Creating Contemplative Learners
Bruce Vaughn via Yearning For Learning
A few educators still refuse to admit that learning is as much accident as by design. The effort that is put into creating perfectly formed lessons, while important, does little to drive learning. In my experience learning happened for my students, not as a result of the flawless design of my lessons, but as a result of the reflective experiences that I created for my students. Through much trial and error I discovered that learning only occurred on the far side of reflection (Schoemaker, Brilliant Mistakes 2011). What this means is that I was attempting to activate student learning through activity instead of thinking. Furthermore I saw that it was student reflection that I should be after not student knowledge.
With this realization I set out to create a different type of lesson. A contemplative lesson. This type of lesson, in my estimation, was a lesson that makes students highly aware of their current state of learning, builds reflective stamina, helps students accept critical feedback, and develops a growth mindset. This was the lesson I wanted to create, that I needed to create in order to produce contemplative learners.If my students could become contemplative learners then the learning would take care of itself.
To start I made a list of of criteria that would show me if my students were becoming contemplative learners as a result of my lessons.
A contemplative learner will display qualities similar to the following:
• Reflective questioning.
• Self-awareness and self-reliance.
• Speculate and Scrutinize
• Strong reflective skills and reflective stamina.
• Explain connections between concepts, prior and new knowledge.
This was a start however soon I realized that this was only half the battle. The other half was to actually create these lessons. To do that I had to be highly aware of the reflective experiences that I was providing the students. Remember Schoemaker says that learning only occurs on the far side of a reflective experience.
So with that I realized I could control the learning by managing the type of reflective experience in which I was asking my students to engage.
Below is a list of reflective experiences that I used to help create these contemplative learners.
1. Logistical Reflection: What was the assignment? When was it due? Did I get it turned in on time?
2. Completion Reflection: Do I understand the parts of the target and how they connect? Did my response completely cover all parts of the target? Do I see where this fits in with what we are studying?
3. Connection Reflection: How was this target similar to other target? (In this course or others). Do I see connections in content, product or process? Are there ways to adapt it to other targets? Where could I use this (content, product or process) my life?
4. Practical Reflection: Were the strategies, skills and procedures I used effective for this target? Do I see any patterns in how I approached this target - such as following an outline, keeping to deadlines? What were the results of the approach I used - was it efficient, or could I have eliminated or reorganized steps?
5. Growth Reflection: What are we learning and is it important? Did I do an effective job of communicating my learning to others? What have I learned about my strengths and my areas in need of improvement? How am I progressing as a learner?
6. Personal Reflection: What suggestions from my teacher or my peer’s can I used to improve my learning? How can I adapt this content or skill to make a difference in my learning in this course?
7. Active Reflection: How can I best use my strengths to improve? What steps should I take or resources should I use to meet my challenges?
With this realization I set out to create a different type of lesson. A contemplative lesson. This type of lesson, in my estimation, was a lesson that makes students highly aware of their current state of learning, builds reflective stamina, helps students accept critical feedback, and develops a growth mindset. This was the lesson I wanted to create, that I needed to create in order to produce contemplative learners.If my students could become contemplative learners then the learning would take care of itself.
To start I made a list of of criteria that would show me if my students were becoming contemplative learners as a result of my lessons.
A contemplative learner will display qualities similar to the following:
• Reflective questioning.
• Self-awareness and self-reliance.
• Speculate and Scrutinize
• Strong reflective skills and reflective stamina.
• Explain connections between concepts, prior and new knowledge.
This was a start however soon I realized that this was only half the battle. The other half was to actually create these lessons. To do that I had to be highly aware of the reflective experiences that I was providing the students. Remember Schoemaker says that learning only occurs on the far side of a reflective experience.
So with that I realized I could control the learning by managing the type of reflective experience in which I was asking my students to engage.
Below is a list of reflective experiences that I used to help create these contemplative learners.
1. Logistical Reflection: What was the assignment? When was it due? Did I get it turned in on time?
2. Completion Reflection: Do I understand the parts of the target and how they connect? Did my response completely cover all parts of the target? Do I see where this fits in with what we are studying?
3. Connection Reflection: How was this target similar to other target? (In this course or others). Do I see connections in content, product or process? Are there ways to adapt it to other targets? Where could I use this (content, product or process) my life?
4. Practical Reflection: Were the strategies, skills and procedures I used effective for this target? Do I see any patterns in how I approached this target - such as following an outline, keeping to deadlines? What were the results of the approach I used - was it efficient, or could I have eliminated or reorganized steps?
5. Growth Reflection: What are we learning and is it important? Did I do an effective job of communicating my learning to others? What have I learned about my strengths and my areas in need of improvement? How am I progressing as a learner?
6. Personal Reflection: What suggestions from my teacher or my peer’s can I used to improve my learning? How can I adapt this content or skill to make a difference in my learning in this course?
7. Active Reflection: How can I best use my strengths to improve? What steps should I take or resources should I use to meet my challenges?