What kind
of learner are you? Have you ever thought about it? I grew up thinking that
there was only one way to learn – and that was to memorise everything I
possibly could, and then repeat it back appropriately for the purpose of exams.
This served me well – straight As throughout school, distinctions and prizes
for both my undergraduate degrees – but I often had a feeling that I was
somehow cheating. I didn’t really know much, I certainly did not understand all
of the information I ‘knew’, and I would often meet others who seemed much more
conversant and familiar with those very facts, and who were able to translate
them into real life. I was easily swayed by persuasive arguments, and could find
myself agreeing with both sides during a debate. Had I really learnt? Does it
really matter, given that my qualifications then opened the right doors for me
to progress in the areas which interested me most?
During my
PhD, I actually needed to think! Despite having worked in clinical medicine,
with its daily uncertainties and grey areas, for more than a decade, somehow I
had not fully appreciated that there is not always a right or wrong answer to a
question. In fact, there might not be an answer at all! A recent fact that
astonished me was that up to 50% of the material which we learnt at medical
school will subsequently be shown to be incorrect in some way. Often all we
have is the current best evidence, and in addition to an awareness of the
current ‘facts’, we need the ability to appraise, consider, question, critique
and re-evaluate in line with emerging data. I had not developed these abilities
at all during my school and undergraduate education, and found the learning
curve during a research doctorate very steep.
Currently, I
am undertaking a teaching qualification in Higher Education, and reflecting
upon what teaching actually is. What I grew up with might be described as a ‘transfer’
theory, where a section of knowledge is transferred from the teacher into the
student. However, much more effective are the modalities which enable active
learning. Learning and teaching are two extremely different processes, and even
the best teacher in the world will not be effective if the learner is not
actively engaged in the process. A student should have opportunity to explore,
to question, to consolidate and to be given feedback and guidance as they
develop in their understanding of an area. More than simply being able to list
facts, such a student will develop the skills of lifelong learning, standing
them in good stead for all walks of life.
What about
skills development? I always thought a ‘skill’ was somehow an alternative to
the pinnacle of academia, that perhaps students who were less academically able
could focus on the development of skills to enhance their future employability.
But what about the skills of leadership, negotiation, conflict resolution,
teaching, encouragement, appraisal and critique, debate, delivery of
presentations, being an ambassador in one’s field? How should these skills be
developed? You see it clearly in medicine. It is simply assumed that a doctor
will be able to teach, and with increasing seniority (usually meaning advancing
age), to be able to step into a management position. Some of this has changed
in recent years, but the assumptions continue.
Why is this
relevant to a Home Education blog? For me it is highly relevant, as I consider
both the styles and delivery of teaching and learning which take place in our
home. When I first heard of home education, I had pictures of a group of
obedient children sitting down with jotters and pencils around the kitchen
table. How wrong could I be! Visit any website on home education (and I have
links to several of these on this blog), and you will be astonished by the
sheer diversity of teaching and learning methods that take place. Some of it
will be intuitive – you and your children will have a unique style, and with a
little trial and error, you will find what suits you best. But a basic
understanding of some of the processes might help streamline this. What type of
learner do you want your child to be? Do you want them to simply accept all
things they are taught as the truth, or do you want them to question and
explore? Are there any absolute truths? (My understanding of this issue should
become clear, and I would refer to my posts on worldview and Biblical parenting
for more detail). Similarly, a child may know accept something to be true, but
can they put together a coherent argument as to their point of view? And how
will they handle conflict and criticism, which are a sad part of ‘real life’,
but from which the mainstream school system might shield them? The processes
involved in active learning, together with timely, constructive feedback and
the opportunities to explore, challenge, question and re-appraise would be very
difficult to achieve in a classroom setting where there is a high student to
teacher ratio, where the length of lessons is set and the curriculum is firmly
established, and where there are diverse needs represented within the student
group. You could argue that it verges on impossible.
What is the
main goal of learning? Is it simply to be able to jump through the right hoops
to get into the right form of higher education, leading on to a ‘good’ job? Of
course, those hoops will continue to exist, and must indeed be navigated if a
child is to acquire the best qualifications they can in their area of interest.
But without detracting from this, can we embrace the development of learning
skills? I believe that we can, and this is a great merit of home education. I
believe that we can help our children to learn, to understand and to become
lifelong learners. These skills will be
transferable between disciplines, and should enable a child to develop
confidence and security in what they believe, even when faced with others who
disagree or who hold an alternative view. I believe this to be a far better
preparation for adult life than that which I received through a conventional
education.
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