Thoughts on Effective Education

In talking to some of my teaching friends I find that the goals for most good educators has not changed; good teachers want to prepare their students to live in the future world. It is the goal of most American educators to prepare students for 21st century living in which they will have to calibrate, communicate, solve problems and think outside the box in creative ways. Add to this the important necessity of interacting with all the people of the world.

For teaching to be successful, there are two important fundamentals for American educators: Engagement of the student in his/her learning and good Relationships with the child.

Relationships – The relationship between the educator and the student is of utmost importance. Teachers who cannot get students to relate to them and what they consider important are usually not very effective teachers. The educator must be interested in the whole child and intervene if there appears to be problems that limits the students learning. Without trust, little education occurs.

Engagement
Many methods will cause maximum engagement in the learning process:
1. Be creative in getting the student involved in what is being learned.
2. Use technology – the computer has opened a whole new method of getting students to interact and take part in their learning.
a. The GoogleBox at http://www.watchfreetvonline.net/?cat=Education
presents educators with many suggestions. The blog is used to connect students and have them comment on one another’s work,and add their ideas. Collaborative learning and group project learning is a key ingredient.
3. An emphasis on right brain learning. The most popular quote today is “Right brainers will rule the world.”


Key Ideas for Creatiing Philosophic Learners:

1. Use of the Socratic Method for discussions.
2. Introduce and teach the use of inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning
3. Game Theory -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory
4. Experimental philosophy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_philosophy

5. Simulation games – I think this article gives an excellent idea of the whole idea of experiential learning.
http://rs.resalliance.org/2007/01/19/teaching-using-a-world-simulation-game/

6. Prepare one’s own teaching philosophy. One cannot teach unless one knows what one believes about teaching. http://sunconference.utep.edu/CETaL/resources/stofteach.html

Some Key Thinkers:
http://wilderdom.com/experiential/JohnDeweyPhilosophyEducation.html

Danial Pink, A Whole New Mind. http://www.danpink.com/whole-new-mind

Pirsig, Richard, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance

Philp, Raleigh T., Engaging 'Tweens and Teens: A Brain-Compatible Approach to Reaching Middle and High School Students [Paperback]

Greene, Maxine. http://www.edutopia.org/maxine-greene