Learning to Teach. Teaching to Learn.

“By learning, you will teach. By teaching, you will learn.”

– Latin Proverb

This course gave me a new perspective about learning and teaching. I learned that learning not just about acquiring knowledge while teaching is not just sharing knowledge.

As a student, I am usually an observer and consumer of information during discussions, rarely a contributor. I love reading and listening to ideas of other people and process them to help me with my own learning. As a teacher, I take the responsibility of transferring and sharing my knowledge and expertise to help my students conquer their fear and difficulties in learning.

Writing eJournal entries forced me, in a good way, to reflect, express my thoughts and process the knowledge I acquired in this course. It helped me monitor and evaluate my own learning. I am surprised how much meaningful article I was able to produce. Being able to create more than 30 entries in less than three months is not bad at all for a first-time blogger. Most importantly, it helped me conquer my fear in writing. As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I had hesitation creating a blog for several reasons (or excuses): I didn’t know what to write about, I have lost my writing skills since I haven’t written anything for a very long time, and I am not good expressing myself through writing in English (the lamest excuse I came up with!).

Knowing yourself and what you want helps a lot in selective learning. I will not perform a task just because I am required to do so. I will not accomplish an activity just because everyone is doing it. Being able to identify my strengths and weaknesses helped me strategically plan my learning and use them to my advantage.

Required tasks and activities help me identify the important concepts and ideas that I should learn in a given topic. Forum discussions keep me on the right track. Exercises and assignments reinforce my understanding and deep processing. Deadlines are reminders how much time and effort I should allot and exert, helping me to strategically plan and accomplish my goals on my own pace. Quizzes and tests assess and evaluate my learning.

Assignments, projects and other requirements can be stressful only if you allow them to stress you out. Finishing a task on time does not guarantee quality of work, in the same way that quantity of activities does not mean you will learn a lot.

All of these work together to help me apply all the concepts, ideas and theories I’ve learned in this course. Putting them to practice will help me become better and more effective learner and teacher. These will then help me to continuously improve and evaluate my current behavior, social skills, strategies to learn and teach, and change them, whenever necessary, so I can keep myself motivated and so I can critically and creatively think to create new knowledge and useful products in helping others learn and teach.

So far, I am very happy and satisfied with what I have learned and am still learning in this course. And for that, I am very thankful for every person who contributes, motivates, believes and helps me go through this course.

There will come a point in your life when you want to learn because… well, you just want to learn. Gone are the days when my motivation to study is driven by getting perfect test scores, high grades, fancy degrees and numerous academic awards. And by “study”, I mean going through tons of memorization, a number of sleepless nights cramming for exams and accomplishing every requirement, and other exhausting and stressful forms of “shallow” learning.

Now, I want to learn for learning’s sake. All the time, efforts and resources will not go to waste and will be spent in continuously improving myself. I was given the ability to share knowledge and the capacity to learn and there’s nothing more fulfilling than being able to utilize them in helping others experience learning, improve themselves and succeed in life.

My Failed Attempt to Learn Math and Science in the Past

Until now, I still cannot say that I am a Math expert, even after almost a decade of experience of improving and strengthening my math learning and teaching skills – skills that many people around me “envy” based on their reactions and comments whenever they discover that I teach Math.

Learning math and science are highly regarded to help us improve our high-order thinking skills. Math and science boast themselves as developers of critical thinking. But how far do Math and Science taught in schools really bring us to developing these skills?

I can say that I “did very well” (take note that I did not intentionally use the verb learn) in Math and Science during my elementary and high school days. These are supported by my consistently impressive grades and a number of science competitions I participated in, both resulting to numerous academic awards. Obviously, my interest and my remarkable performance in these subjects inspired me to take civil engineering course in college. I was very confident then that I will be a great engineer someday.

It was only until I entered college when I discovered that like many other students, I am a product of traditional and passive ways of teaching, preventing me from developing high-order thinking skills. I was spoon-fed with math formulas and scientific principles through rote-learning. I was trained to sit in class and listen to my teachers’ lectures without questioning the knowledge given to me and not actively participating in class. I was “tricked” that to be able to “do well” in math and science, I have to just understand and memorize scientific terms and facts, and correctly answer math problems using techniques that will help me answer them as fast as I can, and if possible, mentally.

I know that we can all relate how college gave us the freedom to learn on our own. Gone are the days when everything is provided and spoon-fed to us. We have to accomplish tasks and discover knowledge independently with a little guidance from our instructors, co-learners and other people and resources around us.

High order thinking is more than just being able to answer math problems correctly using mathematical formulas, supported by accurately executed solutions taught and preferred by our math teachers. Critical thinking is not just being able to perform science experiments, following step-by-step procedures and coming up with results so we can answer questions in our lab manuals and comply with the requirements of our science class.

