“Be a lamp, a lifeboat or a ladder.” Rumi
There are many ways for more mature learners (a much better descriptor than “elderly!”) to get or stay engaged with formal academic settings. This benefits everyone involved.
Take a Weekend Class: I first became aware of these weekend classes over thirty years ago when my Uncle Nat and Aunt Sylvia went around the country taking these classes, most likely under the auspices of Elderhostel (now Exploritas).
Here is a sampling of the weekend classes offered through Exploritas:
Institute for Continuing Learning, Young Harris College, Georgia
Simply Spanish
Learning in Retirement at Iona College, New Rochelle, New York
Computers for Intermediates
Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) University of Massachusetts, Lowell
A Day of Latin music from the Caribbean and South America
Sculpture Trail: 25 Years of the Lowell Public Art Collection
Lifetime Learning Institute, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA
Wildflower Walks in Spring
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Exploring Cinema
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Coastal Carolina University, South Carolina
German for Travelers - Writing Your Treasured Memories - Grant Writing 101-
Memoir Writing Workshop
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Planets - History of Pittsburgh - Morality and Medicine - Media and Politics
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University S. Florida, Tampa
Day trip to Annual Re-enactment of “Dade’s Battle”
Day trip to Hidden Treasure: Graphicstudio at USF
Sunday at the Opera: “Puccini’s Tosca”
Audit College Classes: At many public universities and community colleges, auditing is free for seniors when there are empty seats in the classroom. You may have to wait until the last minute to find out, but free is free. Give your local college a call and ask what their auditing policy is for seniors. Everybody wins. You learn for free, and the rest of the class learns from your life experiences, for free.
For example, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, if you are 60+ years of age and a Wisconsin resident, you can apply as a Senior Guest auditor and audit classes for free. If a course is a special fee course charging non-standard tuition, senior guest auditors must pay whatever fee is associated with that class.
Attend Community Colleges: New community college programs are gearing courses and venues to focus on senior and retired community members. Paired with this, many community colleges offer substantial education discounts.
For example, Terra Community College, in Fremont Ohio, offers free tuition to individuals 60 and older. The older students participate in courses under non-credit agreements and are only responsible for the costs of lab fees, books, and any other course supplies.
Get Involved with Lifelong Learning Institutes under Academic Umbrellas:
The Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR)
Limited to 500 to keep it a manageable and close community, HILR is a peer-learning membership organization that is self-governing. Members develop their own curricula (50 courses each semester), teach each other and learn from each other, all for the joy of it. This is learning for its own sake," says Dean Michael Shinagel, who founded HILR in 1977: No grades, no degree at the end.
In 1977, the HILR was one of a handful of lifelong learning institutes sponsored by colleges or universities, which provide classroom space, library privileges, and an academic umbrella for a self-governing membership organization. Today there are more than 500 such institutes, and that number is growing.
Berhard Osher Foundation
Since 2002, lifelong learning institutes on 73 campuses in 30 states have received multi-year $1 million-plus grants from the San Francisco-based Bernard Osher Foundation, which has as its goal 100 lifelong learning institutes, at least one for each state. The list under the Exploritas weekend classes indicates how successful this has been.
"The lifelong learners here and in the national Osher network are the embodiment of 'positive aging,' with the emphasis on strengths rather than deficits," says Kali Lightfoot, executive director of the Osher center at the University of Southern Maine. "They are intellectually curious, looking to the future rather than dwelling in the past, and convinced they can make a difference in their own and other peoples’ lives. When a 93-year-old tells me how excited she is to be learning about Afghanistan instead of telling me about the obvious difficulty she has walking upstairs, I feel that our lifelong learning network is doing something right. Or when a 50-year-old discovers in class that the 93-year-old has much insight and intellectual strength to share.”
Osher Institute for Learning in Retirement at Duke
"When you retire, you need a place to go to, or, as one of our members said, a place to go home from," says Sara Craven, director of the Osher Institute for Learning in Retirement at Duke (OLLI), which started in 1977 with 42 members and now serves 1200 people. Hands-on study is popular: There is a chorus, a band, a small chamber group, even a recorder group. Recent popular seminar topics: Churchill and FDR, both taught by a retired physician; East Asia taught by a former diplomat; and biotechnology presented by a former professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The PLATO Society of UCLA
When members join, they make a commitment of two to three hours a week. A different member each week gives a 20-minute presentation (ideally a written outline, with provocative discussion questions, is handed out two weeks in advance). A study group coordinator puts in 40 to 50 hours a semester.
