Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes

Summary

The speaker, an experienced educator, reflects on the evolution of learning, emphasizing the shift from information scarcity to abundance in the digital age. They share personal anecdotes illustrating the importance of experiential learning, where students actively engage in real-world tasks and projects. Highlighting the significance of student voice and the necessity of allowing failure as a part of the learning process, the speaker advocates for modern educational practices that prioritize inquiry, creativity, and authentic experiences over standardized testing. This approach fosters active citizenship and prepares students for meaningful contributions to society.

Takeaways

• 👩‍🏫 Teaching has evolved significantly from the days when information was limited to books and teachers' knowledge.
• 📚 The accessibility of information has transformed learning, allowing students to engage with resources at home instead of just in school.
• 🗳️ Authentic, experiential learning can be more engaging for students than traditional teaching methods, as demonstrated by the election forum project.
• 🌍 Real-world experiences, such as meeting influential figures, can greatly enrich students' understanding of complex subjects.
• 🎥 Encouraging students to use their own voice in projects fosters deeper engagement and self-expression.
• 🛠️ Embracing failure as a part of the learning process is crucial; it helps students learn and grow from their mistakes.
• 📊 Students can produce impressive and creative work when given the freedom to explore and experiment with new ideas.
• 🤔 Education should shift focus from simply obtaining information to applying knowledge and asking meaningful questions.
• 🗳️ Students' participation in civic activities, like voting, demonstrates the importance of connecting education with real-world responsibilities.
• 🚀 The future of education lies in valuing experiential learning, student voice, and acceptance of failure, rather than adhering to standardized testing.

Q & A

What key insight does the speaker emphasize about the potential of students?

The speaker believes that there is a vast potential in students that more people should understand, especially in terms of how they can learn and engage with information.

How did the educational experience differ for the speaker's grandmother compared to current students?

The speaker's grandmother relied on physical books and teachers for information, whereas current students have access to a wealth of information through the Internet and personal devices.

What innovative teaching strategy did the speaker use during their first year of teaching American government?

The speaker introduced an authentic experience by having students organize an election forum for their community, allowing them to engage actively with the political process.

What was the reaction of more experienced teachers to the speaker's teaching methods?

More experienced teachers viewed the speaker's approach with skepticism, thinking it was naive or overly optimistic about the students' ability to take on such a project.

In what way did the speaker's experience in Arizona contribute to their teaching philosophy?

In Arizona, the speaker encountered an eclectic group of students and utilized experiential learning opportunities, such as meeting Paul Rusesabagina, to inspire critical thinking and personal connection to historical events.

How did the speaker address the sensitive topic of genocide with middle school students?

The speaker approached the topic by focusing on Paul Rusesabagina as a positive example and challenged students to find similar figures in their own lives, encouraging them to create personal movies about those individuals.

What is the significance of the one-to-one laptop program in the speaker's current school?

The one-to-one laptop program enables students to access information readily and encourages them to take responsibility for their learning by using technology effectively.

What does the speaker suggest about the relationship between failure and learning?

The speaker argues that failure is an essential part of the learning process, allowing students to explore, experiment, and ultimately understand concepts more deeply.

How does the speaker critique standardized testing in education?

The speaker criticizes standardized testing for promoting a culture that values finding the 'one right answer' instead of fostering creativity, exploration, and critical thinking.

What is the main takeaway from the speaker's message about modern education?

The main takeaway is that education should focus on experiential learning, empowering student voices, and embracing the instructional value of failure, rather than simply conveying information through traditional methods.