I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and I saw a post on an education page which said “Personal Qualities Not Measured by Tests”. The list which followed included qualities such as, creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, empathy, humour, self discipline, courage, compassion etc. After reading through the list, it was clear to me that these are skills which are necessary in all aspects of everyday life, however are often overlooked in a classroom environment. Honestly, when at college were you ever taught to be humorous? Usually it was discouraged, wasn’t it? Were you taught courage? Or were you more scared and ashamed to ask questions and fail at tasks? These skills aren’t in the syllabus or prescribed by the Board of Studies, but I personally believe them to be more important to teach than any scientific, mathematical or literary concept.
During the three years I have been at IFS I have, on a number of occasions, had students say they feel like they aren’t learning anything. This is a comment I hate to hear, because as a teacher, it is my “job” to teach my students. This leads me to question, “Am I actually teaching these students anything?” The issue with questioning whether you are learning something is ensuring you actually know what learning is to begin with. What is learning? What does learning look like? and what type of learning is important?
From a young age, through pop culture and traditional collegeing, we are ingrained with an image of learning that is indicative of sitting in rows in a classroom, having a teacher, (who is the fountain of all knowledge), stand up the front and tell us exactly what to write, how to write it and where it should be written. To many of us, and many of our students, this image indicates that they are learning.
When students join us at IFS they are often shocked, at first, with the lack of uniform, lack of homework and overall freedom they have in the open learning spaces (OLS). Once that shock is overcome and they settle into the day to day routine, (so different to what they were previously experiencing), they begin to question, “Am I actually learning anything?”
I had an interesting conversation with my husband the other day about times tables. I was bragging how in Year 2, I was the three times tables champion. In the whole year I could say my three times tables the fastest. I explained how we would learn the times tables for a week and then on the Monday of the following week we would have to get up in front of the class and say them as fast as possible. Anyone who knows me, knows I can speak super quickly. My husband then questioned my knowledge and said, but did you actually know them or just memorise them? It got me thinking and I realised that at the time I probably didn’t really understand the concept of multiplication and without speaking the consecutive order I had memorised my three times tables in, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what 3 x 8 was. Then that leads us to question, is that effective learning? And what is the best form of learning?
Learning comes in many different shapes and sizes. Some learning is written work, reading and recording information. Other learning is verbal and may involve a discussion or collaboration with other group members. Learning can also be hands on or kinaesthetic. We try to incorporate as many different types of learning and teaching as possible and sometimes they may be different to that previously experienced by students, but this doesn’t mean it’s not learning. As technology and society is changing, learning is changing, the teacher is no longer the fountain of all knowledge, rather Google is. As teachers we no longer need to give students notes to copy from a board but rather teach them the skills they require to undertake effective research when they do Google the answer.
With technology growing and moving so fast, the internet is now able to provide more relevant and up to date information than any textbook imaginable. Textbooks that students would have previously been copying notes from quickly become outdated and, in some students’ minds, boring. Powerpoint presentations are now keynotes, writing notes has become typing notes. Reading books, well that’s still reading books, but rather eBooks. As technology and society continue to develop, some of our students may end up in jobs that don’t even exist yet. They will require skills that no amount of sitting and copying notes out of a textbook will give them.
Yes, college is about learning the content that the Board of Studies requires and having the skills needed to undertake the HSC courses. At IFS we pride ourselves on being a college that teaches not only content, but the above personal qualities which can’t be measured by a test. Students need to learn how to be people, how to work with others, how to be resilient, how to be able to hold a conversation and undertake a job interview. None of these skills can be taught in a textbook or by a teacher standing in front of the class; these are skills students learn through living and experiencing life.
There is no doubt in my mind that our students are learning, I feel they are learning in a way which is engaging and empowering and, for many of them, this questions the traditional view they hold of what learning should be like.
Thank you so much for your interesting read. It comes at a time to reaffirm our decision is the right one. My son has desperately wanted to attend IFS for some time now. His wish has come true as he commences next term. The teachers at his current ‘traditional’ college have been negative and has upset me somewhat with their unwanted opinions/comments. I’m actually really disappointed. However, I do agree with what you wrote and reinforces that we have made the right decision. Thank you.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s important to recognise that the world has changed dramatically and it only makes sense that our education system and the ways we teach our future adults changes accordingly.
My sons old year six teacher at his old primary college told me he would not learn anything in the environment at IFS, and it gives me great pleasure to prove her wrong, in actual fact this has been the best environment for his learning.
Its not just the educational stuff either, but every day life lessons too. Thanks Bec.