The Renaissance Society
Part of the pleasure of peer learning is the richness of life experience. John Andrew, president of the Renaissance Society, founded 20 years ago at California State University at Sacramento, recalls a “Great Trials” seminar on the trial of Nelson Mandela when a member who had been born in the Netherlands and raised in South Africa shared her memories of life during the apartheid regime and the time of the Mandela trial.
Odyssey of the Mind
At York County Senior College in Maine, seven students aged 62 to 83 took an "Odyssey of the Mind" program using brain teasers and exercises for creative problem solving. In May 2005, this team won first prize in a 'Laugh-a-thon' at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Boulder, CO, becoming overnight celebrities among the thousands of student contestants. (Their skit was about a 'seasoned' citizen who robs a bank so she will be sent to a federal penitentiary and not have to worry about taking care of herself financially as she gets older.)
"At the end, the audience stood with gales of applause and lots of teary eyes," says Fern Brown, their coach, "and the kids embraced the seniors. A major premise of Odyssey of the Mind is that creativity can be taught. We learned that it can be taught-at any age."
This is just a small sample of the lifelong learning opportunities for mature learners that are affiliated with academic institutions.
Next week, we will continue our discussion of lifelong learning with an introduction to TED.
May your learning be sweet.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tip #306: Lifelong Learning for the Elderly at Exploritas
There is a wide range of learning opportunities that are specifically geared for people of retirement age and older. One well-established organization that provides continuing education for adult learners is Elderhostel, now called Exploritas.
I learned about Elderhostel a number of years ago, when I accompanied my mother on various learning trips. Together, we traveled to the Southwest to learn about ancient Native American cultures. On another occasion, we went further west to learn about the San Juan Islands off of Washington State.
My parents have gone on trips to the Galapagos Islands, to the Grand Canyon, and to Spain with Elderhostel.
Exploritas' marketing promises: “Educational Programs For Whatever You Love to Do.” Based on my experience and their website, they do their best to deliver on this promise.
The following information is drawn from their website:
“Discover nearly 8,000 educational tours in all 50 states and more than 90 countries with Exploritas, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.
From single-day Day of Discovery programs near you to overnight programs in cities and locations around the United States and the world, you’re sure to find an Exploritas adventure that captures your interest, dreams and desires.
Explore Your Mind and the World. There are no grades or tests on Exploritas programs. All that’s needed is an inquiring mind, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that learning and discovery are lifelong pursuits.”
Their list of programs provides an excellent summary of the types of lifelong learning opportunities that are available through a number of organizations. Again, quoting from the Exploritas website:
Adventures Afloat: These exciting, educational voyages traverse some of the world's most spectacular waterways, offering you a convenient and fun way to learn and explore.
Independent City Discoveries: Independent City Discoveries combine structured learning with independent discovery on your own. Each program includes hotel accommodation and some meals, lectures by local experts, expert-led field trips and detailed outlines for four self-guided excursions.
Individual Skills: Learn the secrets of Southwestern cooking, take up the watercolorist's brush, practice the ancient discipline of yoga, or engage in the hands-on study of traditional pottery making. Experienced craftspeople and experts guide these forays into the creative experience.
Intergenerational: Discover and explore together with your grandchild through interactive learning experiences and field trips. Both you and your grandchild will share the joy of learning with other grandparents and their grandchildren, bridging generations and opening doors to discovery and friendship.
Outdoor Adventures: From hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring central France by barge and bicycle to sharpening your golf or tennis skills, Outdoor Adventure programs exercise the body and the mind.
Road Scholar: Road Scholar features small groups and experiential learning at its best. These programs are very active and focus on hands-on learning presentations in the field, centrally located accommodations, and independent time to explore topics on your own.
Service Learning: From tutoring schoolchildren or helping restore a crucial forest habitat for wildlife, to assisting with artifact restoration and museum curatorial work, Service Learning programs are an opportunity to make a difference in the world.
Women Only Programs: Join other adventurous women on learning expeditions around the world. Gain insights and new wisdom as you discuss the female perspective in topics ranging from fine art to natural medicine.”
