learn

What does it mean to learn? Learning is a series of immeasurable moments that lead to monumental change. Much like Piaget's theory of learning, it isn't easily measured but it IS noticeable, especially when we have to make adjustments for new knowledge. To learn means to add to an ever expanding web--Schema. We add first to what we know and the better we learn something, the stronger those pathways between bits of knowledge become. Eventually new bits of knowledge become old news and we work to add more. We should constantly be adding more to our web. When we cease to learn, we effectively cease to be human. As Descartes once said: "I think, therefore, I am."

Learning also does not happen in a vacuum. Humans are social creatures and we learn best in groups.There is a social aspect to the learning process that cannot be ignored. Each person brings to the table a whole variety of wishes, hopes, dreams, skills, weaknesses, cultures, affinities, tastes, prejudices, and personalities. To learn is to take into account this variety and allow it to add to your own understanding. A number of theorists played into my understanding of the socio-cognitive approach to education. Dewey, with his idea that school should reflect society. Vygotsky and his Zone of Proximal Development, which means that teachers must take into consideration what the student already knows to determine where further learning must take place. Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligences. Gardner's classroom is similar to Montessori's in the sense that both encouraged a rich classroom environment, Montessori in tactile ways that children could explore and learn, Gardner in a more metacognitive sense.

The Well Dressed Renaissance Man

This concept of a rich and varied classroom is one that I wholeheartedly accept, partially because of my broadened understanding of text and literacies. Classrooms should be just as complex and as interesting as the outside world and teachers should validate what students bring with them to class; their thoughts, outside literacies and their strengths and weaknesses. I'm intrigued the notion of a Renaissance Man, someone like Da Vinci or Michelangelo who were polymaths, experts in multiple fields. Why not incorporate lot of different fields into your classroom? Can you imagine how interesting that would be? If being human means constantly learning, surely the best human would be one that has been exposed to lots of different fields and different people, places and things.




We also discussed a moral component to learning, with such theorists as Kohlberg, C.S. Lewis, even Steven Covey to an extent. Especially coming from my historical background, moral education has been a part of the formal school system from the very foundation. People are very invested in teaching rising generation to be good people, however, how teachers are to go about doing this is up for debate. I think I will just try to be the best person that I can be and hope that my students can use me as an example in their own lives. I will not, in fact, I don't think I can not teach my inherent beliefs. This "hidden curriculum" that Lewis spoke about, it's one that filters everything that I interact with...whether I want it to or not, it colors my interaction with my students. If this is a good or bad thing is something that remains to be seen.

Learning Categories:
Behaviorism
Cognitivism
Constructivism
Connectivism

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