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?
Fiction: In the beloved fairy tale, Cinderella wore glass slippers to the ball at the palace, which she loses at the stroke of midnight.
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Adam Kieper wrote a review of Michael Gazzanig’s book, Human titled, “The Synapse and the Soul.” It appears in The Wall Street Journal (July 8, 2008). He begins, interestingly, with philosophical questions:
What is it that makes us human – that sets us apart from other animals? What drives us to act altruistically? Why do we gossip and flirt and empathize? How do we judge beauty, and why are we impelled to create works of art?
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A previous blog entry listed several types of thinking, including the common analytical and intuitive. Reflection on ones’ thinking, and learning about learning are important and useful activities. They can lead to a valuable kind of self-understanding with pragmatic applications (like what jobs you should avoid and what hobbies or pastimes may be more gratifying).
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Last week I heard someone ask the question, “How am I supposed to think about this?” That’s a good question. Often we’re asked about what we think about something, but perhaps a more helpful question is “How are you thinking about this?” There are more ways of thinking than we can imagine (imaginative thinking being one of those ways).
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One of the concept tools I use for just about everything is mindmapping. I also teach it in one of my courses and students find it very helpful. Some time ago a student wrote to say,
Dr. Galindo - I have to stop and say many thanks to you. I have not done so well in my writing in seminary. Most recently, in Old Testament, my papers have only been C quality work. Writing has been my weak area. Now, in my last semester, I cross paths with your class and the idea of Mindmapping. I have another OT paper due this next week. I thought, what can I lose. So in 1/2 hour this morning I mindmapped on one page my paper. It is now being typed with ease. Of course I had already done much reflection over the scripture and research about it. Just wanted to say thanks. I think this should be information available to all students as they enter BTSR.
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One of the most underused teaching techniques is repetition. I suppose many teachers consider it appropriate only for children in the classroom who are required to learn things by rote. But that fact is that adults and teenagers alike learn a good chunk of things by repetition. Adults in the choir learn a choral piece through repetition. Actors learn their lines through repetition. Teenagers learn adeptness at sports through repetition in drills. The most effective curriculum involves a spiral design which repeats concepts at various stages and levels in the course of study. The fact is that we hardly ever learn anything the first time around. We all need repetition in order to learn.
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Delivering a presentation can be an overwhelming experience for beginning teachers or novice presenters. And we’ve all learned that some presenters never become much better with experience. But the fact is that anyone who desires can become a very effective presenter—in a classroom or giving a workshop—by applying some basic practices of effective presentations. If you consistently put the following into your repertoire you’ll see immediate positive results in your students or audience.
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