High order thinking skills goes beyond memorizing and understanding mathematical formulas and scientific principles. More than being able to apply, analyze and evaluate them, critical thinking helps us create new knowledge. It is always a misconception that creativity is only applicable in the field of arts. Being able to create new knowledge and practical products as a result of critical and creative thinking is a solid determinant and proof of reaching high order thinking skills.

Human Brain vs. Computer

It would be a great convenience for us if our brain functions like a computer. Computers can retrieve and process information faster, more accurately, consistently and objectively. However, I never really wished to be like a computer, at least in terms of my learning ability. Computers are products of human brains and are very powerful and useful tools to help us accomplish tasks that cannot be done by the human brain alone. Well, I think that is the very reason why they are invented. Therefore, I think that humans are still superior and computers are useful and powerful tools.

1) Human brain can create and build ideas of and on its own. We humans are unique in terms of thinking critically and creatively. Computers, on the other hand, can only do what it is programmed to do. While one computer can process and analyze a lot of data in a very short period of time, it cannot create information on its own.

2) Human brain does not have a memory limit. Moreover, it can be selective and subjective to what memory must be stored when receiving information.

3) Human brain can correct its own errors. While at times, some attitudes and behaviors may alter information and prevent it from correcting itself, the probability of learning from its mistakes is always possible.

4) Human brain is not prone to viruses. While its ability to process information may be influenced by external factors, it works independently and can rationally make decisions on its own.

5) Human brain does not become obsolete and has no compatibility issues. While the learning curve and adjustment period may vary from person to person, it can adapt to any technological advances through time.

And lastly…

6) Human brain works even without electricity.

Most computers do not actually “learn”. They are programmed to quickly and accurately execute a series of task or routine. If not properly and correctly executed, it will also produce erroneous results quickly and consistently. It cannot recognize its own mistakes and correct itself. I think this is another reason why our brain does not work like a computer. We are susceptible to committing mistakes, however, we have the ability to correct them and charge them to our learning experience.

My Models and Mentors in Teaching

My decision to take the BES program is not entirely a decision I made all by myself. I was encouraged by some of my students, and most of their parents as they believe that I have what it take to be an effective teacher. Keeping the motivation to study and learn more is not an easy task for me as my teaching experience already convinced me that getting a degree in teaching does not guarantee that I will become a better and more effective teacher.

Having role models and mentors in teaching inspires me to teach and keeps me motivated to learn more. Over time, I’ve come across several people who created significant impacts in my life. They are the people I look up to because of their personal distinctiveness, impressive accomplishments, and inspiring ideals, principles and standards. Needless to say, I want to become a teacher like them.

1) Teacher Vangie (social worker, day care center volunteer teacher) – for inspiring me to learn at a very young age by creating a fun learning environment using teaching strategies that taught us how fun learning can be. I can still remember that day when I “gate crash” in her class. I was not officially enrolled then but she lets me sit in and participate in her class that day. After that session, I went home asking my mother to buy me school supplies and bag so I can attend Teacher Vangie’s class again. The next day, my mother and Teacher Vangie agreed that I should be enrolled in her class. After the school year, I was awarded as one of the most outstanding students in our class.

2) Ma’am Mira (Grade 5 adviser, national quiz bee coach) and Ma’am Flores (Biology teacher, biology quiz bee coach) – for their dedication in their profession and “going extra miles” , even at times when they were challenged by their health conditions. I remember being sent to their houses after school just for coaching, to help me review and prepare for competitions.

3) Ma’am Austria (Grade 6 adviser) – for believing, defending and helping me get back on my feet at times when I feel down and demotivated by a very low grade I got from one of subjects.

4) Dr. Tapia (Calculus professor) – for his impressive organizational skills in teaching and handling the class, making us learn Calculus as if it was an easy subject.

5) Efren Peñaflorida (CNN Hero of the Year for 2009, head and founder of Dynamic Teen Company) – for being an inspiration in creating and providing opportunity to learn, offering Filipino youth an alternative to street gangs through education, recreating school settings in unconventional locations such as cemeteries and trash dumps  through his Dynamic Teen Company and “Kariton Klasrum” project.

6) My sisters (Mama Jo and Mommy Cehl) – for sharing our common passion in teaching. Mama Jo, my eldest sister, who I also consider my second mom, is a public school teacher. She shares her expertise in teaching and helps me come up with strategies to teach effectively. Mommy Cehl used to be a computer teacher for elementary students.  Both of them used to teach in school where I attended high school, so I saw how great and “cool” they are as teachers.

7) My Parents (Tatay Joe and Nanay Maring) – for their unconditional love, support and dedication in raising us properly as God-fearing children, as well as being inspirations in helping others through volunteer work both in our church and community.

