My Learning Philosophy

“Every person, every child, every human being is unique. Every mind is a world of its own and is just waiting to learn.”

J. Marquez

My Learning Philosphy

“Every person, every child, every human being is unique. Every mind is a world of its own and is just waiting to learn or teach.” J. Marquez

I believe this quote resumes my learning philosophy.

When talking about teaching, I constantly say that I share knowledge. I say this, because I like helping people and if my knowledge helps it, my mission has been completed.

This is how I approach my teaching with my students. I believe that each one of my students´ mind is a young tree waiting to sprout. Their brains are sponge ready to absorb new knowledge, ready to learn, to discover, to experience. They are in the perfect moment to learn and teach others. This is what I believe about my students and this is my angular stone for sharing knowledge or teaching.

Dr. Harapnuik considers himself as a mentor, a facilitator, instead of a teacher. On my behalf, I agree with him. When I´m in my classroom and see all these diamonds ready to shine, I try to give the best of me. I try my lessons to be interesting, fun, relatable and meaningful. I put myself in my student´s shoes, and I ask myself if I were a student in my class, would I like it? Would I still want to keep hearing? If the answer is no, then I am missing something and that’s when I adjust and make the changes needed. When I start seeing my students’ not paying attention, distracted or doing something else, that is my que that I need to do something different. That is my data that drives me to do something different, because as for that moment, it is not the best path to follow.

This last idea about feedback and data driven is where technology helps us teachers to do precisely what we need to do: a change. One of the many benefits that using technology in education is the immediate feedback/data. I will explore more on this idea furthermore, for now, let’s keep focused on the kids.

If anybody would ask me, what learning theory do you identify yourself, I would have to say that with all. Some of these theories are alike and others are different. I like to believe that I take a little bit from each of one. It can be said that is kind of a cooking recipe. One dash of Behaviourism, a teaspoon of Cognitivism, 3 cups of Conductive and two pounds of Constructivism, 1 ounce of Connectivism, and just like any other excellent Chef, the recipe can be modified as needed.

There are several learning and psychological theories. These theories try to analyze and explain how the mind works and then understand how it learns. This is a great effort to find the best way to teach and learn, but one thing we have learned, is that the human mind is not on the right or left side of the spectrum, but it is between of it. Some days we can be on the right or left, but not all the time. One day we might be happy, and we react different. Other day we might be hungry, and we can’t concentrate. We might like certain teacher and we pay more attention or the other way around. So, which theory is right or wrong? My idea is not to debate about this, but to share what I just share. As I have learned in my life, every moment is an opportunity to learn and grow, that is why I take a bit from each theory, and as far as theories, I can identify my self more with Constructivism.

Previously, I mentioned that my students (or any student) are in the perfect moment to absorb everything around them. Also, that the human brain is non-fixed, that it is constantly changing. The author Tony Bates helps to set it better with this quote:

“constructivists emphasize the importance of consciousness, free will and social influences on learning”

When we focus on something bigger that just one part of the whole, we can embrace that the whole is the sum of its parts. Therefore, we accept all of it: the whole and the parts. This is how I see my classroom and my students. I believe that every mind is a universe of itself and that the teacher, facilitator, guide has to adapt to that universe. The person responsible for sharing knowledge is aware and embraces that many things happens inside a student´s mind and it is our job to find the best way that our teaching is digestible for all our students. And here we can see my third idea about adapting to each situation, where we need to be using feedback or data.

Technology in My Classroom[1].

Around the world there have been several studies in both sides of the balance when it comes about technology used in the classroom. Some studies, movements, parents, teachers might say that is the best thing that can happen since the invention of the wheel, or au countraire, that technology atrophies our students´ minds.

As everything in life where everything has to be in balance, technology is the same. When we use a tablet or a laptop in a classroom and use it instead of a notebook, well, there is no benefit in learning. It might save trees, or manipulate better the notes, but there is no meaningful learning for the student.

Teachers like myself, we like to think of technology as a tool. A tool that helps the teacher and the learner to escalate their learning and their mind and helps to cultivate the soul too. (More of this soon 😊 ).

I think that I can bring down the use of technology in my classroom in three major sections.

  1. Data collection to make adequate changes
  2. Developing creativity
  3. Critical thinking

Data collection

Before I mentioned that technology helps us to make changes and adjust our teaching. Thanks to today’s new learning apps, the teacher can see in real time the glows and struggles of each student. When a teacher has this kind of information in her/his hands, he or she can adapt the teaching for that specific student or students. The immediate data can tell the teacher if a concept needs to be taught again to the whole class or create a small group for advance or struggle kids. This can be done in the same moment after an assignment has ben submitted. This is a way that technology can be used to help teachers in a reliable and fast way. As a plus, it not only helps the teachers, it helps the app itself. Many educational apps use the student’s answers and adapts the activities, to more complicated or easier ones, while the teacher has access to this information. As it can be seen, data obtained using technology constantly helps students’ success.

Creativity

I mentioned that technology can make the soul thrive. I like to believe that our creativity resides in our soul, and this are technology can help us in unimaginable ways. If we take right now mobile phone, we can create a short video with our own videos and pictures. We can edit, put some filters, add text, emojis and many other things. With an Ipad, we can create own original music, or draw whatever we want. In today’s world, our devices opens the world for us to be creative. There are no limits. Students now can draw or create anything they feel more comfortable or like the most. This becomes relevant for the student, so he/she can manifest their learning in diverse and rich ways. Thanks to digital learning and devices, the students can create products where teachers can assess their understanding. Videos, posters, computer programs, and so on can be used as “exams” to corroborate that the student is learning what he/she needs to learn in that class or period. As well, technology helps to boost creativity in the academic area and fosters critical thinking. 

Critical Thinking

Sir Benson said that critical thinkers are the new scarce commodity. I totally agree with him. Today’s students are not able to solve simple challenges despite they have the world’s information in their hand (Internet and their cellphones). The way educational technology and digital learning helps students critical thinking, is how we implement it with our students.

When a student learns programming or coding, a new world of how to think critically unwraps.

Coding help students´ mind to grow. They learn how to follow rules, find solutions, to use all the available tools and resources. While coding, students develops 21st century skills: collaboration, communication, problem solving, among others. As well, their brain become a growth mindset. The best of all, they can transfer the new learning to any other academic or real-life situation. Coding can benefit any student and nurtures a fertile soil to create critical thinkers, thinkers that we need so much now.

These three ideas about digital learning and education technology are part of my learning philosophy. The whole idea of this article is to take my reader in a little trip inside my passion and how it is driven.

I am a fervile believer that technology is an amazing tool that used correctly can open our minds and souls to new horizons.

One las thing I like to add to my learning philosophy: develop meaningful relationships. All these years as a teacher I have learned that if I am authentic with my students, I care for them and respect them, I will get the same from them. Meaning: we have a blast in my class!

Sources

[1] I refer to technology as the concept of digital learning, educational technology, apps and devices.