ersonal Learnlng 1heory AsslgnmenL

!ennlfer Long (#33634000)

ln my experlences as a hlgh school Leacher, l have found Lhe large ma[orlLy of Leenagers have
lnsecurlLles wlLhln Lhe classroom. l have LaughL a number of sLudenLs who have expressed Lo
me LhaL aL Llmes Lhey are so worrled abouL noL belng able Lo answer a quesLlon ln fronL of Lhe
class, LhaL Lhey are unable Lo focus on whaL ls belng learned. 1helr fear of fallure prevenLed
Lhem from belng successful ln Lhelr classes. l Lherefore belleve LhaL before effecLlve learnlng
can Lake place LhaL an accepLlng and respecLful culLure has Lo be esLabllshed wlLhln a
classroom. lL ls lmperaLlve LhaL sLudenLs be able Lo ask quesLlons and dlscuss concepLs wlLhouL
feellng as Lhough Lhey are belng [udged by Lhelr Leacher or peers. Cnly when Lhey feel
comforLable wlLhln Lhelr envlronmenL wlll Lhey be free of dlsLracLlon and capable of meanlngful
learnlng.
Cnce a supporLlve classroom cllmaLe has been esLabllshed, Lhe nexL sLep ln creaLlng a
producLlve learnlng envlronmenL ls maklng maLerlal engaglng, relevanL and connecLlng lL Lo real
llfe appllcaLlons. lf sLudenLs observe a Leacher who ls exclLed and passlonaLe abouL Lhe sub[ecL
Lhey are presenLlng, Lhe sLudenLs wlll also become exclLed, lf sLudenLs observe a Leacher who ls
apaLheLlc, Lhen Lhey Loo wlll become bored and apaLheLlc. lL ls lmporLanL LhaL we as Leachers
help Lhe sLudenLs Lo connecL Lhe maLerlal Lhey are learnlng Lo Lhelr own llfe experlences as well
as currenL real world appllcaLlons. When sLudenLs see Lhe valldlLy ln whaL Lhey are learnlng
Lhey are far more llkely Lo have success wlLhln a course.
llnally, whlle l do belleve LhaL sLudenLs ofLen learn besL by dlscoverlng" Lhe knowledge
Lhemselves, l Lhlnk LhaL aL Lhe hlgh school level lL ls lmporLanL Lo have a balance beLween Lhese
dlscovery Lechnlques and Lransmlsslon based learnlng. Lspeclally aL Lhe hlgh school level where
many of Lhe sclence concepLs are brand new for Lhe sLudenLs lL ls lmporLanL Lo seL Lhem up
wlLh a clear foundaLlon of knowledge before havlng Lhem work Lhrough experlmenLs,
dlscusslons, case sLudles, eLc

Whlle l don'L Lhlnk cerLaln vlews LhaL l hold would change accordlng Lo sub[ecL maLLer (creaLlng
a respecLful envlronmenL eLc) l do Lhlnk LhaL when l compare how sLudenLs would learn a
sub[ecL such as blology, versus how a sLudenL would learn ln a class llke Leadershlp (where Lhey
are organlzlng evenLs/assemblles and communlLy ouLreach Lype acLlvlLes)