Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The "why"
I agree, a career tech class should teach problem solving skills and thinking habits. Since I teach construction, I am always trying to get the students to think about the "why" not just to get the project or task completed. On a job site almost nothing goes as it should, you are constantly working around material that doesn't show up on time, things don't go together as shown on plans, and usually if it can go wrong it will. Working around problems and knowing what can be done and what should wait is a daily challenge. Stopping students to see their thought process and reasoning is not only necessary, but most of the time very entertaining. The normal response is "thats what you did". I try to get them at least think of why we are doing something the way we are doing it. Most student just do exactly what they have been shown, but never really stop and think about the "why".
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2 comments:
So true Chris. The students do get in the routine of just doing the work, or completing the project just for the grade, without thinking of the purpose. Students need that association, to connect what they learn in school to the outside world, life and work. I have yet to master the method of building from one project into another and incorporate the relevance from one to the next, but that is one of my short/long term goal for my class.
Christopher Allen Nolan, well said mi amigo. The “why”, I totally agree with you, the students have to know why if not they will just do it. They won’t know what they did or why they did it, all they know is, “I did it”. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great feeling when they get it done, but do they know why. Good job Chris.
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