A fullyexperienced teacher.I was consistently rated as an outstanding teacher, but when then 9 o’clock bell rang which signaled us that it is time to start teaching, my colleagues use to joke around and say, “let’s go and facilitate”. Was this a joke, or correct observation? Should we act more like a teacher or more like a facilitator?Words such as “learning”, “lifelong learning”, and “learning for life” do not exactly spark ideas of excitement for many people. And as teachers we cannot make students learn, but only moderate their learning process: either encouraging them to learn or discouraging them away from learning.
Here I present 5 rules about learning:
Knowledge is nothing by itself
Most knowledge “learned” in schools and universities is forgotten soon after the exam . If we forget what we are learning why bother learning in the first place?
A classic perspective by some teachers is to see the students’ heads as empty vessels where the teachers will pour information into.Moreover, facts are useless for living unless you have developed the skills to use them, and also have developed the skills to obtain more facts as and when you need them.
The most IMPORTANT thing to learn in schools is learning how to learn
The sooner a student can learn without a teacher holding their hand the better. Once a student learns to learn for themselves, and develop a confidence in their own learning, they can enjoy the learning process. Those students that have relied on “hand-holding” and “spoon-feeding” throughout their education experience are less likely to develop the skills necessary to become independent-lifelong learners; quite simply, because they have never learned how to learn.
Leave the children alone, but give them guidance to help them find their own path
The correct perspectiveis to see the teacher, rather, as a learning counselor – who guides and directs students to learn for themselves.
Learning to learn takes place within 3 domains of learning
Students can develop learning confidence, and learning competence, in 3 different domains. Clearly, we must develop students learning abilities in all of these domains.t is therefore necessary for students to be reflective and identify their areas of improvement. Again, as students mature, the teachers again can work towards being a counselor, where they encourage the student to take responsibility for their own learning.
Adults are expert independent learners and we can learn from how they learn
Children may be extremely capable in learning, but expertise in being an independent learner must be learned. We may look at children and be amazed by what they can learn information like sponges. Thus, here the teacher, is the central focus. The teacher or parent must therefore show a young child what to do and how to do it.
By: Luzviminda Susi
