Week 4, Blog 2 - Classroom Myths

The article was found from the following site: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/debunking-classroom-myths-ben-johnson.

Ben Johnson’s “Debunking those Pesky Classroom Myths” is a blog about how teachers can be better in the classroom.  It reminds us about how to connect with students.  The article does not focus on rigor and standards and the buzz words of the day, but instead discusses strategies and ideas that teachers can employ to have a more effective classroom that is conducive to learning.  It was refreshing to read an article that talks about education from this point of view.

One idea that he suggested was to teach something new to students on the first day of school instead of giving them the rules.  He pointed out that every teacher goes over rules on the first day.  Instead of this, he believes that teaching students something new can engage them within the classroom.  There is no doubt to this idea.  You need to hook students on the first day.  The first day is the most important day of the year because it hooks students into the learning process of your classroom.  By having an engaging learning activity on the first day of class, students can immediately see that they will be getting something useful from every minute that they spend in the classroom.

Another idea that he made is that teachers have to create a level of trust with students.  This means that the teacher cannot be arrogant and act like he/she knows everything about everything.  Instead, it is important to point out that students have insight as well, including letting teachers know when something goes well / fails.  It is necessary that we ask students for insight about how lessons went.  This will improve the level of trust within the class.  Often, students have keen ideas that can make a lesson / project run more smoothly.  This insight is invaluable to teachers.  We must use the students as a resource to improve our own classroom.  Their feedback is vital.  Perhaps creating an online survey will help students provide this kind of necessary feedback.

He also discussed the myth that students do not like to learn and that students hate school.  Instead of these myths, he argued that doing homework is not a top priority in their lives.  It is imperative that we as teachers explain to students why they are doing assignments.  If students do not understand why they are doing certain assessments, then they will not value them and thus, they will not do the homework / project.  As a result, the necessary skills that they were meant to attain will not be attained.  We must teach students to be intrinsically motivated.  We have to explain to them the importance of working hard and valuing the assignments that we make (which means we have to make assignments meaningful – they cannot be fluff or random).  If we give students busy work, then they will see it for what it is and not do it.  Furthermore, that will force them to still not like school.  Johnson argues that the reason why some students “don’t like school” is because school does not teach them the way that they learn best.  We must make connections to the students.   We must use technology and teach students to connect concepts together so that actually find value in what they do.  Once this happens, they will value and like school.

And then the myths will no longer cease.

Johnson, Ben.   “Debunking those Pesky Classroom Myths.”  29 June 2011.  Web.  Edutopia.  14 July 2011.  <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/debunking-classroom-myths-ben-johnson >.