Touchstone 10

I help students develop deep knowledge.

It seems that few students are able to completely absorb, comprehend, and apply knowledge from an hour long lecture, even though traditionally, many teachers have used this as their primary teaching method. We need to teach in a way that our students reach understanding that can be applied in their lives, not just be able to memorize and repeat facts. We can constantly ask probing questions that help students think more deeply, to use information we are helping them learn.

Joe Exline, (2004) an educational workshop leader and author, believes that inquiry based learning is the key to deep knowledge. He says, "An old adage states: 'Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.' The last part of this statement is the essence of inquiry-based learning. Inquiry implies involvement that leads to understanding." This is a method of teaching I often used in my high school science classes. Inquiry-based learning begins with a student question. The next steps are: doing research, forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, collecting and analyzing data, then forming conclusions. I guided students to find their own answers through this process. Joe Exline (2004) states "Furthermore, involvement in learning implies possessing skills and attitudes that permit you to seek resolutions to questions and issues while you construct new knowledge."

Babies and young children naturally desire to learn. They ask, "Why?" They touch, taste. watch, and use all of their senses to explore everything in their world. Teachers can build on this foundation to help even older students learn deeply. Goodwin and Hubbell (2013) have developed 6 ways to help teachers remember to do this. They are known as the 6 C's, which are curiosity, connection, coherence, concentration, coaching, and context. To put this into practice:

1st - We can build on this ingrained interest and motivation to help students learn (curiosity). For example, a student in Central America might be interested and motivated to learn English.

2nd - We can help students connect new learning with what they already know (connection).

This student probably already knows some English without even realizing it. Teachers can help draw out those words, phrases, and ideas associated with English.

3rd - We can help students arrange their new knowledge into meaningful patterns (coherence).

A native English speaker could help give context and meaning to the new knowledge.

4th - We need to give students time to really think and ponder (concentration). Instead of pushing through to the next step or lesson, students need time to process new information, before moving on. The English student must have time for her brain to form connections, as she thinks. Or, in an algebra class, students need time to struggle through problems on their own, before learning a new type of calculation.

5th - Students benefit from guided practice and feedback (coaching). Dialogue and pronunciation practice with a native English speaker would help immensely at this stage.

6th - Apply new knowledge in real-life situations (context). With her new English knowledge, the student will be able to communicate with a whole new group of people. New opportunities will be available for jobs, travel, or a career that would not have been possible before.

Flipping the classroom is another way to build deep learning for many students. Katie Gimbar (2011), a math teacher, has found that by creating her own teaching videos, her students have time to listen and absorb her lessons at their own pace and time before they come to class. Her classroom is now group work session, where she has time to meet the needs of individual students and the students have time for the "6 C's", which they did not have when she devoted the majority of her class time to content delivery.

One final thought, to reach deep knowledge, teachers must be able to manage their classrooms. In a chaotic room, very little learning will occur. A teacher who has a strong presence by being prepared, confident, standing up, and watching everything is more likely to prevent behavioral problems. When there are fewer problems, students are able to be more engaged and on-task.

References

Exline, J. (2004). Workshop: Inquiry based learning. [PDF online notes]. Retrieved from

https://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html

Gimbar, K. (2011). Why I flipped my classroom. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aGuLuipTwg

Goodwin, B. & Hubbell, E. (2013). The 12 touchstones of good teaching: A checklist for staying focused every

day. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision

& Curriculum Development. Chapter 10. [Bookshelf Online].