[P.S. I was looking and waiting for an opportunity to write about the people who motivated, inspired and continue to inspire me to teach. I was supposed to write this article under our topic on motivation. However, I have to delay creating this entry to give way for a more relative one.]

Distance Education and Social Learning

Distance education is an effective means of delivering instructions to learners, especially those who are restricted by time, location and other factors that may limit learning possibilities. Based on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, we learn through observation, imitation and modeling. While there is a common belief that distance education inhibits social skills of a learner, as opposed to the traditional way of teaching where there is a “live” teacher/model, together with “visible” classmates to whom we can interact in an “actual” classroom, distance education uses the symbolic medium as model of learning.

In distance education, we learn from modules, reading materials, and other resource materials by browsing the Internet and watching online videos, usually on YouTube. Moreover, we learn from our faculty-initiated discussions, open forums, collaborative dialogue and elaboration, as well as reading online journals (or blog entries) of our classmates.

Aside from becoming independent and developing self-regulation, which is highly regarded for distance learners, one of the most important behaviors a distance learner can develop in this “unconventional” learning environment is cooperation and collaboration. While learning and knowledge acquisition is all up to us, this setup will only be effective if we communicate with our teachers and classmates. While we can decide whether we read the materials or not, and comply with assigned tasks or not, participating in discussions and activities in class would help us a lot. Additionally, social persuasion will encourage and motivate us to learn, which can be in the form of comments, commendations, agreement or disagreement, and exchange of opinions in discussion forums. Personally, it encourages me when my classmates react to my posts, ask questions, or agree/disagree to my opinions. Through these, I feel that my comment or opinion matters and is worth reading. This interaction and exchange of ideas help us think, so we can build and create knowledge that are beneficial to us.

The world social media is continuously expanding and providing ways for us to communicate easier and better. Distance education also offer ways on how knowledge can be delivered and created through distance communication. If properly executed and utilized, it is not far that we can achieve quality education through this virtual (online) world.

My Behavior and Motivation to Learn Through Time

I grew up in a very traditional family. Both of my parents are disciplinarians in their own ways. I remember my childhood being disciplined through punishments, balanced with positive and negative reinforcements. These shaped my behavior to become who I am now. Corporal and other traditional forms of punishments were implemented and employed in cases of extreme misbehavior. However, Tatay and Nanay never fail to always explain and make sure that we understand why we were punished and reprimanded. These further improved my personality, allowing me to become responsible for and take control of my own behavior. Contrary to the theory that punishment results to negative effects later in life, my personal experience was a substantially satisfying and fulfilling one. Positive reinforcements in the form of praises and recognition in cases of good performance were also used at home. As a child, receiving praises and being recognized by other people makes me feel good about myself, keeps me motivated to do well and helps me improve myself.

These behavior and practices greatly influenced how I behave in school. When I was in elementary and high school, my motivation to study is driven by the rewards of high grades and academic awards. By performing well in school, measured by high exam scores, impressive grades on report cards, and a number of academic recognition, I can say that I am doing a great job as a student. By doing this, I can make my family proud.  To make the story short, I graduated with honors – a proof that I have performed well and can be considered as one of the “best students”, at least based on our school’s standards. While I can say that this behavior and practices took my focus away from “true” learning, this helped me develop good study habits and knowledge-acquiring skills.

And then, there’s college life. After passing UPCAT, I am extremely motivated to do well in school… not until I failed one of my Math 17 exams. Throughout my student life, this is the first time I failed an exam. This greatly influenced my behavior and views in life.  However, this experience motivated me to do better. Thanks to the encouragement of my family and friends who supported me during these moments.

Now that I already gained almost a decade of experience in teaching, keeping myself motivated to learn and study is a very tough behavior to maintain. At times, I feel demotivated and want to give up because of the pressure caused by studying tons of reading materials and challenging tasks and activities that needs to be accomplished. Not only once did I ask myself why I should stress myself out to learn these materials when I already have more than enough experience to prove that I am an effective teacher. Now, my motivation to learn is more than just getting good grades and impressive performance in completing all the tasks and course requirements. It is now about fulfilling my goal to improve myself and become an effective teacher.

‘Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of experience.’ Taking this course lets me revisit and evaluate my past experiences and how these affected and influenced my current behaviors, especially in learning.  This made me realize that to be an effective teacher, I have to continuously learn and improve myself. This will help me share my experiences with my students, so I can encourage them to be motivated and guide them to enjoy a great and fulfilling learning experience.

I am a Math Teacher, Not a Math Expert

I used to think that to be able to teach Math effectively, I just have to be an “expert” in it. For almost a decade of teaching and coaching students, I spent most of my teaching life improving my “expertise” in Math. While I can say that I have encountered more than enough experience teaching students how to deal with and solve Math problems, I still cannot say that I am a Math expert.

