I teach a section of Introduction to Hamsterfur Weaving. We had just completed an activity designed to introduce students in the course to the basic nomenclature of hamsterfur weaves, which is a necessary skill if the students are to be able to identify the different types of weaves discussed during the rest of the semester.
The majority of the students were working together, identifying things like the "rasta hamsterweave", the "trailer park weave", and the "cammullet weave". I noticed that Sammie Snowflake's hand was raised, so I walked over to see what was up.
Sammie Snowflake: "So, do we have to learn this by ourselves?"
Zeke: "........"
2 minutes later...
Zeke: "Class, Sammie Snowflake just asked an interesting question, 'Do we have to learn this by ourselves?' Thank you Sammie, for asking. Yes. Yes you do. In fact, anything you learn, you have to learn by yourselves. Otherwise, you haven't learned it."
Sammie sat and stewed while the rest of the class got on with the process of learning. By themselves.
I even try to explain this idea to them, repeatedly, in the first week and they *still* have a fit when it happens.
ReplyDeleteI say, "I will help you, but ultimately everything we learn, we have to learn by ourselves." I doubt that many of them understand that, but at least it quiets them down because it sounds good. If they go crying to the dean, it isn't as damning as most other things I say since it goes with the dean's cockamamie ideas of being "not the sage on the stage, but the guide on the side."
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but how did this student learn anything like dressing, brushing teeth, etc.? Ok, he was taught at first, but afterwards he was on his own. Is everything "group-think" to him now? And how does that work?
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