Sunday, November 11, 2007
2+2=4 but only for 45
I know this will be something that makes its way into the individual component of my CCCS's paper, but the more I listen to these presentations and read about UbD, the more I keep coming to the same conclusion - teaching different disciplines in isolation is bad design. Really good curriculum design would be about the "biggest big picture" which is that all disciplines are related. Assessment should be project-based and those projects should synthesize knowledge from different disciplines. A few years ago, my son participated in a middle school G&T program. I recall a project he did which at its core was a photography project. But completing it required historical knowledge, art aptitude, reading and writing skills, and others. I remember thinking, "Why isn't all teaching like this?" We certainly have to draw on knowledge from all disciplines to function as citizens. But the traditional school has one learn all these skills in isolation as though they are independent of one another. It irks me when I hear a student ask a teacher, "does spelling count?" The correct answer is yes, of course, but that teacher's answer may be no. Why? Because it isn't English class! What have we taught that student? We've taught him that proper use of language is only important for 45 minutes a day. Can 2+2=7 in my world after I leave math class?
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4 comments:
You're so right. This also echoes what you were saying in your presentation about the arts being the perfect place to make cultural connections. So often the links are just handed to us if we take our "subject blinders" off. Why are we stripping our teaching of connections that will help our students to learn?
OK, sorry, me again, but I just linked to your other blog. In light of your posting on the way we coddle our kids (your observations were spot-on, by the way), I'd love for you to check out my posting this week, so I can get your take on The Dangerous Book for Boys Check it out if you get a chance. :)
In a perfect - and I think achievable - world, that is indeed how all learning would occur. It made me think about the teacher's qualifications, certifications, etc. - maybe the fear of having to prove themselves capable is part of the problem. More cooperative teaching? better teacher education? - I don't know what the answer is. In preschool we are always trying to teach the kinds to try new things - an administation in support of new teaching strategies would be a start.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. There must be more interdisciplinary connections made amongst the curriculums of various subjects. In order for our students to learn with a deep understanding and to be able to transfer knowledge across a variety of situations, this same knowledge must be received and reinforced across all disciplines. In the real world no one learns in a vacuum. 2+2 will always = 4!
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