In conclusion
Let me return to
the John Holt quotation above to put together some basic approaches
that we can try to put into practise in our own classrooms.
The child is
curious – so we should allow children to ask questions, to explore,
to feel free to reflect on what they do not know.
He wants to make
sense of things – don’t do that for him, allow him to discover,
to feel that flush of success when he has found the solution, sees
the connections and appreciates his role in his own learning.
He is open and
receptive – don’t force him to shut down, by convincing him he is
not a successful learner.
He is
experimental – allow room for experimentation and discovery in the
classroom
He is bold –
respect that miraculous capacity of self-belief.
He is not afraid
of making mistakes – so don’t you be afraid of your students’
mistakes or even your own.
He can tolerate
uncertainty, confusion, ignorance and suspense – so why can’t we?
He is willing and
able to let meaning come to him – so nudge it in his direction.
We do not have to
train children to learn…we have to avoid interfering with it.
