Thursday, April 13, 2017

Sticky stuff {The Whitehead Model}

"The justification for [education] is that it preserves the connection between knowledge and the zest of life, by uniting the young and the old in the imaginative consideration of learning" - Alfred North Whitehead
For many years, I have held a firm belief in the work of the philosopher/educator, Alfred North Whitehead.  Overall, he argues that great teachers are able to build their instruction around three steps. These steps include: Romance, Precision, and Generalization.   

Here is what it looks like:
Step One Romance (Selling It):  Here is how Whitehead describes Romance: "The primary acquisition of knowledge involves freshness, enthusiasm, and enjoyment of learning."  Meaning - when we (as teachers) first introduce a concept, our most important task is to sell it, and create student buy-in.  "What we are about to talk about is amazing! and here is why..."  Great teachers are often great salespeople.
Step Two, Precision (Practice):  This is the boring, though necessary repetition of skills and practices that come with any new skill.  Whitehead warns educators to be mindful not to overuse this, as it is a romance-killer...

Step Three, Generalization (Sticky Stuff):  Here is how Whitehead describes this: It is the moment of educational completeness and fruition, in which general ideas or, one may say, a philosophical outlook, both integrate the feelings and thoughts of the earlier moments of growth, and prepare the way for fresh experiences of excitement and romance, signaling a new beginning to the educational process.  
This (Generalization) is my favorite part.  If we do this well, we use the students' newfound knowledge and understanding to reconnect them to the romance of it all, inspiring them to live into their curiosity.  This is challenging, to say the least.  So, this is often the moment when I look for "sticky" activities, that allow the students to use their knowledge (gained from Precision) to connect to wider influences, and provide context and meaning to what we have learned.  Equally, the activity of choice needs to make the information stick in their minds, so that they can see its interconnection throughout their lives.  

I usually fail at implementing Whitehead's strategy on a daily basis - but it is my goal.  From time to to time though, it all comes together.  Baking and eating the cake of Africa for the Conference of Berlin, or creating human statues for the various Latin American Revolutions certainly helps the content "stick" - while providing some fun in the process, which is what most often makes anything stick.  

Either way, I love trying to make it connect - and I am not afraid to fail in front of my students.  They usually just laugh at me.  Which means that sometimes my failures become some of the stickiest stuff..






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