Teacher: What did you learn in these learning strategies classes?
Student 1: I learned about society, what is expected and I learned about myself.
Teacher: But what about tools, like map, flash?
Student 1: I love Flash cards. It works really well for me.
Student 2: I feel that they take a lot of time!
Student 3: I am hyperactive. Cards work really well
Teacher: "We will have a discussion activity at the beginning of each class and you are invited to bring your saying. If you are a quiet person, please bring a saying, help me out to better grade you:
b) foster use of flash cards (independent learning, teamwork, autonomy)
Student 1: “I like to work alone, I memorize the cards”
Student 2: “We like to quiz each other”
c) Teach others
Teacher: "Someone with good hand writing come to the black board to write down the answers”
Teacher: "We need a class assistant with good computer skills”
d) Help to solve problems
Teacher: "I need a problem solver to go downstairs and get us a fan"
Teacher: Why are you so breathless?
Student 1: I ran to come earlier, I need to talk to you before the class starts. My daughter…
Teacher: She is welcome to attend the class whenever you need.
b) She does informal “small talk”
Student 1: I feel discussion activities are a waste of time but this “comment a saying” is ok. I like this teacher because she makes small talk, asking us about our other classes, our progress. When the class begin I am more relaxed.
Student 2: She (the teacher) always arrives little early; I can ask her things when I missed class.
Student 3: I feel like talking to her…Even you who hate to talk in class commented on the saying today!
Student 4: Yes…but don’t get used to it.
Student 1: I pass. I don't know this brand.
Student 2: Oh, they are good.
After learning a quote has been attributed to Chinese and Aboriginal cultures
Despite offering an empowering environment, we were surprised with the disempowering effects of our lack of knowledge of non scientific Traditions, we were surprised to see ourselves so embedded in the scientific world that we acted against our empowerment commitments, inadvertently denying recognition to aboriginal culture in class.
Teacher: He (the student) told me he will never forget me and I told him I would never forget him. He is so spirited. He showed he has lots of power to transform his surrounding…I told him he owed me because of the number of days he came late. I was pretty much following the school agenda about it...coming later and missing class….I said “after four missed classes the student doesn’t need to come anymore”. Next time, he came later he brought me tons of daisy flowers clumsily rolled in a newspaper…he had picked them from someone's garden, you could see it and he gently said “ Now you are in debt with me, ok?”
aw3
Teacher: It is so hot in here....Please go downstairs to room B201, and get a fan... I understand why you came with this shirt but there are rules. Tomorrow you have to bring something you can at least use in the hallways.
Student: Are you saying we will be able to take off our jackets in class?
Teacher: Yes. It is too hot. But in the halls you have to wear your jackets
Sometimes our daily discussion “Saying of the day” was not a conversation but exposure of one’s perspective with the silence of others. Despite the teacher's effort to foster “there are many interpretations” mentality, there were debates that caused distance between us.
The question “Do you agree or disagree with this saying?” promotes the idea of dichotomy, perpetuating the reductive and narrow approach of right/wrong answer, the agree/disagree formula.
The question “What does it bring to your mind and to your feelings?” brings the idea of separation of mind and feeling. It might cause separation between those who are more analytical and objective from those who are more intuitive and subjective. However, this question was helpful to let students know the teacher was interested in their experiences as a whole person, not only about what they learned by reading the text book.
Questions that worked very well were “What are the pros and cons about it” or “Compare with a life event, movie or Tv show” or simply “What does it bring to you? What is your experience?” These questions fostered effective discussions by helping students move out of the narrow agree/disagree or right/wrong traditional discourse. These questions require more than simple affirmation or negation.
Teacher: Did you finish the assignment?
Student 1: Sorry, he doesn’t know about the assignment of yesterday…I was showing him. I didn’t listen to you.
Teacher: Better concentrate on what is due today. I want everybody working on this today.
Student1: What is to be done?
Teacher: I am not going to repeat it. I need to go forward but it is all written on page 23. Read it to find out, ok? Leave doubts about yesterday for lateri
Student 1: Sorry.
Student 2: She (teacher) will be here correcting assignments after class today
Student3: I know but I am all messed up…I am moving again. I should not be in class today
Student 1: Yes, she(student 3) can not stay.
Teacher: This reminds me about what I wrote “the learner resistance is not something to fear or ignore but to examine and face, this resistance is a process of student transformation in their own empowerment
Student 1: Cool, you did the schedules you told me you were not going to do
Student2 : I like this teacher I was afraid to write down that I mostly go to parties and sleep. I am glad I did. She said I should slow down on parties…respecting me though
Student 1: ?
Student 2: She could just come over with “Don’t you have responsibility?” and accuse me deciding to go party the night before the test. She asked me what would be the pros and cons of continuing with my past schedule.
