I agree that learning is about getting out of your comfort zone. I think I learn more because I have to work harder for it.

Actually, this is a myth. There’s no credible evidence that so-called learning styles exist. I know it’s in the KY Educational Standards. It doesn’t make it so.

“A classroom is a scheduled way to bring students together for learning,”

This is also a myth. A classroom is a scheduled way to bring students together for TEACHING. It’s a mistake to confuse those two goals.

“I do think that most teachers probably follow this “tradition” because it is expected in their school and they don’t want disapproval from others.”

Unfortunately, I think you nailed this one down pretty well. Especially, if by “others” you mean the administration who can deny a contract renewal. The other factor is that most teachers — all levels — teach the way they were taught.

Most of our students are taught in the classroom using the same styles of teaching. I think that this is a drawback of the classroom. As we know, children learn differently. We need to consider the different learning styles of our students and work to help each student learn accordingly. A classroom is a scheduled way to bring students together for learning, but if we are not teaching to the students needs is learning going to take place. Whether we are all together in one room or not doesn’t mean that learning will not occur. An example is our online classes. I am learning everyday from this class and my other online class even though I have not stepped foot in a physical classroom. This proves the point that we don’t need to congregate together at an appointed time for learning to take place. We still have to stay on task, just as teachers in a classroom expect, but we have flexibility and are able to adapt things to our learning style.

Are our classrooms today really producing the best environment for learning? I would say that the typical classroom doesn’t. I think we are all following the “traditional” way of educating. Students come in, sit down, and wait to learn. This sounds really exciting!!! It is no wonder our chidren feel the way they do about school. However, I do think that most teachers probably follow this “tradition” because it is expected in their school and they don’t want disapproval from others.

I am thinking that the discussion On The Classroom is still in a round-about way, a discussion about the reason for learning. Are we teaching students because we know something that they need to know, and we are the best most efficient resource for the students to get this knowledge? If so, then the ‘traditional’ idea of classroom instruction gets the job done. We can disperse information through less traditional methods as well. We can even do that in distance education courses.

Or, are we trying to teach children how to learn, and that there is a vast amount of ’stuff’ to be explored. The three r’s are tools students can use to undertake learning. As teachers, especially of early elementary students, we must figure out how to empower students with the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic without quenching their innate desire to learn, to explore and understand their world.

As a fourth year teacher, I haven’t found my groove yet. I have the ideal of eager students engaged in learning in my mind. I am still trying to mesh this with the expectations placed on me as a teacher to teach a very structured curriculum. I consider myself a lover of learning for the sake of learning - I remember teachers who showed awe when they were teaching. Their excitement about the subject was contagious, made me want to know more. I want to give that gift to my students.

The flexibility of distance learning provides so many resources and opportunities for students to engage in genuine, engaging learning experiences. Even in this class, the voices of the people I am learning with are beginning to become distinct. I know that this connection with other people is an opportunity to grow and learn.

In the real world, how do I avoid using the potential of technology only as a substitute for pen and paper, cookie cutter assignments? How do I realisitically provide for the diverse needs of all the learners in my classrooom?

However, there are those different philosophies of education out there that push the boundaries of the boxed educational norm. Montessori schools learn at a student-led pace and they learn through discovery using all five sences instead of a classroom lecture setting. A typical constructivist classroom is also guided by the student instead of the teacher. Do these children learn better than the typical public school setting? I have only visited one Montessori school and I was amazed at what the young children knew, but was also concerned. One child could recite and identify all of the bones in the body and all of the countries on a map, but he could not read on grade level. The teacher quickly told us that he was more interested in Science and Geography and was not as interested in Literature and Reading. Will we need to redesign what we feel is important for students to learn by letting them make that decision instead of state tests?

My classroom, I guess, is different than the majority of classes where I work. I don’t have to worry about covering core content and program of studies for CATS testing. I teach Spanish, which is not part of CATS. I do teach and the students learn. I don’t have to worry about getting through a certain amount of material. The students in my class have many opportunities to work together (partners, small groups, large groups, and even entire class). They learn the language and interact with other students at the same time. We also do a lot of hands-on activities, which the students love. This way they can learn about the culture in a fun way and not just by reading about it or me lecturing to them. Sure, there are plenty of times when they are required to takes notes and listen, but they get to interact as well. When learning a foreign language, this is very important. They can help each other with learning. I love to use technology in my classroom. Until this year, technology was not really an option for me because I had very little access to it. Now, I am in a new school district and have my own projector in my room (it is attached to the ceiling). I can do all sorts of powerpoints with my students (presentations to class and student made). I can also use it to play review games such as jeopardy. The students really get into this. They actually seem to study more because they have a better chance of winning. I have a lot of athletes in my classes and they are very competitive. Something I haven’t done in the past, but would like to do sometime this year, is take my students on a walk around school grounds. We can go over vocabulary and I could tell them what different things are in Spanish. I was thinking that they could do a nature/outdoors spanish picture dictionary using the objects and things found outside and in nature. This would get them out of the classroom and they wouldn’t feel so confined.

When I work on assignments for this class, I am often distracted by the television, a ringing telephone, or a crying child, but still I manage to learn. For a person who thrives on structure and calmness, this is a big step. I am becoming a supporter of inquiry learning that is based on individual needs.