What is Learning?
I desire for my students to constantly make connections to their prior knowledge. I do not want students to feel as if learning math in my classroom requires memorization. I hope students are able to learn through real-world, engaging problem-based lessons in my classroom. I want my students to believe that learning is “making sense or abstracting meaning” from the world (Smith, 1999-2020). I also want for my students to view learning “as interpreting and understanding reality in a different way” (Smith, 1999-2020).
It is crucial for students to have access to problem-based lessons so students can make connections to real-world problems. I see frequently in the mathematics classroom that often a student may know the basic operations they must complete in order to solve the problem, but they may not yet know how to connect their knowledge to what we are learning until they see the need for this additional learning, or reorganization of prior learning, for a real-world purpose.
For example, a student may recognize the need to multiply and divide to find a number that is an equivalent rate. However, they may not realize that they can set the two rates (the given rate and the desired rate) equal to each other and then use proportional reasoning to identify the new quantity. Once the students participate in discourse, they then can be lead to the conclusion through questioning.
We, as teachers, need to support students in learning how to love learning. When a task gets complicated, the carrot-and-stick strategy does not truly motivate students. If any of my students think that learning math is all about memorizing algorithms, they haven’t understood what math really is meant to be. Without experiencing the joy in understanding math for themselves, they in fact will likely not understand how as we learn math, we are making sense of the world through numbers. Math is supposed to make sense. Learning is supposed to make sense.
Sadly, students likely will not want to choose math when they ultimately have the choice of career paths. As we have heard from the COVA model, autonomy and mastery go hand-in-hand. Fun is satisfying. Reminding myself of this makes me want to do more to allow choice, ownership, voice, and authenticity in the classroom. We, as humans, enjoy self-direction and allowing some student choice and control in the classroom is what’s in the best interest for our students.
Learning Theories
As an educator, stepping back to take a look at all of the learning theories allows for me to identify how I use multiple practices based on these theories throughout each school year. Although I would not say I most identify with behaviorism, I do believe in positive reinforcement and see the value of practicing multiple math concepts. When we teach, we frequently rearrange seating charts and try to create an “environment in order to elicit a desired response” from students (Smith, 1999-2020). Students need to be fluent with their numeracy. However, I do not think the theory provides enough power to the learner and this theory limits the learner’s ability to take ownership over their learning.
I believe that developing relationships between teachers and students is valuable and is an important part of creating a significant learning environment, however, I would not identify my practices to be solely based on humanism. I know we cannot reach the higher levels of what students need from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs until we satisfy their needs for food and safety, however, I think there is more that goes into making students passionate and excited about their learning.
I believe students need to develop self-esteem, but they need self-esteem in-context to what they are learning. Students need to see how they are capable of answering challenging problems and persevering when problems are hard. For that reason, I do believe I focus on cognitive constructivism. I work to create and “build settings in which conversations and participation in particular learning can occur” (Smith, 1999-2020).
As a math teacher, I love problem-based learning because it gives students a context for why what they are learning is important. Although I teach math, when I can implement books and stories into my math class, I do. I love when students can learn and make connections to math and stories. I believe students should be held accountable for their learning and I do believe it is productive to have conversations with students about it. Within my Innovation plan, self-regulated learning should take place. I love providing situations in which students can have metacognition and are able to reflect on their learning. I usually do this through weekly surveys and formative assessments throughout the learning.
Several Constructivists are Bruner, Dewey, Lave and Wenger, and Vygotsky. I especially like how the constructivist theory allows for reflective practices, where students can share, connect, discuss and learn about others’ experiences with math. There is value in learning how to listen and how to learn from listening to other classmates. I do not want to be the only person students learn from in a school. I believe one of the greatest things students can learn is how to learn from their peers’ reflections as well as their own.
Jerome Bruner supports the belief that learning should be an active process. It is more powerful for a student to recognize the need for learning the new content than for a teacher to introduce the content or concepts without a learner making any prior connections. My curriculum is organized in a fashion that builds on my students’ prior knowledge.
While I have heard more and more about social constructivism, I believe it could be very powerful. However, it is very hard to replicate and create true learning communities in the education system we currently have in the United States. I can see the value in situated and experiential learning, as well as learning that is done informally in the classroom. Unfortunately, with the current mindset of the American population regarding education and its comfort with the industrialization of our learners, I do not think we are in a place where the resources and current climate are aligned for a teacher to adopt a social constructivist perspective on education.
Learning Philosophy vs. Teaching Philosophy
These learning philosophies and teaching philosophies are deeply connected. My personal learning philosophy is echoed by my teaching philosophy. Everyone has different learning styles and personalities. However, a sound teaching philosophy addresses every students’ needs by using research-based practices to support all learners.
The learning theories are very helpful when it comes to understanding the big picture behind how we should teach. Many teachers utilize different practices form many different learning theories. Naturally, teachers who were taught in the 80’s are going to have different beliefs about learning than teachers who attended school in the 90’s or even the 2000’s. It is likely that their beliefs will be modeled after and mirror what they personally learned either as a student or as a teacher. I have noticed that in education, many different aspects of a variety of learning theories are plucked and regularly utilized in different classrooms. Schools honestly host a big melting pot of bits and pieces from all of the different learning theories.
