I think that many teachers and students find it difficult to reflect on things because that kind of thinking isn't what we've been taught in schools. We have been taught to fill in blanks on worksheets and to use "process of elimination" on standardized tests. To just think about things and what they mean is a foreign concept to most people. This is sad, because reflection is a vital part of the learning process. Filling in blanks or bubbles with a #2 pencil won't necessarily help you remember things. Thinking and reflecting on a topic will actually teach students.
Personally, I reflect on things all the time. I don't really talk very much in class because it makes me a bit nervous, but I'm always actively listening and thinking about what we are talking about. That's why I think that "class participation" is a little bit overrated by most teachers and professers. Some students think and some students talk, and a few do both. I don't think that any one of these catagories is better than the others. But alas, I digress. I think that effective reflection can only happen when a student has really been stimulated by a lesson. If they aren't interested, they won't want to put very much thought into it.
No comments:
Post a Comment