Who are you working with?
Through the course of our high school years we, as students, are taught many different lessons and learning styles on how to be the most effective now and for the rest of our lives. Different teachers have different ways to have students become successful in their classes. I am a generally advanced student, except in the subjects of math and science. Those topics just aren’t my strong points and I accept that. Being in those classes and then comparing the classes to my advanced classes, it is like a whole new world. There is a completely different atmosphere and style at which we are being taught.
One concept I have noticed that is lacking in the general classes, teachers lack the use of collaboration and discussion on a topic. Also, they don’t give input into what the students are doing to try to understand the new lesson. I feel that these concepts is a key part in learning and helping you to succeed, but aren’t the general classes the ones that need this most? This concept is also lacking in one of my advanced classes, which happens to be one of my lower averages. That data shows that I am having a harder time to understand the material in that class. Every day in that class, the teachers waits about 5 minutes for class to begin, next he pulls up the powerpoints that he got off the internet, and then reads them right off the board and has us take down the key notes. Does this really help? Is this way of learning efficient and will it help us in the future?
Recently, I got this amazing opportunity of performing a solo in my dance recital this June. To be awarded this solo, you had to audition with a 1 minute piece in the style you wish to get your solo in. If you are awarded the solo, you have to work collaboratively with the many teachers in the dance school to make sure your piece is worthy enough, shows potential to become professional, and to make sure it is clean and appropriate. Since the student has to create the dance by him/herself, there is extreme metacognition applied throughout this process and intense judging to critique the dances to perfection (well, almost at least). I have had a solo before, and I believe this process helped me so much more than you think. I was much younger when I was first granted this opportunity, and it was a challenge, but it taught me how to work together and shows everyones ideas can fit and help in the process. It is also a very good learning style, and has helped me learn a lot about myself, my dance ethic, and a dance student. This whole process of collaboration directly connects to being a student in high school.
While creating my dance for the show, I know I will need help along the way to get peoples’ opinions on my choreography, on if it really looks good or not, and if I am really worthy for this challenge. The reason why I wanted the solo is because I wanted the challenge and wanted to learn. I am challenged every day in school, and I feel it helps me as a student. But some student’s in school don’t feel the same way. Most teachers for standard classes do not challenge their students because they feel that since they are the standard student’s they don’t care as much and don’t even try to make the learning process interesting. One way they could do this would be to collaborate more. I am in standard classes, and I feel this would help the other students and myself learn the material in a better way. The teachers I have for math and science, happen to believe that collaboration helps the student learn, but my friends who have different teachers do not do this. They get worksheets and have to read the textbook every night. This is not effective in anyway, the student’s have to be entertained and enjoy the class for them to learn. And collaboration helps this.
There are many ways to collaborate such as discussions in the class, having a fun activity that we may enjoy, and group projects. I know that student’s sometimes particularly dislike some projects, but maybe if the teacher asked the student’s which projects they would most enjoy and let them choose who they get to work with, the learning may be more effective and create a better output. Most teachers do not like when students pick their own partners, but I disagree because I feel a lot more comfortable being able to share my opinions on what we should and shouldn’t do. Therefore, the students will be more excited about the project because they get to go through the experience with their friends. Remember, collaboration can be effective for the student and the teacher. Its a two way deal. Using collaboration in the standard classes, will help the students get more involved in the curriculum and want to learn more. I know this process may not work for everyone, but what I do know is that it has helped me a lot over the years in school and many other students.
Although, there could be slight issue with this process. Some teachers do not like this process of learning and tend to lean towards the powerpoint notes everyday, and worksheets for homework. I feel this process of learning is very ineffective. That is called busy work, and busy work does not help the student learn at all. The students who only learn from this process are the ones who are completely interested in the topic, and not everyone is like that. I am not trying to denigrate any teachers here, but some teachers just do not care about their students well-being in the class. They feel that there are only specific students that show the dedication to progress in that course. I have grown in my knowledge by talking to my teachers about the subjects and getting their view on what we are talking about. That helps me to understand everything that is going on and to get my own opinion on the subject. But some teachers don’t see the learning process in that way, and thats when the bad grades start to roll in.
If all teachers and students took the idea of collaboration seriously, everyone can grow and learn from it. I know I have, and hope I can continue to do so. As Sir Ken Robinson says, “ Collaboartion is the stuff of growth”.
