Tutorpedia Roundtable Question #2

This month's Tutorpedia Roundtable Question was:

What is the most important thing that a student needs to learn?

After waiting a while for some responses from past and present teachers, here's what we all came up with:

"At the end of the day, regardless of the learning setting and goals, I feel it is essential that a student learn how to ask their own questions, have the tools to seek their answers, and then be able to evaluate the reliability of their findings based on the quality of their evidence. In short,students need to learn how to be critical thinkers, who are actively engaging in their world. This is especially crucial in our information age where knowledge is readily available and needs analysis."

-Raul Betancourt, chemistry teacher, who is presently at The Bay School, in SF, and has previously taught at the public charters; City Arts and Tech HS in SF and East Palo Alto Academy in EPA, as well as at Georgiana Bruce Kirby and Merritt Academy in Santa Cruz.

"I think the most important thing a student needs to learn is how to set appropriate learning goals, and then to take the necessary steps to meet them. An active learner is one who connects what he or she learns to everyday life, and subsequently extends that knowledge towards more abstract concepts. "

-Matt Honigman, 2nd grade teacher in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

"Recipe for learning:
Take group of students, combine with safety and security (see: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) add some focus till calm. Gently fold in (previously planned) empowering and expressive activity. Whisk with sparks of interest and intrigue. Drop in pinch of intrigue to taste! Bake on high with Big Picture debrief. Serves 30."

-Nicole LaCount
High School Sciences Teacher

"Depends on the grade level and student. There is no answer that fits both a first grader and a twelfth grader. But, since you want one answer: students always need to learn how to read better. That is, they ALWAYS need to improve as readers and they must know that they should always be improving."

-David Stein

There seems to be a common thread among our teachers that students need to learn about learning. I couldn't agree more. I especially like the active learning ideas as well as students learning how to ask questions. I see this daily in my Spanish classes when my students don't understand the material. Most are perceptive enough to ask questions when they need help but sometimes I worry when there aren't enough questions asked because the students may think they know all of the material. I also think that having engaging and empowering activities are key for any education.