Relationship Between Teaching and Learning
I thoroughly believe a teachers’ perspective on the relationship between teaching and learning is often based on what they personally experienced while learning. For me, I have struggled to enjoy math throughout my educational career and until college. In college, I learned how fun math could be through a mathematics modeling course in which we were given problems that we could use any math we knew of to create a model. It was such a fun experience. I believe that the more fun we experience while learning, the more fun our teaching will likely be.
As a student at Baylor University, I had many wonderful professors, including Dr. Trena Wilkerson, the current National Council of Teachers of Mathematics president. She and many others modelled problem-based lessons for both my peers and myself. Being on the other side of the learning proved to me just how fun it is to participate in problem-based learning. Now as a teacher, I want to allow my students the opportunity to feel confident in understanding mathematics. I additionally really enjoy the 5E Lesson Model in which students are engaged, explore, explain, elaborate and extend their learning because it allows students to participate in a social process that requires and fosters communication. I believe the 5E lesson plan model really pushes teachers to facilitate authentic learning in their classrooms.
Authentic learning is valuable within a students’ learning experience. We need to help students identify their passions. What problems do they want to solve? What are their interests? What do they find engaging and interesting? Students will work so hard when they are learning authentically.
I agree with the common constructivist belief that “individuals consciously strive for meaning to make sense of their environment in terms of past experience and their present state” (Bates, 2014). This belief is exactly why I have entitled my website, Education with Meaning: Supporting Students’ Search for Meaning Through Technology. Surprisingly enough, I adopted my beliefs from Victor Frankl readings, Man’s Search for Meaning, in particular, prior to having to create my official stance on my learning philosophy.
Having learned about Logotherapy prior to stepping into my classroom, I have adopted the mindset that students desire and need a meaning and purpose in life (and their learning). My favorite quote from Victor Frankl is featured on my Welcome page. Meaning and purpose in life is emphasized repeatedly throughout his works and as evidenced by his successes in life, is clearly a powerful force. Once we have determined our “why” we can withstand the very challenging “how”s that life may throw at us.
Myself as a Learner
While in school as a learner, I was able to memorize random bits of information and easily regurgitate for a test. However, once I was able to make deep connections within my learning, I was able to remember and apply my learning within a more long-term timeline. Frequently, final exams would be overwhelming because I would cram for math tests throughout the year by practice solving algorithms over and over again. The cramming did not result in deep connections and understandings and as a result, learning mathematics was frustrating and resulted in many tears.
Meanwhile, the other subjects in school were much easier to me. Social studies was one giant memorable, intense, real-life story. Reading consisted of reading stories one after the other, and writing allowed me to make my own stories and reflect on what I was reading. My mathematics experience did not allow for as much reflection as I would have hoped it would. I believe that if I had more math courses similar to how I am teaching mine today, I would have had the confidence to have been able to go to school to be an engineering or mathematics major. My teaching philosophy is a response to my personal experiences in school and my desire for my students to have a better experience and to have more confidence in their learning.
Even now as a teacher, I still am a learner. I am constantly learning how to improve my practices and how to help students make better connections to their learning. Teaching requires a lot of research, organization, and planning.
How My Learning Philosophy Influences My Innovation Plan
My Learning Philosophy is very influential on my innovation plan. I believe that implementing the blended learning station-rotation model in the classroom supports students in developing meaning and purpose in the classroom. I also want there to be a meaningful purpose to the technologies that we use in the classroom. I do not want students to just have a computer thrown at them all day without any deep or meaningful learning happening.
I plan to start each unit within the blended learning with a problem-based lesson, and once students can understand the why behind the learning, their drive to make meaning of it with mathematics will naturally exist. The power of student voice will be amplified through the activities, conversations and brainstorming amongst students while being introduced to a topic.
The Blended-learning aspect of my innovation plan allows students to eventually develop choice, and ownership over their learning. I believe the traditional blended learning mindset occasionally leaves administration and teachers feeling a little concerned about how students will buy-into the learning. However, with problem-based lessons intertwined in the curriculum, students will be able to find purpose in their learning and find purpose for their learning.
References
Bates, T. (2019, March 17). Learning Theories and Online Learning. Online Learning and Distance Education Resources. https://www. tonybates.ca/2014/07/29/learning-theories-and-online-learning/.
Culatta, R. (2018, November 30). Constructivist Theory (Jerome Bruner). InstructionalDesign.org. http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/ constructivist/.
Constructivist Theory (Jerome Bruner). InstructionalDesign.org. (2018, November 30). http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/ constructivist/.
Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Gerstein, J. (2019, March 11). Authentic Learning Experiences. User Generated Education.https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/authentic-learning-experiences/.
Harapnuik, D. (2016, March 11). harapnuik.org. http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6344.
Learning Theory Project Team of HKU. (2018). History of Learning Theories. https://kb.edu.hku.hk/learning_theory_history/.
Smith, M. K. (1999-2020). ‘Learning theory’, The encyclopedia of pedagogy and informal education. https://infed.org/mobi/learning-theory-models-product-and-process/. Retrieved: March 11, 2021.
Tan, S. C., & Hung, D. (2003). Beyond information pumping: Creating a constructivist e-learning environment. Educational Technology, 42(5), 48-54.
Education with Meaning 