A New Way of Learning

It is clear to many educators that the way we are teaching is not as efficient as it was back in the industrial era. However, it really wasn't as effective as it could have been even back then. It is just a fact that students do not learn well from sit-and-get lectures and static memory-based recollections. This type of instruction is boring and not engaging. It is past time that we take a meaningful look at the best practices for learners. Maybe if enough educators band together, we can get through to policymakers that standardized testing and one-size-fits-all standards need to be thrown in the garbage. Not only do they not work in creating the best scenario for optimal learning but they are also a huge waste of money. Let's work to put that money to use in an area that will actually benefit learning and create a more meaningful experience for our students. 

In his post, Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools, Roger Schank points out that there are twelve cognitive processes that learners go through to truly learn. These process categories include conscious processes, analytical processes, and social processes. In each of these categories, there are 4 processes that learners utilize to make connections and learn information in a deeper manner than static recollection of content. Roger Schank states that these processes have been used since the beginning of the human race although we did not know much about these cognitive processes when schools were formed (Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools | Roger Schank, 2020). However, now that we do know that learners learn through cognitive processes, it is time to revamp our education system. Why keep utilizing a system that does not work when we now know what does work? 

As educators we can all see that children who have adventurous and worldly experiences have more knowledge of the world. Likewise, if a child has parents who frequently conversate with them they will have a more expansive vocabulary. This is cognitive learning. In infancy through toddlerhood children are learning vasts amounts of knowledge but they arent in school (Education Futures LLC, 2011). They learn through the cognitive process. I would have to say that they learn more information in this short period of time than in the school setting. 

School is currently based on the teaching of subjects but ask yourself, what careers are dependent on the sole subject of english? English teachers, maybe? That is one career so why is it that we are requiring every student in America to sit through years of courses based solely on learning the ins and outs of English? This is true for all of the core subjects that are taught in schools.  We need to teach them what they need to know in the earlier years and then let them learn through experiments and diagnostics for the rest of their learning journey. Robert Schank points out an eye opening theory, is it more important to have a doctor who can name every organ in the human body in thirty seconds or one who can accurately diagnose your symptoms (Education Futures LLC, 2011)? I will add on to that, is it more important to have a teacher who can accurately recall all fifty states in sixty seconds or one who can determine what a student needs, where they are getting off track, and what is causing this learning gap? This is also considered diagnostics. That being said, we can now see that it is of more value to teach and mentor learners on how to diagnose rather than sit and learn the specifics of content so that they can recite it back without having a true connection or meaning to the material. 

Now that we have determined the most bang for our buck would be students learning through cognitive processes we need to ask ourselves how we can do that. It cannot be done through whole group teaching as it requires a one-on-one approach (Education Futures LLC, 2011). Focusing on the diagnostic problem needs to be front and center in this process with fact and theories trailing behind. This is backwards from the way traditional schooling is done, however, it makes all the difference as it is how the real-world is ran. Educators need to be able to mentor and dive deep with each individual student in order to get them to start thinking this way. Although this can be difficult to do in a class of twenty to thirty students, we now have technology that equips us with the ability to do this one-on-one teaching. Everything that we can do in person can essentially now be implemented through the use of technology. We need to take advantage of our available innovations. Another solution to this predicament is microschools. Microschools would incorporate the technology and one-on-one guidance from a certified teacher. Check out my article, Microschools for the 21st Century Learner, to learn more about microschools and how beneficial they are to the student and educator. 

References

Education Futures LLC. (2011, September 15). Roger Schank on Invisible Learning. Educationfutures.com. https://educationfutures.com/blog/post/roger-schank-invisible-learning

Schank, R. (2020). Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools | Roger Schank. Roger Schank. https://www.rogerschank.com/teaching-minds-how-cognitive-science-can-save-our-schools

Microschools for the 21st Century Learner

In an era where we are still utilizing an outdated system for educating our youth, could small-scale schools be the panacea that could refine learning as we know it? These teeny-tiny schools are often called “microschools” or “learning pods”. Facilitators of these microschools are frequently certified teachers with a passion for helping our learners grow but are tired of the obstacles and pitfalls occurring in the traditional school model. Imagine a school that is free from the constraints of overcrowded classrooms, micromanaging administrators, fluff work, and standardized testing. This can all be yours in a microschool, where you are your own administrator and can make the decisions that you know will benefit your students. 

Microschools usually enroll anywhere from 10 to 15 students but have the potential to enroll many more. However, the goal of these learning facilities is to focus on smaller groups so that the teacher can give more one-on-one attention. The teacher can also set their own terms such as curriculum, schedules, teaching strategies, etc. Facilitators have the flexibility to open up shop in just about any location they see fit. Many microschools are housed in rented-out spaces, houses of worship, and even personal homes. 

Learning can take on new heights when given the opportunity to really focus on what your students need in order to fill the gaps that traditional schools are not able to fill due to time constraints and pressure to stay on a strict timeline due to testing. Many microschools operate on a part-time basis with virtual lessons in between using Zoom, Google Meets, and other hybrid learning platforms. This is one of the many reasons that teachers and parents alike are drawn to microschooling. The flexibility allows teachers to have time to plan authentic lessons that are focused on the science of learning instead of rushing together a quick lesson involving the use of a ton of worksheets or the famous thousand-dollar pencil known as the laptop. Likewise, families are less stressed with the hustle and bustle of traditional models. 

