My world is surrounded by beautifully amazing young ladies. I have three nieces, two Goddaughters, and two mentor groups for girls. The ages of the different sets have full range from 4 to adulthood. They are all completely different of course, but a few things remain consistent. One of those commonalities is their desire to be spoon-fed answers. They all look for the easy answer to every type of question...from where is the toothpaste to how do I solve this quadratic function? What I've learned is: Just answering the question is quick and convenient for me, but it also keeps them coming back...which is not so convenient. Giving them time to struggle and figure things out on their own requires more patience on both ends, but it's also the option that causes them to be independent thinkers. I believe that the same concept can be applied in the classroom. Struggling in the learning process can be just as effective. This concept is not something that you can just leap into overnight. It takes time, because I think it's natural for us to want to jump in and help, especially if we see a genuine desire to learn. The children have to be trained, and we do too. They have to learn to see themselves as investigators, and we have to see ourselves as facilitators. Learning to figure things out on their own will help them retain knowledge, and topics will have more meaning to them. It's a struggle, but I believe it's a healthy struggle...
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AuthorJuantonia Hill is the Math Instructional Coach for Southfield Public Schools. This blog represents the latest headline story inside of the monthly edition of Teacher Talk. Archives
March 2015
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