Professor Sharon

100 Day Project – Day 57 – 8:45 p.m.

“Learning results from what the student does and thinks and only from what the student does and thinks.  The teacher can advance learning only by influencing what the student does to learn.”   Herbert A. Simon  (One of the founders of the field of Cognitive Science and Nobel Laureate)

I think I’ve mentioned at least, if not twice, the open classroom visits that recently happened on my campus.  Just a few days ago, one of the professors that visited my 101 level introduction to early childhood education class thanked me for my hospitality and noted that he was interested in the fact that I “only” had 10 minutes of direct instruction.

Although I’ve never timed myself, I wouldn’t doubt that number at all.  I work hard to create an hour of learning that is doing.  The quote I found fascinates me because I’m sure that the more I provide time for students to do, the more they learn; and the more I talk or lecture at them, the less they learn.  I create opportunities for thinking about what they already know about a subject, what they still want to know, asking others what they know and comparing that knowledge, and thinking about ways to learn what they still want to know.

Thank you Dr. Simon for reassuring me that doing is a good thing in learning, a very good thing.