What it means to be a student.

Kumahiro’s stories in this section and in the beginning of the book are wonderful.   Student M and N are everywhere and in each of our teaching practices.  I enjoyed reading the stories of students in the classroom and found the examples provided more authenticity to the topic.
“My class may have been no different than other classes in requiring that students learn in only certain ways, but at least in my class N could raise concerns about what it meant to learn.” (p. 22).  I have mulled over this issue many times this year as students in my class were too afraid to speak their mind.  I needed to find another avenue for their voice.  Too often students are not heard, especially those students who are marginalized.  I felt it was paramount this year that students have another way to speak out.  I had five students who would speak out during class discussions, and seldom had any other participation from other students.  I tried other strategies but found little success.

Now as a student I am finding the strategies we use in class such as the fish bowl, the carousel and the pair share are great ways to infuse discussion without giving the floor to the same voice each time.  Some people are great at speaking in large groups and others have difficulty.  But also, some students are more dominant speakers and the less confident are less likely to contribute.  I like the idea of students providing a response on as a blog comment as each is given the same weight, font and equality.

Educated students were those who ended the school year with more than they began, and effective teachers were those who helped fill students’ minds.  Learning was about learning more.  “Expanding” our minds. “Building” a foundation of knowledge and skills.  “Increasing” our understanding of the world.

On the last page Kumashiro discusses the need for students to feel uncomfortable in their learning in order for it to be meaningful.  I am definitely at that stage of my learning.  I am very uncomfortable with the process that I need to go through.  I cannot seem to formulate my action research for the fall and cannot get my head around what steps I need to take.  I had thought I had an understanding of where I was going, but now I am standing in the middle of a forest.

Inquiry learning and project based learning are where I want to go at some point, but I do not feel that I am ready to take that plunge.  I do not have any idea what it will look like.  I feel as though I need to do another practice teaching block and have someone guide me through the process.  I read the blogs of people who are going through this process with their students.  I want to get there, but there are too many trees and too many paths; I cannot find my direction.