Truly, something for anyone who has the time and financial ability to take advantage of these offerings.
Please understand that I am not attempting to market Exploritas. I simply think that their range of offerings is a good example of the variety of lifelong learning possibilities available for mature adults.
Next week, we’ll continue our look at lifelong learning opportunities for the elderly with venues that are inexpensive and occasionally even free.
May your learning be sweet.
I learned about Elderhostel a number of years ago, when I accompanied my mother on various learning trips. Together, we traveled to the Southwest to learn about ancient Native American cultures. On another occasion, we went further west to learn about the San Juan Islands off of Washington State.
My parents have gone on trips to the Galapagos Islands, to the Grand Canyon, and to Spain with Elderhostel.
Exploritas' marketing promises: “Educational Programs For Whatever You Love to Do.” Based on my experience and their website, they do their best to deliver on this promise.
The following information is drawn from their website:
“Discover nearly 8,000 educational tours in all 50 states and more than 90 countries with Exploritas, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.
From single-day Day of Discovery programs near you to overnight programs in cities and locations around the United States and the world, you’re sure to find an Exploritas adventure that captures your interest, dreams and desires.
Explore Your Mind and the World. There are no grades or tests on Exploritas programs. All that’s needed is an inquiring mind, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that learning and discovery are lifelong pursuits.”
Their list of programs provides an excellent summary of the types of lifelong learning opportunities that are available through a number of organizations. Again, quoting from the Exploritas website:
Adventures Afloat: These exciting, educational voyages traverse some of the world's most spectacular waterways, offering you a convenient and fun way to learn and explore.
Independent City Discoveries: Independent City Discoveries combine structured learning with independent discovery on your own. Each program includes hotel accommodation and some meals, lectures by local experts, expert-led field trips and detailed outlines for four self-guided excursions.
Individual Skills: Learn the secrets of Southwestern cooking, take up the watercolorist's brush, practice the ancient discipline of yoga, or engage in the hands-on study of traditional pottery making. Experienced craftspeople and experts guide these forays into the creative experience.
Intergenerational: Discover and explore together with your grandchild through interactive learning experiences and field trips. Both you and your grandchild will share the joy of learning with other grandparents and their grandchildren, bridging generations and opening doors to discovery and friendship.
Outdoor Adventures: From hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring central France by barge and bicycle to sharpening your golf or tennis skills, Outdoor Adventure programs exercise the body and the mind.
Road Scholar: Road Scholar features small groups and experiential learning at its best. These programs are very active and focus on hands-on learning presentations in the field, centrally located accommodations, and independent time to explore topics on your own.
Service Learning: From tutoring schoolchildren or helping restore a crucial forest habitat for wildlife, to assisting with artifact restoration and museum curatorial work, Service Learning programs are an opportunity to make a difference in the world.
Women Only Programs: Join other adventurous women on learning expeditions around the world. Gain insights and new wisdom as you discuss the female perspective in topics ranging from fine art to natural medicine.”
Truly, something for anyone who has the time and financial ability to take advantage of these offerings.
Please understand that I am not attempting to market Exploritas. I simply think that their range of offerings is a good example of the variety of lifelong learning possibilities available for mature adults.
Next week, we’ll continue our look at lifelong learning opportunities for the elderly with venues that are inexpensive and occasionally even free.
May your learning be sweet.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tip #305: Lifelong Learning Through Social Networking
When I say social networking, I don't mean Twitter or Facebook. Instead, I mean the networking that has gone on ever since humans could communicate. Think of all the learning that happens just rubbing elbows with a friend, family member, colleague, neighbor, or chance acquaintance, where you share information and experiences.
For example:
I had never heard about a portable GPS until my friend mentioned it as a way to resolve my driving misadventures.
Standing behind someone at a bird store, I learned to buy peanut pieces and a special bird feeder so that I could attract nut hatches and different woodpeckers to my backyard.
I learned a shortcut to my son's school from a colleague who used to take his own child to that school.
Over the years, friends and colleagues have given me tips to run my business, find a webmaster, create a marketing brochure, obtain free workshop space, and hire a great accountant.
My son-in-law happened to mention how to buy and sell things on Craig's List, which is now a solid fixture in my purchasing life.
At the urging of a good friend, I went on a wonderful cruise to Alaska, learning many things about the history, flora, fauna and sea life along the way.
