Comments on: Talking and Listening http://www.teachingprofessor.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/talking-and-listening A teaching and learning conference. Mon, 23 May 2011 15:28:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Larry Spence http://www.teachingprofessor.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/talking-and-listening/comment-page-1#comment-12106 Larry Spence Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:17:04 +0000 http://www.teachingprofessor.com/?p=2067#comment-12106 I’m sorry to get into the discussion late, but I think Meier’s statement should be taken literally. David Premack points out that human beings are the only teaching animal. Other animals imitate, but only human beings reverse the flow of information of students observing teachers to teachers who observe – and can therefore correct students. For example, chimpanzee mothers never look at their offspring as the youngsters try to imitate them. Human mothers do. Consequently it takes about 10 years for a chimp to learn to crack nuts with rocks. The key then to teaching is the teacher’s observation of, or listening to, the student. Without that step all that is possible is mimicry. Thus teaching is listening or as any good coach will tell you, observing. As Premack notes imitation only supplies a rough copy; teaching smoothes and polishes. Maryellen is right that teachers listen and observe to find out what students do or do not know and can or cannot do. That guides intervention. But learning is talking refers, I think, to student generated questions. Since we know students must reorganize their representations of reality in order to learn (doubt and then re-form prior knowledge); then student questions are indicators of learning. Student discussions are valuable but they won’t substitute for the questions. Once students enter school, where their questions are suppressed, teacher questions merely cue them to supply what the teacher wants to hear. We waste way too much time trying to come up with good questions to get students to think and learn when the context determines that questions must satisfy teachers’ standards for a right answer. If we say there are no right answers, students hear, “this will be a bull session”. So more learning will occur if we pay attention to students and let their questions drive the discourse. I’m sorry to get into the discussion late, but I think Meier’s statement should be taken literally. David Premack points out that human beings are the only teaching animal. Other animals imitate, but only human beings reverse the flow of information of students observing teachers to teachers who observe – and can therefore correct students.
For example, chimpanzee mothers never look at their offspring as the youngsters try to imitate them. Human mothers do. Consequently it takes about 10 years for a chimp to learn to crack nuts with rocks. The key then to teaching is the teacher’s observation of, or listening to, the student. Without that step all that is possible is mimicry. Thus teaching is listening or as any good coach will tell you, observing. As Premack notes imitation only supplies a rough copy; teaching smoothes and polishes.
Maryellen is right that teachers listen and observe to find out what students do or do not know and can or cannot do. That guides intervention. But learning is talking refers, I think, to student generated questions. Since we know students must reorganize their representations of reality in order to learn (doubt and then re-form prior knowledge); then student questions are indicators of learning. Student discussions are valuable but they won’t substitute for the questions.
Once students enter school, where their questions are suppressed, teacher questions merely cue them to supply what the teacher wants to hear. We waste way too much time trying to come up with good questions to get students to think and learn when the context determines that questions must satisfy teachers’ standards for a right answer. If we say there are no right answers, students hear, “this will be a bull session”.
So more learning will occur if we pay attention to students and let their questions drive the discourse.

]]> By: Kieran Mathieson http://www.teachingprofessor.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/talking-and-listening/comment-page-1#comment-11595 Kieran Mathieson Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:23:50 +0000 http://www.teachingprofessor.com/?p=2067#comment-11595 Two thoughts. 1. "Learning is doing" might be more accurate that "learning is talking." In math, for example, the doing of exercises leads to knowledge change. Talking helps math learning, of course, leading to the second thought. 2. One way to illustrate the importance of a teacher's listening. In Dr Weimer's 2002 book, there's a chemistry prof whose classes consist of walking around and helping students solve problems. I do the same. An important part of doing this is diagnosing students' misconceptions. Accurate diagnosis often requires listening to a student explain why s/he did something. There is teacher-to-student communication during diagnosis, when teachers ask questions to help diagnose. But the primary communication in diagnosis is student-to-teacher. Two thoughts.

1. “Learning is doing” might be more accurate that “learning is talking.” In math, for example, the doing of exercises leads to knowledge change. Talking helps math learning, of course, leading to the second thought.

2. One way to illustrate the importance of a teacher’s listening. In Dr Weimer’s 2002 book, there’s a chemistry prof whose classes consist of walking around and helping students solve problems. I do the same. An important part of doing this is diagnosing students’ misconceptions. Accurate diagnosis often requires listening to a student explain why s/he did something. There is teacher-to-student communication during diagnosis, when teachers ask questions to help diagnose. But the primary communication in diagnosis is student-to-teacher.

]]> By: Brenna Phillips http://www.teachingprofessor.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/talking-and-listening/comment-page-1#comment-11543 Brenna Phillips Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:49:13 +0000 http://www.teachingprofessor.com/?p=2067#comment-11543 It is amazing how much teachers learn from listening to their students. I even learn from my early childhood students! We learn from each other. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm going to share them. It is amazing how much teachers learn from listening to their students. I even learn from my early childhood students! We learn from each other.
Thanks for your thoughts. I’m going to share them.

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