Constructivist Learning Experiences

Question One

Common ThemesQuestion One

I just read because I loved to read and we were given an open-ended opportunity to select the books we wanted to read.

He would allow us choice in final projects for the ends of units as long as we were demonstrating learning in an appropriate way.

Mr. Wehling agreed to make our final exam a take home so we could use the last day of class to stage scenes from a play.

Students value choice in what to learn and how to be assessed

We had a culminating science experiment called The Sludge Test that I still think about today.

I spent time in frozen marshes in hip boots, saw a sunrise on the bay, tonged for oysters, then learned to shuck and cook them.

We were working on a real product (the year book) for a real consumer (our fellow students) and we all wanted it to be good.

Learning should be situated in authentic and hands-on contexts

The program integrated social studies and science and was scheduled for half the day so that we could leave the school building for field trips.

I quickly realized that Mrs. S worked with my history teacher and tracked her readings with what we learned in class … I got so much more out of these intertwined classes.

Learning was often both interdisciplinary …

He expected the … team to work out our own issues.

Everyone had to pitch in to help the kids who needed it … a chain is only as strong as its weakest link OR a rising tide lifts all boats, depends on your perspective.

It seems like inquiry-based learning often involves collaborative teams, maybe because the problems are larger than anything a single student could tackle on his or her own.

… and collaborative in nature

I still remember trying to answer “What is art?” with classmates, a challenge I’ve since enjoyed giving my own students.

They asked open-ended questions and made me feel secure that I could use my prior knowledge to answer their questions—and they waited patiently while I did so.

Inquiry can be developed through big ideas and open-ended questions

I’m a very linear thinker and honestly enjoyed the type of “book learning” I had previously encountered. Being forced to place theories in context was difficult for me at first.

Some of my best teachers are the ones I strongly disliked. 

But, constructivist learning can also be uncomfortable for students …

To be honest, I did not really like this teacher very much at the time.

I have since tried to go back and say thank you because they made a lasting impression and significantly impacted my life in a positive way.

That is one of the unknown rewards about teaching and parenthood … you don't always know what kind of impact you had because it often takes time for the lessons to sink in. 

… and we didn’t always appreciate what we learned until later

The Challenges of Constructivist Learning

Question One

I’m not sure that preparing students for an AP exam and constructivist teaching go hand-in-hand easily.

The curriculum is already packed

One thing that troubles me though, is that it seems as if programs of this type are often for “gifted” kids … but it seems to me that all students could benefit greatly from these experiences.

Constructivist learning opportunities are not always offered equitably

How can we alleviate the pressure students feel about grades?  How can you get students to let go of their checklists and rubrics to focus on building their own learning and understanding? 

The high-stakes culture of education does not promote inquiry

Collegial ChallengesQuestion One

My teacher, Mrs. Lynne, gave us small red tokens for good behavior or turning in work on time … This lesson not only taught us real-world lessons of addition and subtraction, but created a lesson on budgeting too. 

I am one of those teachers and parents that try sooo hard not to work with external motivators, believing that it is very important to foster autonomous thinkers who are self motivated, curious, and creative.

For further reading: Alfie Kohn and John Taylor Gatto

Some of us questioned the use of external motivators*

* Though many of us loved the inclusion of financial literacy!

He would stand in the center of the room, make a statement, and then ask, “True class? True?” and what he was saying may or may not be true and he would get perturbed if what he was saying was in fact false and none of us called him on it.

I hated when teachers would make statements and expect us to call them on it. It always made me feel foolish, not engaged.

And others of us questioned the use of “trick” questions

Thanks for a great discussion!