While volunteering at a youth event in my city today, I was asked a million questions beginning with why. This got me thinking about how when we are little we are so curious about everything but as we get older, the question waterfall comes to a slow trickle. This can't be good. I know no one has infinite knowledge, so do we simply stop looking for answers. In class we have spoken about teachers needing to ask themselves why they are doing certain lessons or activities, and I have noticed that when I know why I'm learning something or doing something, it is a lot clearer.
Now in a high school classroom, if you asked a student why they are doing something involving their learning, they would say they are doing it because they have to. I know that's the response I would have given. Now I'm thinking of different ways to incorporate the why into learning. Maybe if students see the use of what they are learning they could actually own their learning, not just have it be something the teacher is having them do. Perhaps a way to approach this is to have a 5 minute recap at the end of class complete with ties to the why, and ultimately to the objectives and essential questions of the course.
Hey Nate- doing a five-minute recap at the end of the lesson is an excellent way to get students more engrossed in their learning, although you definitely would need to remain open to negative feedback as well....if you ask students for an honest opinion of everything you teach in class, you have to assume that some of their reflection is going to be negative, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because it will ultimately help you whittle out the things that don't work, and retain the things that do. As a 6th and 7th grade lacrosse and basketball coach, I conduct a recap at the end of every single practice and ask my teams to let me know two things they liked, and one thing they didn't like about practice; that way they're comfortable letting me know when a drill is boring, but also giving me positive feedback at the same time. Normally by the fifth or sixth time we go through stuff, I know what drills will be enjoyable and productive for them and I can get rid of all the crap that they get bored or distracted by.
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