by Matthew Emmett Townsend
Member since:
August 4, 2006

What is the first thing we teach? What should we be teaching first?

December 03, 2006 04:42 PM EST (Updated: December 03, 2006 04:52 PM EST)
views: 60 | rating: 9.6/10 (7 votes) | comments: 31
   

What is the first thing we teach?

What should we be teaching first?

 

            Recently I was reading a novel and in it they describe a characters learning and the speed with which he did it.  It goes n the say why, read below:

 

"...learned rapidly because his first training was in how to learn.  And the first lesson of all was the basic trust that he could learn. It is shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult. ... knew that every experience carries its lesson."  DUNE, © 1965 by Frank Herbert

 

            So I began to think over my own educational experiences, my grammar school and secondary school's, as well as the teachers, the ones that taught me and the ones that I seemed to learn little from. Honestly I do not remember being taught how to learn or how to study. I remember a few teachers teaching how to learn spelling words, and some how to learn my math facts. I do not however ever remember being taught that I can learn. I do remember feeling like a failure when I didn't learn or didn't learn in the way the teacher wanted or expected.

            The fact that I am here and I am writing to you mean I have realized that I can learn, but it took me far longer then it should have. Why? How should have I been taught?  What are the early lesions I should have received first before they tried to get me to memorize the times tables, and begin reading?

            Lets look at the quote above as a list:

 

  1. How to learn.
    1. How do we learn intellectual things?
    2. How do we learn artistic things?
    3. What are the best ways to learn things in general?
  3. You can learn.
    1. Can I learn?
    2. How so?
    3. Can someone learn that they Can learn even when they are no longer a kid?
  5. Learning is easy, and can even be fun. (I added that last part)
    1. What do we mean by easy?
    2. When are we not learning?
    3. If it is easy, why do I struggle so much?
  7. Every experience, in or out of school carries its lesson.
    1. Every experience?

•                         i.      Even the bad, like when I was being picked on?

•                         ii.      How about when I am just outside goofing with my brother and sister?

•                          iii.      Even when I fall down or make a mistake?

  1. What kinds of lessons are there? (this is #2 not #1 formatting again)

•                            i.      What to do lessons

•                            ii.      What not to do lesions... (mistakes like problems are only opportunities to learn)

 

I don't have the answers, well not all of them; I do think the first answer is to think about it, for yourself and for your children.  Lets do some research, or take a walk together and share our various lessons with one another, I truly need your input and while you may not need it I'll share mine. I look forward to learning how to learn from all of you.

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Comments: 31

Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 4:44pm EST
Please pardon the formatting we are still "learning" the foibles of this new editor
Chris W. Dec 3, 2006, 4:59pm EST
The first lesson we learn is the lesson of Love; we usually learn that lesson from our parents. If we do not receive that lesson, we all have trouble with every other lesson we need to learn.
vickey w Dec 3, 2006, 5:12pm EST
Never thought of it like this before Emmett, but I have to agree. My parents helped me to become organized and had me do my homework first, instead of putting it off. The teachers never took the time to teach us how to study.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 5:30pm EST
I agree Chris, that was not the direction I was thinking of in this article but it is non the less the truth, it is perhaps part of the lesson of believeing in your self. "You can learn." I think is part of the Love message of good parents.
greg smith Dec 3, 2006, 5:34pm EST
The foundation of EVERYTHING in life is for children to learn in a common sense context the difference between right and wrong. In a nonreligious sense (so as to not irritate people like the ACLU), all children should be taught such hard-to-understand concepts like killing is bad, stealing is bad, follow your conscience, etc.

How to learn, as others have suggested, is obviously critical for any young person. But, who wants to teach someone who acts badly how to learn?
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 5:42pm EST
Greg, As with Chris you are also correct... but Again it was an aspect I was not thinking about, see I am being taught things I had not planned on.

