Today, I did a training as part of a series on metacognition - thinking about thinking. It's something we all want to do, but don't always know how to do. In fact, it's something we often forget when integrating technology.
Today, though, it was during a discussion with a teacher regarding a series of questions (thanks to Tracy Clark for the questions!) on art and the thinking thought process, that I realized our end goal: to create. At the end of the day, we want our students to explore and create. We don't need to know their end product. Rather, we want to equip with them with the knowledge, skills, tools, and opportunities necessary to be creators.
In looking at a commonly used picture, the teachers analyzed:
In the end, though, I asked - what is the purpose of these questions. Teachers responded with: to interpret.
When we interpret, are there correct answers? As the teachers responded, no, there are not. When we ask students those questions, we are not looking for any specific answer, but a certain way of thinking, a certain way of exploring the material. When we give them the ability to explore and interpret, we give them the ability to create. Because, to create does not have a specific outcome.
We need to train our students and teachers to not work toward a desired outcome, but provide them with the thought processes that produce creators and innovators.
What do you expect from your students?
Today, though, it was during a discussion with a teacher regarding a series of questions (thanks to Tracy Clark for the questions!) on art and the thinking thought process, that I realized our end goal: to create. At the end of the day, we want our students to explore and create. We don't need to know their end product. Rather, we want to equip with them with the knowledge, skills, tools, and opportunities necessary to be creators.
In looking at a commonly used picture, the teachers analyzed:
- What do you see?
- What do you think about that?
- What does it make you wonder?
In the end, though, I asked - what is the purpose of these questions. Teachers responded with: to interpret.
When we interpret, are there correct answers? As the teachers responded, no, there are not. When we ask students those questions, we are not looking for any specific answer, but a certain way of thinking, a certain way of exploring the material. When we give them the ability to explore and interpret, we give them the ability to create. Because, to create does not have a specific outcome.
We need to train our students and teachers to not work toward a desired outcome, but provide them with the thought processes that produce creators and innovators.
What do you expect from your students?
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