http://www-grms.stjohns.k12.fl.us/teachers/downeyr/0783E060-0118C716.0/algebra-cartoon.gif
Isn't that the question of the decade? I know I use to ask my peers this same question..."When will we ever use this again?" As I have grown and had more experiences in life I have found that I do use many of the skills I learned in middle level math (or school in general), but why did I not make that connection when I was in the classroom? As this cartoon depicts, teachers often relate the use of the material in the future to the upcoming test, or pop quiz on Friday. As stated in the NMSA's "This We Believe" characteristics, "curriculum must be...RELEVANT", and "students and teachers must be engaged in active, and PURPOSEFUL learning." As middle level teachers we must have the knowledge and ability to show kids when they will use certain skills in the future, and give them real world application examples to reinforce these skills. If you make something relevant, whether you are an adult or child, you will be more apt to retain that skill or concept. This cartoon did a wonderful job of characterizing the need to make learning relevant, and take the concepts beyond the classroom.
This cartoon points to the TWB characteristics of making instruction relevent. This have been an area of improvement for me. I have to remember to make everything relevent for my students so that they WANT to learn what every it is I am be teaching and relaize the purpose of the lesson for future use.
ReplyDeleteThis past week I had the opportuntiy to sit in on a model teach for a teacher interviewing at a charter school. At the end of the lesson they went around the room and asked for comments. I have been hearing so much about making every lesson relevent this was the first thing I notice lacking from the lesson presentation Relevance is so important!