Module+1+Focus+on+People

Our topic at our October meeting was cultivating a Focus on People. Here's what the group indicated we knew and wanted to learn about this topic.

Whose problem is it? Is it ‘their problem’ or ‘my problem’ --> Where is my own defensiveness? Focus on what students need vs. what you have ‘always done’ without being afraid to change tacks. Looking at ourselves and the way we learn can be an access to discovering how to teach in a variety of ways. We have a teaching style as much as students have a learning style, which challenges us to look for something different or uncomfortable. We can ask ourselves at the end of a lesson, ‘did learning happen?’ How would I know? Let’s look at the central question: what counts as learning? Experiences are learning. Learning is non-quantifiable at times. Learning may be visible only after a period of time. How do students learn what is not overtly taught? We can ask students, ‘what is the most important thing you learned this week?’ We can enable students tell us what they learned--> it is not always what you think you are teaching. Learning about students can be opened by sharing who I am as a model and presenting myself as a learner, too. We don’t have to personalize the classroom always --> we can send students to website, internet, community, etc., to find out more.
 * __ What Do We Know?/ What Can We Learn?/ What Can We Do? __**

We also responded to a list of quotes that highlighted the differences between a traditional focus on content, on teaching, and the kind of focus on people we discussed. The file is attached: [|1-quotes.docx]


 *  Finally, the investigation assignment for our November meeting is to  do “research,” in our various settings, to get a deeper look at the reality of focusing on people and possibly find something unexpected or interesting to look at together as a group. How will you investigate your focus on people between now and November 10? You are free to change your mind, adapt, and modify your investigation ideas as necessary. **

Investigation 1 A Focus on People
 * Here are the comments generated from that investigation. **

What we discovered from Investigation 1

The student’s perception of what they are learning may be different than what was my intention. Having a weekly feedback mechanism helps. I can’t use my assumptions about people as reliable; when I talk to them I learn again that I must intentionally gather more data.

Building community is an important focus for one’s effort. If you do have a trusting group that is willing to make mistakes, it goes a long way to making the course successful. People who make mistakes tend to learn faster.

Standardized processes for the course exists so it is easier to teach, but that standardization is opposed to the unique needs of individuals. This challenges one to learn how to pull out the piece you need at the time it is needed.

I have never asked how my student’s felt before, assuming the constraints of time. The survey showed they liked the survey of their views. I discovered that new arrivals are more nervous than others who are more familiar with how things work.

I want to recognize each person in my class every day, but that is really hard. Some students take up my attention and others recede. A survey asked them if they felt connected and then why or why not? Most said yes, but two did not. It gave me interesting information.

I shared with the students my passion for this subject and confessed my own ‘nerdiness’ about it, making myself more personal to them. As a result they were able to hang with the more technical aspects of philosophy and be engaged with it.

I need to make sure there is structured playtime. I did a ‘disagree/agree’ survey where most agreed with the need to having time to struggle and engage. Providing enough time and opportunity to practice is essential to growth.


 * Use the Discussion Forum attached to this page to explain what investigation you undertook in your own courses for this topic to add to the above. Create a brief post explaining what you did to investigate a focus on people and what you discovered. **