A kind clerk told my daughter and me where to buy her prom dress at another department store!
When I visited to give a workshop, my client and dear friend graciously took me to tour and learn about Amish country, Cape May, and Philadelphia.
I am cutting my long hair. My daughter has taught me by example to send my shorn hair to Locks of Love, so that children with cancer can have the gift of real hair wigs.
My tiny granddaughter showed me that Christmas trees get lonely and like to dance, bough to hand.
My daughter-in-law just gave me the recipe for the scrumptious seven layer bars she had given me as a holiday gift.
Good grief. I just spent over a week in a retirement community helping my mother, who has terribly debilitating sciatica. Every single day, a different resident offered another therapy for us to explore!
Any time you ask a question and get an answer, observe someone else, overhear a conversation, watch an interaction, ask for help or suggestions, that is social networking at its most essential and vibrant level.
Of course, this includes the more formal networking that occurs at professional events, where you share information about products and services with others.
We are social beings and every day we are constantly networking and learning from each other as we simply live our lives.
Next week, we'll discuss learning opportunities that are specifically geared to the elderly.
May your learning be sweet.
For example:
I had never heard about a portable GPS until my friend mentioned it as a way to resolve my driving misadventures.
Standing behind someone at a bird store, I learned to buy peanut pieces and a special bird feeder so that I could attract nut hatches and different woodpeckers to my backyard.
I learned a shortcut to my son's school from a colleague who used to take his own child to that school.
Over the years, friends and colleagues have given me tips to run my business, find a webmaster, create a marketing brochure, obtain free workshop space, and hire a great accountant.
My son-in-law happened to mention how to buy and sell things on Craig's List, which is now a solid fixture in my purchasing life.
At the urging of a good friend, I went on a wonderful cruise to Alaska, learning many things about the history, flora, fauna and sea life along the way.
A kind clerk told my daughter and me where to buy her prom dress at another department store!
When I visited to give a workshop, my client and dear friend graciously took me to tour and learn about Amish country, Cape May, and Philadelphia.
I am cutting my long hair. My daughter has taught me by example to send my shorn hair to Locks of Love, so that children with cancer can have the gift of real hair wigs.
My tiny granddaughter showed me that Christmas trees get lonely and like to dance, bough to hand.
My daughter-in-law just gave me the recipe for the scrumptious seven layer bars she had given me as a holiday gift.
Good grief. I just spent over a week in a retirement community helping my mother, who has terribly debilitating sciatica. Every single day, a different resident offered another therapy for us to explore!
Any time you ask a question and get an answer, observe someone else, overhear a conversation, watch an interaction, ask for help or suggestions, that is social networking at its most essential and vibrant level.
Of course, this includes the more formal networking that occurs at professional events, where you share information about products and services with others.
We are social beings and every day we are constantly networking and learning from each other as we simply live our lives.
Next week, we'll discuss learning opportunities that are specifically geared to the elderly.
May your learning be sweet.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tip #304: Lifelong Learning Opportunities
It doesn’t matter where you live. The range of lifelong learning opportunities available to the general community is simply amazing. We’ll begin this series of Tips by looking at informal learning offerings that are either free or inexpensive.
• Every professional and civic organization has a speaker at their monthly meetings.
• Local hospitals and health care organizations offer health-related workshops.
• Most brick and mortar businesses provide workshops to help consumers learn how to use their products.
• Food cooperatives and grocery stores, such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe, have workshops about food growth, delivery and preparation.
• Community centers offer a wide spectrum of learning opportunities that are as varied as the presenters: candle making, soap making, scrap booking, learning Italian, cooking heart-healthy recipes, etc.
• Local craft stores provide sessions that teach how to knit or quilt, how to make certain holiday crafts, etc.
• School districts offer all sorts of programs geared toward the entire family. Swimming lessons, sports clinics, team sports such as volleyball, softball and basketball; how to play different instruments; a variety of art lessons, different language lessons, computer, games, outings, theater, you name it, it’s available!
• Local organizations schedule outdoor learning opportunities such as bird watching, local flora and fauna, gardening, hiking, lake or beach clean up, etc.
• If you live in a northern climate as I do, community groups provide cross country skiing lessons at local golf courses in the wintertime.
