This week's reading discussed the effects of learning groups and how children can benefit from them. This made me reflect on my own teaching practices as I read. A preschool classroom is very dynamic with a lot of things going on at once. Each individual is unique which makes it important for an educator to get to know every child. The diversity within the classroom can be used as an advantage because it allows everyone the opportunity to learn from one another. Children can learn about themselves and how to accept their individuality while also accepting differences in others as well. I have always felt that being an educator is a constant learning experience for me. There's always something new to learn about in this field. Especially because it's a field with constant change occurring. You can never plan everything to go exactly as you expect it to. That's why it's good for an educator to be flexible and open minded to new strategies or methods.
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Learning groups allow children to be exposed to their peers and interact with them. They can complement one another's strengths/weaknesses during their interactions. Skills such as sharing, language and cooperation can be practiced. I like that the learning doesn't just take place between children, it also involves educators as well. We all can collaboratively learn from one another. I think that this also gives educators a way to get to know their students while building a relationship with them. The reading mentions that the learning group will not always necessarily be meaningful. This is something that needs to be worked on and facilitated by educators in order to help ensure that it's an intentional learning experience. I can see how this concept can get out of hand or lose focus if the approach and execution isn't appropriately managed. I would love to implement more learning group experiences into my classroom and see how it changes the learning process for everyone.
Courtney, as you've mentioned, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and this is a good point to make in why learning groups are beneficial to children. I do agree that the children would compliment one another in a learning group, but I also see how learning groups can also allow children to expose themselves to the perspectives and learning experiences of other children. You mention that a learning group may not always be meaningful, and I think that we as educators must realize that sometimes we can be the ones creating a less meaningful experience with too much guidance and not enough "experience" on behalf of the children.
ReplyDeleteHi Courtney!
ReplyDeleteThere are many benefits when children are able to be in small groups. Like you mentioned, everyone is unique and they learn in many different ways, especially when you have a classroom of diverse students. The children are able to learn from each other. Like you said, everyone has their strengths and their weaknesses. When children are able to work together in learning groups, they are able to help each other and learn from one another. For example when children work in a small learning group together, they are learning to work together and to hear each other's ideas and opinions.
Aloha Courtney,
ReplyDeleteYes, each child has strengths and weaknesses. What I wonder about, is how do we assess children in those group experiences in regards to those strengths and weaknesses? What I mean is, let's say a child is not as strong as a leader as another child, to whom this skill comes naturally. Do we use this to assess the child as being behind the other child, or do we look at how their ability to lead has evolved over time, compared against their own skills? Should we be using someone else's development to decide if a different student's development is where it should be, do we assess them against themselves, or some combination of the two? What might that look like if it was the combination of the two? Thanks!
Really Group Learning Is Too Good.....
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