Week 2

Shelley Wright stated when she teaches in a more traditional setting, her students “wait to be rescued.”  As teachers we like to think we are preparing our students for life, but many times do not let them experience it.  While teachers like to feel in control of the learning environment, sometimes we have to let go and allow students to experience it for themselves.  Wright’s introduction of the Inquiry method is a great example on how teachers can still teach, but allow their students to understand the meaning behind learning a topic.

I loved how the teacher stated she wanted to be a co-learner rather than a lecturer.  When teachers act as co-learners, they can still point out what students need to know and guide them if they are stuck, but can also sit back and let the group create their own experience.  The unit on the Holocaust provided the students the opportunity to find what they were most interested in but still meet the objectives the teacher had set forth.  This idea is very similar to some of the thinking in the video from least week.  Teachers set guidelines on what needs to be accomplished in the project but students can complete it how they would like.  Wright has told her students the topic and the end product but how a student gets there is their choice.

In the “Going Deep” section, Wright talked about how after the research phase both she and the students became stuck.  I liked how she did not have an immediate answer on how to solve their problems but instead listened and together came up with solutions.  The idea of the Socratic circle has been presented to the cohort before and seeing it in action was very helpful.  In the circle students expressed both frustration and accomplishments.  It allowed the students to come together in a meaningful way to discuss the topic and find solutions.

As an exhibit designer, I found this project very interesting.  A suggestion I would make to the instructor would be to not only focus on the historical research but also how exhibits are put together.  She was right in the fact that there needs to be a purpose, it can not just be a collection of random pieces of information.  This is true to real life as well.  Students need to learn how to organize information so teachers, friends, and parents understand what they are talking about.  This is true both in and out of the classroom.  The students ideas were great and I would have loved to see an image of the final product.