Traditionally, teachers present content to students who are expected to learn it. Although educators are taught many approaches and styles of teaching, we seldom share with our students the process of learning.
The same goes for adults in the workplace as well as all life situations. This week we will discuss this concept in the context of school, but if you are not an educator, which many of you are not, please read this and apply it to the context of your life.
Learning can be compared to climbing a mountain. The bottom of the mountain represents the stage where a student does not yet know or understand the content being taught. Here, a student would say, “I don’t get it.” The top of the mountain represents the Aha stage when a student has learned or understood the content. Here, a student would say, “Aha! I get it now.”
Although students understand this, many are unaware of the middle part of the journey. As they climb the mountain towards the Aha, they encounter confusion. Some students realize that they must work through the confusion in order to get to the learning. They see confusion as a natural part of learning. Unfortunately, when many students experience confusion, they stop climbing: “I don’t get it. I’m confused. I must be stupid. This is stupid. I quit.” Students who believe that being confused means that they are not good enough quit the learning process.
All learning requires passing through confusion. Small children experience confusion when they are trying to walk or learning to speak. However, since they don’t equate confusion as being negative, they continue on the learning path.
We need to teach our students about confusion so they understand it as the stage that happens right before Aha.
Every day, kids walk down hallways in schools until a bell rings. They then go into classrooms. No kid should go into a classroom where he is NOT going to be confused. If there is no confusion, there is no learning. In fact, confusion is the only reason why students should get out of bed in the morning and go to school. They need to go to school because they are confused about reading, or math, or science, or foreign language, or small engines, or other cultures.
Effective teachers make confusion part of their classroom norm. They restore to confusion the wonderful reputation it ought to have as the moment just before Aha. They tap into the natural instinct in children to move through confusion to learning.
Below are a few questions to keep in mind this week:
- What do you, your family members, or your colleagues experience when you are confused? How do they act/feel?
- How can you help your those around you be better prepared for moments of confusion in the learning process?
- What are some strategies you can implement to help you continue climbing the mountain of learning?
All the best to you and yours from our Top 20 team,…Tom, Willow, and Kevin
Kevin Brennan
Director, Top 20 Training
651-373-0297
kevin@top20training.com
