Kyle Owens
Topic 4 – project 2
What exactly is good teaching? This is a question that has gone unanswered for quite some time. Walker Percy and Friere(full name)(describe loss of creature and banking concept) have spent much time trying to answer this question. Although Percy and Freire both value the role of the teacher, they caution against the act of teaching. Freire states “The people subjected to domination must fight for their emancipation”. In this case the students have to fight for their education. From a students point of view I agree with many of the ideas of Percy and Freire. Professors should be able to cater the lesson plan to the specific needs of the students. Professors are able to support real student learning by teaching the class a way that increases student interaction, and will benefit students most, not the professors. Some ways real student learning can be implemented include project based learning, student led classes, personalized learning environments and (sub point 4 ). The most relevant idea that came to mind was implementing project based learning in the classroom.
Project based learning can be beneficial to many students, specifically those who struggle with standardized tests. Replacing standardized tests with projects students will be able to essentially teach themselves. Students will be able to work at their own specific pace that works best for them. Freire and percys views would strongly support this idea. Although Friere and Percy value teachers they believe in “avoiding the educator’s direct presentation of the object as a lesson to be learned.” They would be more inclined to work on their own schedule in a way that is most productive to them. In addition to this students should have both options of working in groups or working independently, as students benefit from these options differently. When only one option is used some students are given an advantage, while others are put at a disadvantage. I believe that this is essential for this topic, all students know how they learn best. Percy believes not all students would benefit the same from the premade lesson plans and class rules that have been used for years in a row. Perhaps giving the students some leadership in the classroom can solve this problem.
Good teaching should include input from the students on how the class is run, as all students have their own unique ways they learn best. Students having more leadership in the classroom can lead to student run classes.In addition to this student led discussion groups and speeches may also be implemented. The way the class would be ran would stem from the thoughts and beliefs of the students themselves.As Percy has identified,‘”For there is nothing the educator can do to provide for this need of the student, everything the educator does only succeeds in becoming, for the student, part of the educational package.” In order to achieve teaching without teachers at West Chester University, classrooms need to become more student based and incorporate styles of learning that benefit each student individually. Students will better relate to each other when in a learning environment. Percy further proves this by stating “The educator is well aware that something is wrong, that there is a fatal gap between the students’ learning and students’ lives.” pg 4
College students have been taking classes for years now and are able to identify what learning styles will be most beneficial to them.
Another idea to encourage good learning includes letting individuals learn with students who share their same needs and preferences to create a more personalized learning environment.This can be implemented by a number of surveys to find strengths and weaknesses, and the best learning techniques. These different classes would include the same workload, they will be presented in a different manner. Classes with 200 different students sharing the same lesson plan seems non authentic. Percy reiterates this by stating,“It is now apparent that as between the many measures which may be taken to overcome the opacity, the boredom, of the direct confrontation of the thing or creature in its citadel of symbolic investiture, some are less authentic than others.” pg2 (talk ab instructional differences (relate a specific marketing 250 class to this and use examples )(take out park ab group work and non group work)
Sub point 4
“The educator whose business it is to teach students biology or poetry is unaware of a whole ensemble of relations which exist between the student and the dogfish and between the student and the Shakespeare sonnet.” pg4
In conclusion although Percy and freire value teachers, they believe in “avoiding the educator’s direct presentation of the object as a lesson to be learned.” These ideas show that students themselves have more to offer in the classroom. The students should be a part of the teaching experience just as much as they are a part of the learning experience. By implementing project based learning, student led classes, personalized learning environments, and (sub point 4) students are able to receive a much more beneficial education
