Lesson 5: theories of learning, humanisT Approaches
'we busted out of class, had to get away from those fools, we learnt more from a three minute record baby than we ever learnt in school'
Bruce springsteen
Watch video and consider the following for discussion:
- Outside of the classroom, which issues might students bring into the classroom?
- How can these impact on behaviour and achievement?
- Looking at Maslow's Hierarchy of Need, where does Sarah's story fit?
Humanist education theory
Theorists: Maslow, rogers, see also Gardener and many others...
- Maslow 'Self Actualisation'
- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Learning
- Personal growth to reach potential
- Student as individual (see gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligences)
- Nurture of self; self understanding
- Joy of learning; find 'Element' (see Ken Robinson) and personal strengths/weaknesses
- Facilitate 'Peak Experiences', 'will lead a student to experience the real pleasure to be derived from discovery' (Quoted p.113 Curzon, 2004)
- Well-being e.g. 'STEW', 'Flow' (see MilhayCsikszentmihalyi), Mindfulness
- Does school facilitate this?
Maslow:
- People don't always make the right choices
- Teacher can facilitate and assist, 'growth choices'
- Important that learning experiences aren't seen as 'dangerous, valueless or threatening' (ibid. p.115)
Every human being has two sets of forces within him. One set clings to safety and defensiveness...
The second set impels him forward toward wholeness of self and uniqueness of self, toward full functioning of all his capacities, toward confidence in the face of the external world at the same time he can accept his deepest, real, unconscious self.
Just don't feed the wrong dog
Michael Connolly
Howard Gardner: Multiple intelligences and teaching the individual
Humanism and experiential learning
- Describe the learning process taking place...
David Kolb&Ron Fry: The Experiential Learning Model
All underpinned by humanist psychologist Carl Rogers...
- Related to Constructivism; building on existing learning and constructing reality
- Role of Teacher as facilitator and provider of positive encouragement and reinforcement
- See also: Jacobson and Ruddy 'The Five Questions'
- Did you notice...?
- Why did that happen?
- Does that happen in life?
- Why does that happen?
- How can you use that?
All underpinned by humanist psychologist Carl Rogers...
“You know that I don't believe that anyone has ever taught anything to anyone. I question that efficacy of teaching. The only thing that I know is that anyone who wants to learn will learn. And maybe a teacher is a facilitator, a person who puts things down and shows people how exciting and wonderful it is and asks them to eat.”
― Carl R. Rogers
- Adapted for education from his experiences as a psychologist and reaction against behaviourist psychology and cognitivist ideas of education where learning is concerned with 'the fixing of certain associations'
- Freedom to Learn (1969)
- 'Student-centred education based on active discovery' (Curzon, p.116)
- Saw traditional education as disconnected from the real processes of learning
- Importance of students finding their own meaning and relevance; 'self initiated learning'
- Students should be given choice
- Importance of self-concept, change and development
- 'Human beings have a natural potentiality for learning'
- Importance of removing 'threat' from the learning process
- TEACHER AS FACILITATOR and even... 'Participant Learner' (see dialogics)
- Awareness of feelings and mood of group (see mindfulness)
Living the dream..?
Summerhill school. Democratic humanism at work
- Watch the video and consider how effective the methods of behaviour management are?
- How engaged do the students seem to be?
- Are there any elements of this approach we can use in a mainstream setting? Are there any in place already?