Pivot, Pivot, Pivot: My Evolving Philosophy of Knowledge and Learning
PIVOT! PIVOT! PIVOT! A video timeline seemed in order for this week’s blog on my philosophy of knowledge and learning. You can view the entire timeline at Canva here.
- Here is an excellent Chrome extension I’ve been using lately for those needing subtitles.
- For those strapped on time, I have included a summary of the main takeaways and points to ponder below the video. Happy viewing OR reading 🙂
Key Points
- My early and post-secondary education was heavily steeped in Empiricism, Behaviourism, and Cognitivism.
- When faced with limited experience and challenging classroom behaviour, Behaviourism became an easy, extrinsic fall-back for me (initially anyways).
- With time and additional professional development (Classroom180, FTV, ISTE, etc). my approach shifted to a desire for intrinsic student motivation and learning.
- Leading to a connection between Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Constructivist principles.
- The pandemic gave a further push toward Constructivism with more mindful ed-tech implementation.
- Less reliance on modern versions of BF Skinner’s “Teaching Machine” (AKA: Mathletics, Essential Skills) and a greater focus on online platform writing/editing/revising, Kialo Edu Debates, Jamboard brainstorms, Flip videos, Anchor Podcasts, student choice boards, etc.
- Where it ends, for now, is a constant pivot between all philosophies of learning based on particular needs at any given moment. As the legendary Maya Angelou surmised:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Points Left to Ponder (please share your thoughts!)
- When you began teaching, do you think you heavily relied on the philosophies of learning you experienced in school?
- If a shift happened for you, was there one distinct catalyst or many?
- Do you “pivot” in your workday through these different philosophies? What situations warrant different approaches?
- I dream of restructured schools without bells and Behaviourism-laden fundamentals; with a greater emphasis on Indigenous ways of knowing and Constructivist principles. If you could restructure the education system, what would it look like? Which learning philosophy would take centre-stage?
4 Comments
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Hi Kim, and thanks for placing your response in the form of a timeline. It made it quite a bit easier understand your philosophical trajectory. With regards to your second question I would say that my own practice has been far less linear. I feel that it has ebbed and flowed given events (or ‘catalysts’ as you referred to them) occurring in my personal and professional life. I found that at the beginning of my career I was quite a bit more optimistic and willing to take bigger risks. When you are the new person on staff you get a lot of leeway as your figuring things out for the first time. This is probably when I experimented the most with more “out there” stuff in the classroom. Time, family commitments, and my appreciation of sleep has tempered my practice with the years as I gained a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses as an instructor. That said the disruptive effects of the pandemic and returning to university has infused my classroom practice with new energy and forced me to move well outside of my comfort zone.
Thanks for the comment, Matt. Before you mentioned it, I didn’t truly realize how linear this evolution has been for me (which is funny/shocking as I literally made a LINEAR timeline!) It has just been a natural progression for me, but now as I pivot through different styles it has definitely become more cyclical. It’s interesting that you had more leeway to try new things at the beginning of your career – I feel the opposite is true for me. As I’ve acquired more skills and built my Division’s trust in my abilities, I feel more able to explore/test out new concepts. Outside influences/demands – as you said – definitely play a part; however, it’s because of my children (natural curiosity/hands-on experiences) that I am keener to include constructivist strategies. Thanks so much for sharing!
Great recap of your journey – as a student and as an educator. Your blog post allowed me the opportunity to compare and reflect on my own path and philosophies. I agree wholeheartedly that sometimes the situations we are thrown in – dictates our philosophies of learning. I think a great place for many new teachers to start is on the sub list. I recall getting into varying classrooms, in varying settings (affluent neighbourhoods, community schools, French Immersion, kindergarten to grade 12, etc.). This experience was beyond valuable to see how classrooms are all so unique. It was evident, in the first 90 seconds of being in a foreign room, which classes were behaviorist, constructivist, social constructivist, and cognitive learning. The best teachers are able to utilize all these strategies in their planning and in their management. It sounds like you are very cognizant of the theories of learning – I would want my own children in your classroom.
Thank you for sharing Gilles, and for the kind comment. I take it as the highest compliment when people say they would entrust their children to my care. That’s the hardest and best part of teaching 🙂