If there is Interest, there is Teaching

   Children come from all different places in the world and with that said, that means children are learning different things, at different paces, and for different reasons. When we think about learning we always think about the classroom and the structure that comes with it. The formal instruction that teachers give, with formalized lesson plans, and the daily routines that come along with those lessons. But if we stop and think about the purpose of learning and how it happens,we quickly realize that learning is not only done in a structured classroom, that the best learning comes from curiosity and findings in the world.

Sugata Mitra states that schools are becoming obsolete, not that they are not well-functioning institutes, but we are training our children to be the same and to learn the same things. After watching both of his videos this week, I thought to myself how true this really is. Working in the educational field we see children of all sorts with all sorts of differences. As a teacher I know that school is not for everyone, it is sad to say, but not all children were meant to go on to a four-year university, and even more sad to say that some children will not even graduate high school. What these videos made me realize is maybe we are doing this education stuff all wrong.

In the videos, New Experiements in Self-Teaching and Build a School in the Cloud, Mitra takes his computer to small places where children have limited opportunities with technology and education period. He left his computer outside and after 8 hours children were browsing and learning how to use the computer. It amazed him that after a few tries these kids wanted faster processors and a better mouse. What is even more amazing to me is it was all self-taught with help from peers. I loved hearing that children were able to figure things out because as an educator that is what we strive for. After hearing what was happening I realized more than ever that children of the future are coming from everywhere and those who use their abilities and curiosity make up a good number of doctors and lawyers.

Now I am sitting here with the question, why are we teaching children the same things over and over every year? In the United States kids sit in a classroom for six hours a day and learn the same material. Every student is expected to participate in the same learning experience and try to produce the same outcome. We use the same California State Standards to see how each child has grown through the year. When the majority of the students accomplish the content and material we think we have succeeded, but is this true? In my book no! I am not sure why we continue to say all children learn at different paces and different times, when we expect them to learn the same thing at the same time. At the end of the year we make the students take Standard Tests (STAR) and benchmarks and they are all supposed to perform well. They are all supposed to be alike, but this is never really the outcome. Those who perform low are either not trying or considered behind. But I feel that sometimes those kids are bored and uninterested. Why should they be limited to learning material in the same way if we know that not everyone learns in the same type of setting and way? Why should a teacher be the only person in the classroom helping these students succeed, what about their peers and what they can offer? 

As a future elementary teacher I feel that Mitra’s findings are extremely important to how I will complete lessons with my students. I know it is important to treat students the same, but sometimes there is that one student that cannot have an IEP because he or she does not test low enough for it, but that same student needs extra help. I think it is important to remember that students are learning more out in the world than in the classroom. I know that children come into the classroom with different backgrounds and it is important to use those backgrounds to enhance other abilities. If you give children the opportunities to learn something they will take them, it just has to start with giving. I truly understand that incorporating peer and hands-on assignments into the daily routine are important. Students will benefit much more if they can learn in a setting that is helpful and fits their intellectual abilities.