[NIFL-4EFF:2730] student-centered learning

From: MWPotts2001@aol.com
Date: Mon Apr 05 2004 - 08:10:24 EDT


Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov>
Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i35CAOm20922; Mon, 5 Apr 2004 08:10:24 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 08:10:24 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <1a9.2239d796.2da03f83@aol.com>
Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov
Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov
Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov
Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov
Precedence: bulk
From: MWPotts2001@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2730] student-centered learning
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Mailer: 9.0 for Windows sub 5015
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Status: O
Content-Length: 1360
Lines: 30

Colleagues,

The article below from the PEN Weekly Newsblast for 4/02/04 reminded me of 
our early years as EFF researchers, conducting field studies with hundreds of 
adult education teachers.  WHAT? they said.  Share power and control with my 
students?  That challenge, similar to the challenge of student-centered learning 
discussed in this article, was perhaps the most difficult concept to put into 
practice.  But once they did, these field-studies teachers discovered the 
power of that process and most found it to be freeing and enlightening.


THE CHALLENGE OF STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING
When it comes to student-centered learning, the first steps are the
hardest, says teacher-coach Melba Smithwick. "I have always been a
risk-taker. I never have been afraid to try new ideas. But I hesitated
when my new principal described the concept of student-centered learning.
Letting middle-school students take charge of their learning -- or of
anything else, for that matter -- seemed a little risky. How can they take
charge when they don't even know what they are supposed to be learning?"
Learn how Melba discovered the real meaning of student-centered learning,
right in her own classroom.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/voice/voice117.shtml


All the Best,

Meta Potts, Moderator 4-EFF List
FOCUS on Literacy
Glen Allen, VA
mwpotts2001@aol.com



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Dec 23 2004 - 09:45:25 EST