The Dirt on Learning, Chapter 4

[applest]

A great quote from page 66:

If we're serious about sowing God's Word, we need to be serious about implementing ways that cause the Word to take root. Jesus isn't interested in our efforts that cause a temporary sprout. We accomplish little when we drill learners on Bible material, only to see them forget the Word when the going gets tough. We need to find reliable ways to help people authentically learn, retain their learning long-term, apply that learning, and bear fruit.

Whoa--that's a lot harder to do than it sounds, and it sounds pretty challenging! What do you think? How can we help our students become authentic learners? Does this apply to everything, or are there some subjects, facts, etc. that simply have to be learned by rote?


Chapter 4 gives lots of ideas for retention--p. 75 talks about starting with what they know; p. 78 shares secrets of great storytellers; p. 79 guides us through "interval reinforcement and p. 84 talks about first impressions and recall.

Where would you start if you wanted to just dip your toe into the "rentention pond"? What one thing could you do right away when school starts that may really help your students retain and understand the information they are taught?

[pccs-Alice]

Object lessons come to my mind when I think about the "power of association".
Anticipating students with the ability to improperly use their tongues I remembered an object lesson from AWANA over 15 years ago. Give each student a small tube of toothpaste and ask them to squeeze out the contents on a paper plate. The toothpaste represents their unkind words which are now out there. Challenge them to put the toothpaste-unkind words back into the tube. Impossible they will all say except for that one smart alleck (usually a boy) who devises a very complicated method for returning the paste to the tube. There is always one who will find fault with your lesson. A theme of mini-society has been used very effectively to teach economics to young students. I am looking forward to guiding my fourth graders through the development of their own country, flag, currency and economy through this method.


Cynthia-our teachers are having trouble logging on. Several of them have told me that they sent emails to Applest for their user codes etc. ( like me they don't remember them from last summer). Somehow my computer remembers mine if I enter the blog from a certain direction and not from other directions. We are a week away from your being here and at this point I would be content if we all read the book. Any comments, suggestions from you would be appreciated.

[pccs-Aida]

Teaching is very challenging, especially when it comes to teaching a different language. Their must be memorization! What's taught in class has to be retained for the long term. It can not be forgotten, for the simple reason that it builds. I, as the Spanish teacher rely on God's lead. I try to put myself in the students shoes. I remember when I first was introduced to the English language, so as I teach I try to put myuself in the students shoes.
The power of association is a must. I use lots of props and visual aids. I put the senses God gave us to work, one being, smells. I recall being in Puerto Rico, walking outside on a sunny morning. There was an aroma in the air. It was a distinct smell. My husband Jerry having been a missionary kid in Africa said, "That aroma takes me back to Africa, but what is it?" I instantly recognized the aroma. It was coffee beans being roasted, and prepared for that first cup of coffee in the morning. The aroma triggered a memory of something that accured over 20 years earlier. The power of association and sense of smell is a fabulous teaching tools.