Blog Junkie

reflections on the sea - Dan Werner

After a great deal of procrastination, thought and pushing from my family, I decided to enroll in an MEd program. It has been a life-changing decision.  I have embarked on a most incredible journey and professional awakening. Between the classes, colleagues and readings there has been deep reflective learning.

I have discovered from Miller & Sellar’s¹ three traditions of education, transmission, transaction and transformation, I stand in all three, but my teacher’s inner-self situates in transformation. From Eisner’s² 5 traditions, I situate myself in “social adaption/reformation”. I look at my teaching practices through much different lens now. I realize where my former frustrations were coming from. I was trapped, through my own “unknowing”, in a tradition I needed to move out of. I needed to put my learners in the centre of my practice. I moved to standing with my students, but I was still frustrated. I was still standing in their way. Their voice was mingled with mine. I wanted to hear just them.

This class has become a journey of awakening as I am moving through the process of creating a qualitative research thesis. I know now that I come to my question of how computer technology enables learning through multiple intelligences from a passion. A passion to ensure my students are able to “show what they know” through their own unique voice, in whatever form that voice chooses to take. It also comes from a passionate belief that computer technology offers some, maybe those most at-risk of being marginalized by the “institution” of school, to find that voice and shout.

In an article by Denzin & Lincoln³ they talk about an image to describe a qualitative researcher; a bricoleur and Quilt Maker, a person who organizes images into montages. A quilt-maker. How interesting as my mother is an amazing fabric artist whose quilts take your breath away. I am the high school drama fanatic who was always more comfortable behind the script, not in front of it, moving the images to create a story. The university History nut who looked at  history through story. The reader who’s father said she read by weight not by volumes. The observer of people who wants to know their stories and for some reason they always tell them to me. Thank you to Kathy, who reminded me: I am a storyteller.  I situate myself as a researcher in story and I cannot wait to see the “images” of my students and hear their “stories” as this research unfolds.

¹Miller, J. & Seller, W. (1990) Curriculum: Perspectives and Practices

²Eisner, Elliot. (1985). The Educational Imagination.

³Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. 3rd ed., pg 4.

After reading several books on teacher inquiry in the classroom, I was side-tracked into a reflection on what drives my passion to teach. Something has to make me want to get out of bed and brush 4cm of snow off my car in -30 celsius weather to drive to school.

Learning: the ability/skills to help others learn, whatever their learning style may be.

Inquiry: to develop as a teacher by looking at my own practice as a teacher-inquirer and engaging in reform-minded teaching.

I’m addicted to the “aha” looks on the faces of my students when they grasp something they’ve/we’ve been working on or struggling with. I’m addicted to the dead silence that occasionally fills my class when everyone is engaged in a topic or book or the blast of questions that stem from a discussion. I’m addicted to those rare moments of “magic” in the class.

I’m also addicted to the questions I constantly ask myself regarding my teaching. Those questions, that sometimes I’d rather not ask, questions that make you look at yourself as you teach and interact with the students.

What drives you to teach?