• Libraries and museums provide programs that cover a wide range of topics and interests.
• Churches and other religious institutions have programs in Bible study, community relations, ethics, religious history, family studies, etc.
• Local groups and taverns offer lessons in a variety of dance styles.
• Local schools offer evening classes and theater events.
• I live in a university town (Madison, Wisconsin) and there is not one day or night that doesn’t offer free student or faculty music recitals, art shows, lecturers, etc.
• The internet, where you can learn about absolutely anything- although there is no guarantee that what you are learning is always accurate.
• Newspapers, books and magazines. Television and radio shows, and not just the educational channels.
• Bookstores bring in authors to speak about their books, and book clubs discuss books on a regular basis.
By now, you realize that my definition of learning is very broad. According to Wikipedia, “learning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information.” Therefore, any new experience can provide learning opportunities.
There are probably a number of obvious providers of new learning that I have overlooked. Feel free to add to this list.
The bottom line is that there is no limit to the possibilities, if you care to look.
Next week, we will discuss lifelong learning that occurs through social networking.
May your learning be sweet.
• Every professional and civic organization has a speaker at their monthly meetings.
• Local hospitals and health care organizations offer health-related workshops.
• Most brick and mortar businesses provide workshops to help consumers learn how to use their products.
• Food cooperatives and grocery stores, such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe, have workshops about food growth, delivery and preparation.
• Community centers offer a wide spectrum of learning opportunities that are as varied as the presenters: candle making, soap making, scrap booking, learning Italian, cooking heart-healthy recipes, etc.
• Local craft stores provide sessions that teach how to knit or quilt, how to make certain holiday crafts, etc.
• School districts offer all sorts of programs geared toward the entire family. Swimming lessons, sports clinics, team sports such as volleyball, softball and basketball; how to play different instruments; a variety of art lessons, different language lessons, computer, games, outings, theater, you name it, it’s available!
• Local organizations schedule outdoor learning opportunities such as bird watching, local flora and fauna, gardening, hiking, lake or beach clean up, etc.
• If you live in a northern climate as I do, community groups provide cross country skiing lessons at local golf courses in the wintertime.
• Libraries and museums provide programs that cover a wide range of topics and interests.
• Churches and other religious institutions have programs in Bible study, community relations, ethics, religious history, family studies, etc.
• Local groups and taverns offer lessons in a variety of dance styles.
• Local schools offer evening classes and theater events.
• I live in a university town (Madison, Wisconsin) and there is not one day or night that doesn’t offer free student or faculty music recitals, art shows, lecturers, etc.
• The internet, where you can learn about absolutely anything- although there is no guarantee that what you are learning is always accurate.
• Newspapers, books and magazines. Television and radio shows, and not just the educational channels.
• Bookstores bring in authors to speak about their books, and book clubs discuss books on a regular basis.
By now, you realize that my definition of learning is very broad. According to Wikipedia, “learning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information.” Therefore, any new experience can provide learning opportunities.
There are probably a number of obvious providers of new learning that I have overlooked. Feel free to add to this list.
The bottom line is that there is no limit to the possibilities, if you care to look.
Next week, we will discuss lifelong learning that occurs through social networking.
May your learning be sweet.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Laurel Learning Tip #303: Let Others Light Their Candles
In this holiday season and for the next year, may your life be filled with love, laughter and light.
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my *privilege* to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
George Bernard Shaw
"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it."
Winston Churchill
Have a wonderful holiday and new year. We will resume our Tips on January 4, 2010!
At that time, we will begin to look at the range of lifelong learning opportunities available to the general community.
May your learning be sweet.
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my *privilege* to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
George Bernard Shaw
"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it."
Winston Churchill
Have a wonderful holiday and new year. We will resume our Tips on January 4, 2010!
At that time, we will begin to look at the range of lifelong learning opportunities available to the general community.
May your learning be sweet.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tip #302: The Heart of a Teacher
We have spent the past two months looking at examples of the positive and negative impact that elementary and high school teachers can have on lifelong learning. We need good teachers in our schools, and many of our children are lucky to have them. The following poem by Paula J. Fox is a wonderful testament to those many teachers who nurture and guide the children in their care.
The Heart of a Teacher
by Paula Fox
The child arrives like a mystery box with puzzle pieces inside;
some of the pieces are broken or missing and others just seem to hide.
