Peter E. Pflaum - Golden Globe -

The Synergy Network

Wiredbrain Pflaump@wiredbrain.com

TO: List

RE: Teach the subject or the student?

I try to teach people not subjects. I know most teachers

feel it is their job to transmit a specific bit of

information so the student has it. I respect that and

understand it. For me I don't find it very interesting or

FUN to do the same thing over. If I taught content it would

repeat itself, class to class term to term. I hope I never

have had to same class twice. I have said the same thing

more than twice but not that often. So, its a personal

preference to form groups, give them some kind of framework

and encourage from the sidelines and make comments on their

papers. I also don't like grading so have a point system -

Students earn grades I don't give them - so they are free to

say what every they want it can't influence their grade. I

have no power except to give points and if they don't agree

they can change them. (Mankaranko's idea)

But the world does not come in subjects and contents - but a

series of unclear and difficult situations.

There are no

economic or political or environmental or social problems -

there are situations with all these and more elements. Sure

specialization is great - but can also be a problem when the

subject taught is what other people think - not a real

description of reality.

The subject is the subject - like

theology - not understanding problem solving, discovery

methods, research and experimental design -

Isn't it better to learn how to find out - how to learn?

Most of the things in books are old and maybe useless -

certainly

confusing. I have an Economics class this summer and the

textbook wants to please everyone (to make money) and

includes everything and every viewpoint and is just

impossible! It creates a mix-mash in minds that can't handle

simple relationships - cause and effect not multi-variate

analysis and complex models. So what do they learn in my

class (in groups)- the idea of Adam Smith and the pin

factory - its history until it become PINS international. A

simple simulation - KISS keep it simple and there is some

hope they can move from one step to another. My wife, the

English teacher, has a class - now let's write a story (OH)

now let's write a paragraph (OH) now let's work on Sentences

(OH) now these are the parts of speech! No point in going on

if they don't have the basics.

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Peter E. Pflaum Ph.D. GLOBAL_VILLAGE_SCHOOLHOUSE

225 Robinson Road, New Smyrna Beach * IN THE WORLD -

FL 32169-2176 (904) 428-9609 * BUT NOT OF THE WORLD

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Pflaump@wiredbrain.com * SMALL SCHOOLS JOURNALS

pflaump@wiredbrain.com, Pflaump@wiredbrain.com,

ZEN IS THE ART OF GETTING YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY

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