As many of you know I am currently taking an online course called, Teaching for Understanding through the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It's kickin' my butt! One of MY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS this week is:
Ask students or your colleague the questions you answered in assignment 1.2 (What is something you understand really well? How did you come to understand it? And how do you know you understand it?)
If any of you would like to share...I'd love to hear from you. What is something YOU understand really well? How did you get to understand it so well? Just how is it you KNOW you understand it?
I look forward to learning more about some of you and what you understand . . . not to mention having YOU help ME with MY HOMEWORK!
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Something I understand really well is how to run the Spread offense in football. Being a football coach In this type of offense has given me a very indepth knowledge of it. Learning this was easy for me because I have a great interest in the sport and it along with teaching is on of my passions. I credit my knowledge to a great teacher who I've worked under for 4 yrs now and a willingness to learn. I know that my knowledge is good because of the success I have experienced in running this system.
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps, I know its a little odd for a response.
Eric, this is an excellent response! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. It's interesting to think about what we understand and how we come to understand it. It will be very interesting if others share to compare what it is everyone understands how they came to understand it.
ReplyDeleteSomething I understand is reading music, (specifically bass clef.) I came about learning and understanding it because from sixth grade to my senior year, I was in band and played the trombone. I know I understand it because from time to time I still play. My love of music helped me to be able to stick with as long as I have.
ReplyDeleteI understand how to play the card game "hand and foot" really well. This is a game that my family has been playing together for many generations. We play it at every family gathering, always at the kitchen table!! =] I learned this game from my Grandma about 10 years ago. I know that I understand this game because I can play/keep up with my Grandma and my aunts that have been playing for decades. I also know that I understand this game because I beat my boyfriend by thousands of points everytime we play, but he is just learning, so I guess that doesn't count!! lol =]
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps!! Good luck with your class!! =]
I also meant to tell you in my previous post that I really like that you give us so many handouts in class. I like having some to hold in my hands and look at when you are explaining something. They are also great when test time rolls arounds. It is easy for me to pull out the papers that we did or talked about in class and use them as references and reviews. This post was kind of off subject but I just wanted to give you some positive feedback for the class!!! =] Keep the handouts coming!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for these posts!! Do any of you see any similarities in HOW you came to understood these things? ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, Kayla. I appreciate both positive as well as constructive feedback that can help me be more effective as an instructor!
I've worked in an office on campus that is in charge of the student IDs for about 3 years now. I understand how a student needs to go about getting an ID and what to do when they have different problems really well. When I first learned this information I didn't really understand it too well because someone just explained it to me a couple times. I really came to understand it when I had to explain it to about 1000 students over the years. I guess this is similar to the whole notion that you learn best by teaching. I know that I understand it because the students don't come back with complaints, or, if they do come back, I see that their problem is resolved.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in rides at Kings island for 3 summers now. I understand how to do this very well and even understand how to interact with the different types of guests as well.. I feel that I have come to understand it so well through training and repetion on a daily basis as well as experiences. I know that no matter what the circumstance is that comes my way I can handle just about anything without help from my supervisor.
ReplyDeleteI have been involved in martial arts for about 11 years now. So I'd say that I have a good understanding of that. I am confident in myself to be able to protect myself if the time comes, and it has also taught me how to have fun with it, in tournaments and such. I have come to be so familiar with it through continuous training and repetition. It was so hard at first, but it feels now that most things come natural, that's how I know that I understand it well. I know that my instructor will always be there for me if theres anyting I need to know, or need to learn. And I know that there's so much more out there to learn. He's always told me, "I taught you everything you know, not everything I know."
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is similar, is that each of us had practiced the thing we understand over a long period of time. And in keeping with that thought, PRACTICE. It takes practice and repetition to understand and accomplish something.
ReplyDeleteI know that I can control my temper. I know this because everyone tells me I can. I have learned that you cannot just start mouthing everytime someone makes you angry or upset because then you join them on their level of immaturity.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I understand well is cheerleading. I cheered from the time I was 6 years old until my freshman year at UK....many, many years ago! :)
ReplyDeleteI still am very actively involved in the cheerleading industry. I quit coaching and currently judge on the national and international level. I am also a sales rep for a cheerleading shoe company. I think the reason I have such an understanding for cheerleading is because I had great coaches. Also, I truly enjoyed cheering and put my best effort into making myself good at it.
Something I understand well is rock climbing.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding for climbing evolved with years of successes and failures of sending routes all over the country. The experience I have climbing is directly related to my understanding. Not only am I knowledgable of how to side-pull, mono, dyno, mantle, bump, crank, toe-hook, heel-hook, crimp, etc... I am knowledge of the reasons people climb... that indescribable, uncomparable feeling of seeing the world below you as you hang by your fingertips.
I know I understand it because I have become more and more successful at climbing, and was even hired by the university as a climbing instructor. I know I understand because I have been successful in teaching EKU students how to climb (even a girl with only one arm... talk about truely admirable determination...). I guess in conclusion, I know I know how to climb, because I can express to others my knowledge and they're more knowledgable because of it.
Hey, Mrs. White! Hope this helps! :)
Something that I understand very well is reading music. I have played the flute now for ten years, and I can read music. The reason that I have such a wonderful knowledge of reading music is that I have been reading for quite a while, and I had a wonderful teacher who went out of her way to make sure that her students fully understood.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU ALL for helping me with my homework. I had to turn in something early this week so used early answers. But, these later posts will be EXTREMELY helpful in other work I am doing. I want to share two of the posts we made (I work in a group and we submit together)
ReplyDeletePost 1
In our group Cathy is currently teaching two night classes at the university level. She posted the questions about understanding on the class blog. Examples of students’ posts included understanding how to run a particular offense in football, play music and play a specific card game. Donna remarked that the students’ responses were in line with Chapter 3 stating that these activities such as football are relative to the student’s interest. In chapter 3, generative topics are interesting to students due to multiple connections between the topic and students’ experiences both in and out of school. Donna and Natasha pointed out that students learn by doing. They must engage in performance to demonstrate and develop understanding. Natasha pointed out that students must practice to demonstrate a learned skill (performance of understanding). As we reflected on these students’ answers we wonder how in each of these very different situations the students were given feedback. Or how would they provide feedback to others in teaching these same set of skills? What type of ongoing, formative assessment would be used in each unique setting? What would the criteria be to reach proficiency as a football player, a musician or a card shark (grin)?
Post 2
Critical to developing deep understanding is not only the opportunity to use information one gains but how feedback is received and used. Chapter 2 states, “In summary, understanding is being able to carry out a variety of actions or “performances” that show one’s grasp of a topic and at the same time advance it. It is being able to take knowledge and use it in new ways.” Chapter 3 expands this idea by promoting the idea of multiple performances that increase in difficulty and include specific feedback to the student in the form of ongoing assessment that enables him to perform, produce or understand in more complex ways.
Often times what we find is that “performances” where there are opportunities for authentic feedback not only is one’s understanding deepened but future “performances” are taken to a higher level. Ask a football player who learns through a botched play and a subsequent “teaching session” by the coach!
This same concept of providing opportunities for performances or demonstrations of what one knows and understands is essential. Likewise it is imperative to ensure the students have ongoing assessment in order to continually deepen their understanding and improve their application of their knowledge and skills.