Re: Joint environment -- EDPR 7/8112 Adolescence Sec. 001 0500-0800 R

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Date Posted: 21:00:22 02/06/07 Tue
Author: Jessica Roesch
Subject: Re: Joint environment
In reply to: Ethel S. McKinney 's message, "Joint environment" on 17:37:58 02/04/07 Sun

Because i'm not in the teaching profession, i had not really considered the challenges that teachers may think about when attempting to apply these different developmental theories to classroom activities. While there may be potential downsides to group activities, I think that having children, especially adolescents, work collaborately can result in some of the most useful and powerful lessons that they may gain from school. As adults, we are forced to work collaborately in the real world all the time. Students will need to be able to work with and learn from others in their future careers, as they work with peers and superiors. Aside from the lessons being taught from the textbook or lecture, I think the more important lesson is learning how to cope with others, how to read other people and to communicate effectively. These lessons cannot be learned from reading a book, they must come from experience with interaction and collaboration.
>I agree with Vygotsky's collaborative learning
>environment, but being a teacher, I must make sure the
>team has at least one knowledgable member.Modeling the
>behavior of their peers is what adolescents do and
>teacher administators feel this should be actively
>modeled in the classroom. In a perfect world it would
>work without a hitch, but in practicum, I know that if
>I have not set ground rule several days before,
>prepped the classroom, gathered the materials, and
>shown the students a sample of what is expected, they
>will not be able to work together without causing
>chaos. Middle school and high school classrooms are
>allowed to have up to and no more than 35 students.
>Peer collaborative activities, while beneficial
>according to Vygotsky, are a nightmare for the
>teacher. Knowing this will help most of my students
>learn better, I still only have group activities once
>a month because of the extensive planning. Personally
>I think its fabulous to utilize in a smaller group
>environment.

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[> Re: Joint environment -- Elizabeth Luster, 18:10:01 02/07/07 Wed

I agree with both of you! I teach math and science at BHJCC and my students range from 16-24 years old (from Juv Court, fostercare, and mental institutions) and it is VERY difficult to "maintain" a class in a facillitated peer environment--but the RESULTS are so very worth it. I love group work and I believe more courses here should be offered that help us, as teachers, develop this approach. Are there any websites that anyone could suggest that may have some of the prep work-with standards-already done? Because it IS a lot to try and implement this once or twice a week?!

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