Authentic Learning and Flexibility 

With a much smaller group of learners, teachers are able to conduct a much more meaningful and authentic Project Based Learning environment than in the traditional classroom. They have the ability to take trips to retirement centers, wildlife sanctuaries, banks, community centers and so much more. Students have the freedom and flexibility to take part and make a difference in their community so much more than being confined inside a school building. Just think of the endless possibilities and meaningful experiences teachers could give their students. For example, I am a fourth-grade math and science teacher. We are covering measurement and I can only imagine all of the possibilities microschooling would give my students if I could bake cakes or cookies with them. We would be able to truly make measurements and conversions stick in ways that are just not possible in the classroom. Robert Schank makes a compelling argument in his article, Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools. He states that, “Academic subjects are irrelevant to real learning. They are not irrelevant to the education of academics of course. But, how many people really want to need to become experts in the academic fields?” (Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools | Roger Schank, 2020). This is precisely the argument that I have made in my years of teaching. We are not equipping our students with the knowledge that they will need for success in the real-world. We need to be teaching and mentoring them on the cognitive processes. If you look closely these processes are almost backwards in comparison to how we teach in traditional schooling. However, that is what the students need. They need to be able to “diagnose” problems first and then think or learn about the facts and theories later (Education Futures LLC, 2011). However, this type of learning can only be done through a one-on-one type of setting. Microschools would be the perfect fit for this. 

Helping Future Generations

As a public school teacher, when I first received a child that was “homeschooled” they were below grade level when they enrolled back into public school. I found this to be surprising because I always assumed children who were homeschooled would be able to learn so much more in little time due to the one-on-one instruction. I assumed wrong. Looking more into the topic of homeschooling and the state requirements in Texas I learned that there is none. Many parents who decide to homeschool do not have a teaching background and while it may sound like an easy job, they quickly learn that they are in over their heads. Teaching is hard and even more so when the student is your child. Children test the boundaries more when they are dealing with their parents, so while you want the best education for your child, it becomes hard to manage. 

Microschooling allows for these parents to still give their child that “homeschool” type instruction but allows someone who is usually well-versed and sometimes even certified in teaching to take over the instruction. Microschooling also benefits children even more by giving them exposure to social situations that they would otherwise not get in traditional homeschooling. While they may only have 3 or 4 students in their group, they would be able to make close friendships without the extra stress of “mean girl” or “bully” type behaviors. These behaviors are the reason many parents choose to take their children out of public school in the first place. While homeschooling can be great, humans are social beings and children need exposure to other children to learn how to properly interact and be good adult citizens. Without this exposure, kids can be awkward when put into social situations in the future. They also risk becoming lonely and depressed. 

Could Microschools Be the Answer?

Again, I pose the question, could microschools be the remedy that will transform learning as we know it? Well, according to the millions of learners, parents, and teachers who are already taking part in microschooling that answer is yes. According to Thomas Arnett, “The real transformative impact of a disruptive innovation comes not just from technology, but from the new organizational models that technologies enable” as he posted in his blog on The Christensen Institute. We are always looking for the newest technologies to improve the education and instruction we give our students, however, we need to look at the learning first and how technology has enabled us to transform that learning and instruction. Technology has allowed educators to give our students more flexibility, authentic learning, meaningful connections, and much more. Now we just need the ability to utilize the technology to the fullest extent possible and that will never be possible in traditional schools. 

References

 Arnett, T. (2023, January 10). Is 2023 the year of the microschool? Christensen Institute; Clayton Christensen Institute. https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/is-2023-the-year-of-the-microschool/

Education Futures LLC. (2011, September 15). Roger Schank on Invisible Learning. Educationfutures.com. https://educationfutures.com/blog/post/roger-schank-invisible-learning

Schank, R. (2020). Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools | Roger Schank. Roger Schank. https://www.rogerschank.com/teaching-minds-how-cognitive-science-can-save-our-schools

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Reflection of the Peer Assessment Process

In my course EDLD 5317, we were tasked with peer assessing out peers in our groups. I have worked with this group since the beginning of my course so we have built relationships that show we want the best for each other.

This process of peer assessment really helped open my eyes to specifications that I would not have otherwise thought about. Often times I can be blinded by so much information that is going on in my brain that I overlook the particulars that others will be looking for and at. With peers assessing my information I was able to go back and fix up any of that information.

I was nervous going in because it is never easy to hear that what you have been working so hard on is not good enough or could use revisions. However, this type of peer assessment was not like that at all. I really enjoyed learning of the improvements that I could make to better my article. Being that we have all grown so close in this process has really built trust and acknowledgment that we want each other to succeed and be the best we can be. My group has the best intentions when giving me feedforward so that takes away any of the fears that I had going in.

Going forward I will be using this peer assessment process with my peers to gain the feedforward that I may overlook. I will also be using this process with my students in my classroom. I think that giving the option for students to pick who they want to share their work with will help to take away any of the fears that they have in this process in the same way it did me.