But the HEART of a teacher can sort them out and help the child to see
the potential for greatness he has within- a picture of what he can be.
Her goal isn't just to teach knowledge by filling the box with more parts;
it's putting the pieces together and creating a work of art.
The process is painfully slow at times; some need more help than others.
Each child is a work in progress with assorted shapes and colors.
First she creates a classroom where the child can feel safe in school,
where he never feels threatened or afraid to try, and kindness is always the rule.
She knows that a child can achieve much more when he feels secure inside,
when he's valued and loved, and believes in himself, and he has a sense of pride.
She models and teaches good character and respect for one another;
how to focus on strengths not weaknesses, and how to encourage each other.
She gives the child the freedom he needs to make choices on his own,
so he learns to become more responsible and is able to stand alone.
He's taught to be strong and think for himself as his soul and spirit heal;
and the puzzle that's taking shape inside has a much more positive feel.
The child discovers the joy that comes from learning something new.
And his vision grows as he begins to see all the things that he can do.
A picture is formed as more pieces fit -an image of the child within,
with greater strength and confidence, and a belief that he can win!
All because a hero was there in the HEART of a teacher who cared;
enabling the child to become much more than he ever imagined or dared.
A teacher with a HEART for her children knows what teaching is all about.
She may not have all the answers, but on this she has no doubt:
When asked which subjects she loved to teach, she answered this way and smiled,
"It's not the subjects that matter, it's all about teaching the CHILD."
It is my fondest wish that my tiny grandchildren, Helena and Isla, and all other children have the gift of a teacher like this!
Next week, we will begin to look at the range of lifelong learning opportunities available to the general community.
The Heart of a Teacher
by Paula Fox
The child arrives like a mystery box with puzzle pieces inside;
some of the pieces are broken or missing and others just seem to hide.
But the HEART of a teacher can sort them out and help the child to see
the potential for greatness he has within- a picture of what he can be.
Her goal isn't just to teach knowledge by filling the box with more parts;
it's putting the pieces together and creating a work of art.
The process is painfully slow at times; some need more help than others.
Each child is a work in progress with assorted shapes and colors.
First she creates a classroom where the child can feel safe in school,
where he never feels threatened or afraid to try, and kindness is always the rule.
She knows that a child can achieve much more when he feels secure inside,
when he's valued and loved, and believes in himself, and he has a sense of pride.
She models and teaches good character and respect for one another;
how to focus on strengths not weaknesses, and how to encourage each other.
She gives the child the freedom he needs to make choices on his own,
so he learns to become more responsible and is able to stand alone.
He's taught to be strong and think for himself as his soul and spirit heal;
and the puzzle that's taking shape inside has a much more positive feel.
The child discovers the joy that comes from learning something new.
And his vision grows as he begins to see all the things that he can do.
A picture is formed as more pieces fit -an image of the child within,
with greater strength and confidence, and a belief that he can win!
All because a hero was there in the HEART of a teacher who cared;
enabling the child to become much more than he ever imagined or dared.
A teacher with a HEART for her children knows what teaching is all about.
She may not have all the answers, but on this she has no doubt:
When asked which subjects she loved to teach, she answered this way and smiled,
"It's not the subjects that matter, it's all about teaching the CHILD."
It is my fondest wish that my tiny grandchildren, Helena and Isla, and all other children have the gift of a teacher like this!
Next week, we will begin to look at the range of lifelong learning opportunities available to the general community.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tip #301: Lifelong Learning: Snuffed Out by Incompetence
This week’s Tip looks at what happens when a poor rural school has difficulty finding competent teachers. Individuals who are subject matter experts but lack teaching skills create a recipe for disaster in the classroom. The high school honors Chemistry teacher in this example clearly knows her subject matter. She simply does not know how to teach.
A Subject Savvy Teacher With No Teaching Skills
Does the teacher know how to write an effective lesson plan? No
A review of Ms. V’s lesson plan indicated that she wrote the lesson primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher would do. The lesson for Senior Honors Chemistry was exactly the same as the lesson for all of the other chemistry classes that Ms. V taught.
Does the lesson result in specific, observable and measurable learning? No
Ms. V had a lesson about matter and change, but was unable to execute it. The auditor observed the entire lesson, in which Ms. V did all of the work for the students and answered all but three obvious questions easily answered by reference to a wall chart.
