The following is from the book Myths: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo. How well do you know fact from fiction?
MYTH: Albert Einstein was one of the pioneers of quantum mechanics, and one of the chief proponents of the theory.
TRUTH: While it is true that Einstein was one of the great pioneers in that field, in his later years he became an implacable foe of quantum mechanics. He opposed the probabilistic aspects of the theory by saying, “God does not play at dice with the universe.” The story goes that Niels Bohr got so exasperated by hearing Einstein repeat this quote that he once snapped, “Albert, Stop telling God what to do!”
MYTH: A teacher can be satisfied when a learner answers a question correctly. Since a right answer indicates that learning has taken place, no further response from the teacher is needed.
TRUTH: A right answer may indicate that the learner has learned to the point of understanding—or it could mean that the learner made a lucky guess! Even when a learner gives a right answer, the skilled teacher will use the opportunity to follow up for deeper understanding by asking how the learner arrived at the correct answer.
Teacher responses that include information about why the learner’s answer is correct, such as rephrasing the response to emphasize factors that make the answer correct, or reviewing the steps or methods used to get the correct answer are helpful to other learners who are in the process of learning the reasoning or steps in answering the question.
When responding to a learner’s correct answer, don’t just say, “Right.” Respond in a way that will both enforce the correct answer and help teach the group by:
- Testing for comprehension
- Probing for misunderstanding
- Amplifying the student’s response
- Restating, modifying, or rephrasing the learner’s response and then redirect for further discussion
- Probing for further discussion.
You can order a copy of the book Myth: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo (ISBN 0-9715765-4-8) directly from Educational Consultants.
