Difference between revisions of "Education/Student-directed learning"
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The model of education in 20th century school systems involves one teacher, who has the knowledge all in his or her head, imparting knowledge to thirty or so students, who are more or less passive receptacles of the teacher's knowledge. | The model of education in 20th century school systems involves one teacher, who has the knowledge all in his or her head, imparting knowledge to thirty or so students, who are more or less passive receptacles of the teacher's knowledge. | ||
| − | One obvious disadvantage of the teacher-and-class situation is that there are thirty catchers and only one pitcher. Just as no one could be expected to play thirty different musical instruments at the same time, no one can tailor their communication to thirty different listeners at the same time. So in the classroom thirty heterogenous nervous systems are exposed to one homogenous stimulus, all at the same rate. Of course, the chance that all the students will understand the material at exactly the same rate and in exactly the same way is zero. Inevitably, some fall behind and get frustrated, others race ahead and get bored, and it doesn't matter how good the teacher's intentions are; nothing can be done within the classroom model to accommodate these students. Flexibility and customization, each student learning at a pace that is correct for him or her - these things simply are not possible in the classroom model. But they are possible in | + | One obvious disadvantage of the teacher-and-class situation is that there are thirty catchers and only one pitcher. Just as no one could be expected to play thirty different musical instruments at the same time, no one can tailor their communication to thirty different listeners at the same time. So in the classroom thirty heterogenous nervous systems are exposed to one homogenous stimulus, all at the same rate. Of course, the chance that all the students will understand the material at exactly the same rate and in exactly the same way is zero. Inevitably, some fall behind and get frustrated, others race ahead and get bored, and it doesn't matter how good the teacher's intentions are; nothing can be done within the classroom model to accommodate these students. Flexibility and customization, each student learning at a pace that is correct for him or her - these things simply are not possible in the classroom model. But they are possible in a situation where each student explores educational materials for her- or himself. |
This is the essence of the {{wp|Montessori_Method|Montessori Method}}: children are put in contact with good educational materials and their natural curiosity is allowed to do the work. The child's learning is directed by their own inner passion and inquisitiveness, it proceeds at the child's own rate, according to the child's own interests. Boredom is impossible. Montessori-educated children consistently have higher cognitive and social abilities than conventionally-educated children[http://www.montessori-science.org/montessori_science_journal.htm/]. | This is the essence of the {{wp|Montessori_Method|Montessori Method}}: children are put in contact with good educational materials and their natural curiosity is allowed to do the work. The child's learning is directed by their own inner passion and inquisitiveness, it proceeds at the child's own rate, according to the child's own interests. Boredom is impossible. Montessori-educated children consistently have higher cognitive and social abilities than conventionally-educated children[http://www.montessori-science.org/montessori_science_journal.htm/]. | ||
| − | With the sort of ever-improving, optimized, open-source teaching materials described above, such a method would be more effective | + | With the sort of ever-improving, optimized, open-source teaching materials described above, such a method would be much, much more effective. It could be applied to students of all ages. |
Revision as of 07:17, 23 April 2010
The model of education in 20th century school systems involves one teacher, who has the knowledge all in his or her head, imparting knowledge to thirty or so students, who are more or less passive receptacles of the teacher's knowledge.
One obvious disadvantage of the teacher-and-class situation is that there are thirty catchers and only one pitcher. Just as no one could be expected to play thirty different musical instruments at the same time, no one can tailor their communication to thirty different listeners at the same time. So in the classroom thirty heterogenous nervous systems are exposed to one homogenous stimulus, all at the same rate. Of course, the chance that all the students will understand the material at exactly the same rate and in exactly the same way is zero. Inevitably, some fall behind and get frustrated, others race ahead and get bored, and it doesn't matter how good the teacher's intentions are; nothing can be done within the classroom model to accommodate these students. Flexibility and customization, each student learning at a pace that is correct for him or her - these things simply are not possible in the classroom model. But they are possible in a situation where each student explores educational materials for her- or himself.
This is the essence of the Montessori Method 
: children are put in contact with good educational materials and their natural curiosity is allowed to do the work. The child's learning is directed by their own inner passion and inquisitiveness, it proceeds at the child's own rate, according to the child's own interests. Boredom is impossible. Montessori-educated children consistently have higher cognitive and social abilities than conventionally-educated children[1].
With the sort of ever-improving, optimized, open-source teaching materials described above, such a method would be much, much more effective. It could be applied to students of all ages.