There were two questions on the screen as the students entered the room: “Why do alpha particles have 2+ charges?” and “Why do gamma rays do not have mass or charge?”
She gave them time to answer the questions, with very few students focused on the assignment. She proceeded to tell them the answers to both questions, even though she said, “We have covered this before.” Ms. V then told them to finish their papers (which they could do by writing down what she had just told them!) Clearly, they understood that they would not be held accountable for learning this information because she would tell them the answers. Ms. V moved around the room checking their answers.
She then showed an 8- minute video covering the discovery of radioactivity. However, she gave the students no directions regarding what to listen for or to note down during the video. Ms. V also did little with the information in the video once it was completed. She only asked: “Who discovered radioactivity?” and answered the question herself!
Ms. V proceeded to lecture on how elements transform themselves. The three questions she asked of the students were easily answered by their reference to the Atomic Elements chart posted on the wall. She instructed the students to “Listen. Later you can write down.”
The key focus of her lecture related to how an atom becomes part of another element.
At no time did she give the students guided/monitored practice or independent practice. The level of learning was so low that it was absolutely inappropriate for a seniors honors class. No appreciable learning occurred during this entire lesson.
Does the teacher create and maintain an effective learning environment? No
Ms. V had no control over the class and the students treated her with disrespect, disregarding anything she said. Since she did not expect them to know or do much of anything, they fulfilled her expectations.
The students were entirely in control of the classroom. A few minutes after the students came into the room, one student complained that she couldn’t see the screen with the two questions and needed Ms. V to turn off the lights. The class remained in the dark for the next ten minutes!!!
When Ms. V spoke, almost no one listened. During the video (while the classroom remained in the dark), few students watched the video while most of the students talked or worked on other things.
A few students paid attention to her lecture sufficiently to be able to answer the simple questions she asked. At the end of the class, a few students listened, a few took notes, and some students actually slept when Ms. V told them what would be covered in the next class.
Ms. V had no classroom management skills. She avoided any confrontation with the students about their behavior, never redirecting or refocusing their attention or reminding them of acceptable behavior in the classroom. She never actively engaged the students in the lesson, made it relevant or interesting to them, or recognized that some students do not learn aurally through lecture. This environment guaranteed that no learning would occur.
Specific Recommendations
Content Recommendations:
1. Create a lesson plan that achieves a level of learning appropriate for a senior honors class.
2. Focus all content on the main objective. In this case, the video about the discovery of radioactivity had no bearing on the objective, which was to explain how an atom becomes part of another element.
3. If a video is used, make sure it is age appropriate. This specific video was very elementary in concept and delivery.
4. Provide three different examples to model the process.
Student Activity Recommendations:
1. Hold the students accountable for answering the questions and doing their work. Do not spoon-feed them the answers.
2. If a video is used, give the students an assignment. For example, ask them to listen for certain key points or answer specific questions. Then make sure the students report out their observations or findings.
3. Give the students a worksheet on which to practice what they are learning.
4. Have the students come up to the board to work out the problem and explain their process.
5. Use learning activities that check for student comprehension, rather than constant lecture that only achieves knowledge.
6. Once it is clear that the concepts are understood, then have the students work independently on several examples on their worksheets.
7. Check individual student’s worksheets to ensure that they are working on the problems and understand how to do them.
8. Use a variety of learning activities to meet the needs of different learning styles.
Learning Facilitation Recommendations:
1. Teach and adhere to signals to modify behavior.
2. Create and adhere to rules of engagement.
3. Stop the lesson and constructively address behavioral issues where necessary.
4. Ensure that all students are quiet and paying attention during the lesson.
5. Separate students who goad each other into disruptive behavior.
Ms. V should seriously consider whether she wants to continue teaching at this school at this level. It does not appear to be a good fit at all. Consider the detrimental impact her incompetence is having on the students' potential interest in lifelong learning.
Next week, we will conclude our discussion of the positive and negative impact that elementary and high school teachers can have on lifelong learning.
A Subject Savvy Teacher With No Teaching Skills
Does the teacher know how to write an effective lesson plan? No
A review of Ms. V’s lesson plan indicated that she wrote the lesson primarily from the standpoint of what the teacher would do. The lesson for Senior Honors Chemistry was exactly the same as the lesson for all of the other chemistry classes that Ms. V taught.