What am I missing then? I spent so much time and too much effort devising and formulating strategies and techniques, honing my skills to be an expert in Math problem solving so I can help my students learn how to deal with and answer Math problems with ease, that I overlooked the art of teaching.  I forgot that teaching is more than just letting my students understand Math concepts and teaching them how to solve drills and word problems with ease using specific techniques and strategies that I prefer and find very effective. Rather, teaching is making ways for learning and providing guided opportunities for them to think, discover and solve problems on their own.

More than sharing knowledge or skills and focusing on preparing what to teach and what students must learn, it is important to come up with well-designed and well-thought teaching strategies to enable my students to actively participate and develop critical thinking skills. I have to know my students and identify what they already know prior to the new knowledge or skill they are learning. Focusing on what my students have and what they need to ignite learning will make them feel that my intention to teach them is personal. Showing and proving my students that I am an expert in Math will only intimidate and demotivate them to learn.

Expertise in a particular domain does not guarantee that one is good at helping others learn it. In fact, expertise can sometimes hurt teaching because many experts forget what is easy and what is difficult for students. (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000, pp. 44-45)

“Expertise in an area does not guarantee that one can effectively teach others about that area. Expert teachers know the kinds of difficulties that students are likely to face, and they know how to tap into their students’ existing knowledge in order to make new information meaningful plus assess their students’ progress.”

(Bransford, Brown & Cocking, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School, 2000, pp. 49-50)

My Indicators of Learning

How do I know if I have learned well?

1. Explaining concepts and ideas in my own words (and other medium of communication)

If I can explain a concept without copying every word in the material, then I can say that I have learned well.

2. Creating my own unique personal examples

If I can come up with my own personal examples that are very different from the example provided in the material, then I can say I have learned well.

3. Metaphors and Analogies

If I can connect a complex idea or topic to simpler events, situations or phenomena which are not actually related to the lesson, but are very helpful for me to understand it easier, then I can say I have learned well.

4. Concept map or outline

If I can create an outline or concept map about all the important concepts and ideas on a certain topic, and discuss them without looking at my reading materials or notes, then I can say I have learned well.

5. Teaching, Explaining, Sharing and Discussing with others

As Albert Einstein say, ‘If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.’ If I can explain a certain topic to other people, especially those who are new to the concept or have no previous idea about the topic I am explaining, and make them understand the things I learned, then I can say I have learned well.

6. Practical Applications

If I can apply what I learn to practical situations and use it in and real-life challenges or tasks when it is very useful, then I can say I have learned well.

My Learning Strategies

Strategies I Use To Learn:

1. Note Taking

Writing down important definitions, ideas and concepts using my own words (as much as possible, usually in bullet and outline form) helps me understand a lesson and organize my thoughts about it. I am not only limited to jotting down ideas provided in the book or lessons. I can also take down questions, examples, or ideas that come to mind while reading a specific part of a textbook or reading material. I write them down so I will not forget and be able to get back to it once I come across the answer after reading and understanding the materials. I also write examples, experiences and situations related to the lesson.

2. Outlining and concept mapping

Creating an outline helps me summarize all important concepts, theories, ideas, as well as their connections and relations of each other. It helps me organize my thoughts about the lesson and not miss a topic. Concept maps not only help me take note of important concepts. It also helps me organize ideas and realize connections between theories and topics discussed in a certain lesson. It also serves as a guide when reviewing previous lessons. I may not be able to remember every word in our module and reading materials, but it is important to remember the significant topics and ideas in it.

3. Finding or creating tables, graphs, illustrations, models, examples and practical applications that support a concept

As a visual learner, tables, graphs and illustrations help me understand an idea or concept discussed in a given lesson.  It took me days to finish reading and understanding all the theories on motivation in Module 3. However, it just took me minutes to grasp the concept of FLOW because of the supporting graph (or model) provided that explains how FLOW works. Given examples and practical applications help me a lot in comprehending a theoretical concept. Examples make me visualize and comprehend explanations written in words. If I cannot make my own examples, I look for a good one.

4. Thinking and Active Procrastination

Planning and thinking takes most of my time while studying. This might also be the reason why I procrastinate. At times, I am consciously putting off an activity because I need more time to understand and process it deeply, or because I am currently in the process of thinking and deeply processing other ideas. This doesn’t mean that I am avoiding them but rather, I am prioritizing and taking time to successfully complete and fully understand them. I do not subscribe to the idea of multitasking. I let the ideas sink in my brain one at a time. I am in control of my learning and taking appropriate time to understand and process concepts and ideas in my brain helps me improve my organizational skills. It keeps me focused, patient and disciplined. I may or may not finish on time, but I will not feel like I completed an activity just because I was required to do it.

Concept Map on Intelligence

“Intelligence is the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings.”

(Howard Gardner, FRAMES OF MIND, 1983)

Concept Map on Intelligence
owelbutin (c) 2014