest idea about the topic taught), but also generate anxiety and bitterness in the teacher who is forced to do so. In my opinion, unhappy teachers are uncooperative teachers and I wouldn't want to upset and alienate them by using this method. Furthermore, other repercussions of Postman's method may include problems with parents, damage to the society at large (due to the lack of skills on behalf of the students) and lost productivity/manhours due to uncooperative teachers.
Kind regards,
Dr. Murat Kiymaz
Reflection 9:
What Postman said really hit to the heart, especially mine. After our class discuss, I went back to read it and digest more on those three thoughts. Here are some questions that help me to ponder it more: (one) Am I always stick to my teacher textbook or notes from precious? Am I willing to make changes to make to my teaching more effectively? If so, I need to take a risk and try out new methods. Even so I know I will make mistake. Am I willing to challenge myself by trying out new ways or able to forgive myself and give room for growing? Postman ideas had kept me thinking and questioning myself and see where am I standing on a true educator. With these thoughts, I realized that if and only if I treasure and see teaching is a vocation more than a job then like Postman said: Don't limit myself or my students in learning, but to explore more and beyond the textbook or myself only. Great! Secondly, Learning is always a process not a product yet, so leave room for trying out new things. If my students or myself make a mistake, it is okay. Lastly, teachers who are willing to go extra miles and take on curiosity, the price is great and the reward is also exceptional.
applications:
1. I will challenge myself learning more things that I am not yet familiar.
2. This year I will have additional learning activities that challenge my students and myself to learn from variety of resources available at my school and internet.
3. Knowing that mistake are universal, I will let myself and my students know that it is okay to make mistake and try again.
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