Does the lesson result in specific, observable and measurable learning? No
Ms. V had a lesson about matter and change, but was unable to execute it. The auditor observed the entire lesson, in which Ms. V did all of the work for the students and answered all but three obvious questions easily answered by reference to a wall chart.
There were two questions on the screen as the students entered the room: “Why do alpha particles have 2+ charges?” and “Why do gamma rays do not have mass or charge?”
She gave them time to answer the questions, with very few students focused on the assignment. She proceeded to tell them the answers to both questions, even though she said, “We have covered this before.” Ms. V then told them to finish their papers (which they could do by writing down what she had just told them!) Clearly, they understood that they would not be held accountable for learning this information because she would tell them the answers. Ms. V moved around the room checking their answers.
She then showed an 8- minute video covering the discovery of radioactivity. However, she gave the students no directions regarding what to listen for or to note down during the video. Ms. V also did little with the information in the video once it was completed. She only asked: “Who discovered radioactivity?” and answered the question herself!
Ms. V proceeded to lecture on how elements transform themselves. The three questions she asked of the students were easily answered by their reference to the Atomic Elements chart posted on the wall. She instructed the students to “Listen. Later you can write down.”
The key focus of her lecture related to how an atom becomes part of another element.
At no time did she give the students guided/monitored practice or independent practice. The level of learning was so low that it was absolutely inappropriate for a seniors honors class. No appreciable learning occurred during this entire lesson.
Does the teacher create and maintain an effective learning environment? No
Ms. V had no control over the class and the students treated her with disrespect, disregarding anything she said. Since she did not expect them to know or do much of anything, they fulfilled her expectations.
The students were entirely in control of the classroom. A few minutes after the students came into the room, one student complained that she couldn’t see the screen with the two questions and needed Ms. V to turn off the lights. The class remained in the dark for the next ten minutes!!!
When Ms. V spoke, almost no one listened. During the video (while the classroom remained in the dark), few students watched the video while most of the students talked or worked on other things.
A few students paid attention to her lecture sufficiently to be able to answer the simple questions she asked. At the end of the class, a few students listened, a few took notes, and some students actually slept when Ms. V told them what would be covered in the next class.
Ms. V had no classroom management skills. She avoided any confrontation with the students about their behavior, never redirecting or refocusing their attention or reminding them of acceptable behavior in the classroom. She never actively engaged the students in the lesson, made it relevant or interesting to them, or recognized that some students do not learn aurally through lecture. This environment guaranteed that no learning would occur.
Specific Recommendations
Content Recommendations:
1. Create a lesson plan that achieves a level of learning appropriate for a senior honors class.
2. Focus all content on the main objective. In this case, the video about the discovery of radioactivity had no bearing on the objective, which was to explain how an atom becomes part of another element.
3. If a video is used, make sure it is age appropriate. This specific video was very elementary in concept and delivery.
4. Provide three different examples to model the process.
Student Activity Recommendations:
1. Hold the students accountable for answering the questions and doing their work. Do not spoon-feed them the answers.
2. If a video is used, give the students an assignment. For example, ask them to listen for certain key points or answer specific questions. Then make sure the students report out their observations or findings.
3. Give the students a worksheet on which to practice what they are learning.
4. Have the students come up to the board to work out the problem and explain their process.
5. Use learning activities that check for student comprehension, rather than constant lecture that only achieves knowledge.
6. Once it is clear that the concepts are understood, then have the students work independently on several examples on their worksheets.
7. Check individual student’s worksheets to ensure that they are working on the problems and understand how to do them.
8. Use a variety of learning activities to meet the needs of different learning styles.
Learning Facilitation Recommendations:
1. Teach and adhere to signals to modify behavior.
2. Create and adhere to rules of engagement.
3. Stop the lesson and constructively address behavioral issues where necessary.
4. Ensure that all students are quiet and paying attention during the lesson.
5. Separate students who goad each other into disruptive behavior.
Ms. V should seriously consider whether she wants to continue teaching at this school at this level. It does not appear to be a good fit at all. Consider the detrimental impact her incompetence is having on the students' potential interest in lifelong learning.
Next week, we will conclude our discussion of the positive and negative impact that elementary and high school teachers can have on lifelong learning.
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