We remember the "AHA" moments ! We cannot forget them.
The process the whole situation goes through to create an AHA moment is the Teaching process designed by nature. This process should be incorporated into our Teaching model.
Whats the process ?
Glad you asked, lets break it up.
1) First (because of your curiosity) , you are confused. You see something, don't understand it at first - nature doesn't put in the effort to simplify and explain it to you, it just does what it wants and you are confused.
2) If you are still curious and willing to put in some more energy, you notice finer details, some patterns start grabbing your attention. But, you still haven't figured it all out yet. Here's the interesting part: Most people give up here cuz probably its not worth the effort and that's not the interesting part, This is, read on.
If, at this point, someone who has figured it out, comes and explains you what he learnt, you'll get it!
It won't be a big "EUREKA!" moment but a small AHA moment and a significant one!
Thus you learnt. You were taught.
The teaching method must adopt this same natural process.
a) Don't put effort to simplify anything and display something (that is to be taught) in the way you do it.
Say you are teaching kids on how to solve a Mathematical Equation, first solve a few in your natural style, freely, without an effort to simplify it. Just ask them to do the steps you did, without explaining the WHY of steps. Just teach them ROTE learning !
WHAaaAAaaAAAT ???!!!??
The process the whole situation goes through to create an AHA moment is the Teaching process designed by nature. This process should be incorporated into our Teaching model.
Whats the process ?
Glad you asked, lets break it up.
1) First (because of your curiosity) , you are confused. You see something, don't understand it at first - nature doesn't put in the effort to simplify and explain it to you, it just does what it wants and you are confused.
2) If you are still curious and willing to put in some more energy, you notice finer details, some patterns start grabbing your attention. But, you still haven't figured it all out yet. Here's the interesting part: Most people give up here cuz probably its not worth the effort and that's not the interesting part, This is, read on.
If, at this point, someone who has figured it out, comes and explains you what he learnt, you'll get it!
It won't be a big "EUREKA!" moment but a small AHA moment and a significant one!
Thus you learnt. You were taught.
The teaching method must adopt this same natural process.
a) Don't put effort to simplify anything and display something (that is to be taught) in the way you do it.
Say you are teaching kids on how to solve a Mathematical Equation, first solve a few in your natural style, freely, without an effort to simplify it. Just ask them to do the steps you did, without explaining the WHY of steps. Just teach them ROTE learning !
WHAaaAAaaAAAT ???!!!??
Now, applying the method, students solve equations and get answers MIRACULOUSLY.
This excites some, confuses some students, frustrates some and some will simply not care as long as they are getting the right answers.
Build curiosity. Ask them to understand on their own why the technique you taught them SIMPLY WORKS !
b) Now the time is ripe to reveal the secret logical workings behind the method.
AHA!! Learning process complete :)
Some will have an AHAAA! moment, some will be waiting to say "See I told you!" to their friends, some will go wrong about guessing the logic & will come to you with doubts and as with any method some will just NOT CARE ! But guess what, these not caring students atleast learnt a rote method to get answers , they can now, at least solve the problem !!
So.. Keep Calm and Teach By Rote ;)
AHA!! Learning process complete :)
Some will have an AHAAA! moment, some will be waiting to say "See I told you!" to their friends, some will go wrong about guessing the logic & will come to you with doubts and as with any method some will just NOT CARE ! But guess what, these not caring students atleast learnt a rote method to get answers , they can now, at least solve the problem !!
So.. Keep Calm and Teach By Rote ;)
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