Re: [xmca] passive or active classroom

We do not use the same procedures, tvmathguy, but we also seek to foster
varieties of partcipation structures and a strong culture in the classroom
with a good deal of "meta-talk" about what is coming at the student and
society (this
is social science stuff). We push a lot of written documentation which is
shared
and commented on in a way where students choose what they want to comment
on, what they want to write. And then, reflection, individual and
collective.

Seems to have similar effects
mike

On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 10:15 PM, <TVMathDude@aol.com> wrote:

> Not sure that I can add substantially to the discussion, but I have been
> dealing with the nature of my classroom on a day to day basis.
> - I spend the first three hours of class setting up the reality that
> will
> exist for the remainder of the course [College Algebra or Statistics}.
> - I do so in a manner that involves as many students as possible in the
> culture that will be created.
> - Because I teach each student, rather than the class, it is audibly
> active for some, visually active for some, and internally active for most.
> - I encourage my extroverts to engage in a dialog with each other and my
> introverts to watch, listen and ponder.
> - Often the dialog is not about mathematics, but rather the group
> develops a culture for their group within the broader culture of the
> classroom. As
> more is shared , the culture strengthens.
> - Friendships are established that last beyond the college years. [This
> is a result of using MBTI to group like types.
> - I perceive the presentation/lecture portion of the course as passive,
> and as a consequence limit the length to 5 minutes or less. I us a form of
> ZPD
> in that I explain a process from start to finish as the initial contact
> with
> a concept. Subsequently, I have the students complete a small portion of
> the
> process, then most of the process, then all.
> - I have also changed the manner in which they prepare for an
> assessment.
> I provide each group [3 or 4 students seated at a table] with a set of
> questions or problems. I then say "Don't leave class until you can answer
> the
> question successfully and know why you were able to achieve success." The
> initial
> learning takes place within my classroom. Work outside strengthens the
> learning.
> - While some might have been passive during the presentation stage, I
> have observed every student engaged in this review process. The noise
> level in
> the room is amazing.
>
> For me, learning takes place within the context of the dialog between
> individuals. That it is the act of listening in order to respond
> intelligently,
> that requires the student to organize their ideas in a fashion meaningful
> to
> them, and then to attempt to communicate those ideas in a manner meaningful
> to
> the other person(s). By grouping students of similar MBTI, I believe that
> attunement among the people in the group has a high probability and
> contributes
> to the success of the dialog.
> I believe quite strongly that it is essential to create a positive,
> supportive, respectful social environment. The vast majority of the
> students are
> taking the courses because they are required by the GER, not because they
> like or
> are successful in mathematics. Some are scared to death.
>
> But I always keep in focus a concept I developed while teaching mathematics
> live on television - I am having a dialog with one individual. In the
> classroom [28 to 35 students] I watch each student to see the degree to
> which they
> are engaged or lost.
>
> Am I making sense? It sounds right for me, but maybe not for everyone.
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Received on Thu Oct 30 16:34:12 2008