As a teacher yes we need children that can basically obey (levels of obedience depending on age) enough to settle into the studies in school. And even if it were not for that reason it is needed just so the children have a chance to be a positive addition to civilization.
Christine Zibas Dec 3, 2006, 5:42pm EST
I think that parents often stop their children from learning by protecting them (which they must, but often overdo). I think the saddest thing, however, is when someone gives up on learning. I tend to see this more with adults. They think they can't master a new skill, learn a new technology, dig in their heels and refuse, instead of enjoying the continual process. Very thought-provoking article.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 5:51pm EST
I agree Christine, to give up on learning, or the person that gives up on learning is the person that has ceased to live. Self imposed ignorance, complacency, and apathy are anethmas to life and truly living.

OK Teachers where are you? I look forward to your input as well.
Chris W. Dec 3, 2006, 6:02pm EST
I will contribute another obvious truism at the cost of possible cliche:
that is with very young children Everything is a lesson. Obvious, right? Yet we cling to the fiction that it is a "lesson" only if we call it a lesson. We teach young children by modeling good behavior, and without that modeling no amount of preaching the right thing will do the job.

Learning how to learn is a tricky concept. E.D. Hirsch of Cultural Literacy fame will tell you that teaching knowledge is more important than teaching learning strategies. Human young are programmed to learn fiercely and hungrily, if adults show them the possibilities. If that were not so homo sapiens would be extinct. But it is not practical to toss a baby in a daycare for 5 years and then try to explain the meaning of the word "curiosity".
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 6:10pm EST
OK Chris W, if we are ravionus for learning, then what we may need to do is to teach parents and teachers how NOT to stop kids from desiring learning... Beocuse I think sometimes the "school" systems squash the desire for learning, and not even on purpose...

Interesting direction for this article to take, I am learning more that I did not expect this could be good!!!
Ricky Fico Dec 3, 2006, 6:36pm EST
M. Emmett, my friend, I wrote recently: "A greedy mind is one to learn, yet not teach
and a lazy mind is one to yearn, yet not reach." For me, learning is as essential to life as breathing. And as far as I can remember I had an insatiable appetite for knowledge, not so much what can be learned through books but by the world around me. I also remember the very first day of kindergarten when most of the other kids were crying and pleading to their parents: "Oh, please mama, please daddy, don't make me go in there." Me? I was ecstatic. I told the other kids, "Come on, this is going to be fun." My attitude then, my attitude now. Thanks for the thought-provoking article and yes, once again I learned something. Perpetually learning, how lucky can one be? Thanks!
Tasnim A. Dec 3, 2006, 8:48pm EST
Being a teacher, cant recall the first thing I taught...as for the first thing I would teach now (to my kids when i eventually have one) would be respect and kindness as it goes a long way. And to be brave yet submissive when the latter is in their best interest in the long term. I'll stop waffling now, sure to forget this when I have them...
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 8:55pm EST
I like you all, and think your comments important... but

I seem to have missed the point when I worte this becouse none seems to be responding to the question I thought I was asking...

How do we teach people to Learn and that they can are able to learn? I feel this is more important to teach then much of the crap we toss at the kids in our schools.
Becouse with the ability to learn they can then gho out and learn on their own... for all their lives.

SO please how do you as a parent or teacher teach your kids how to learn?
Joan C. Dec 3, 2006, 9:29pm EST
The way to teach children that they can learn is to set up the lesson so that they succeed. Every good parent does this - they demonstrate, the child makes an attempt, they praise the attempt and the child tries again until he or she succeeds.

This does not start in school, it starts when the child is small and is learning to walk, talk, use a potty, dance and play with toys. The absolute joy on a child's face as your block tower gets bigger and bigger and their block tower does too is where the lesson is learned.

Unfortunately, some children are given the background information they need so that they can succeed in school (letters, numbers, colors, directions, body parts, vocabulary) and every single time their behavior does not come up to the teacher's expectations they learn that they cannot learn, that they are slow or dumb or inferior, because school is set up to highlight the failing instead of the successes.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 10:41pm EST
Joan, you understand!!!! And you are teaching me, and I thank you. I knew some of what you said, but knowing it is not the same as being able to express it.
Thank you , well done, Kudos, Clapping and Hurray!!!!

I believe teaching is modeling all the time, and once we become old enough to understand what we are seeing we begin to decide which example is a good one to do, and which one is one Not to do. I.E. negative vs. positive examples. The important part of this is to remember as parents and teachers of the younger children is that we need; in fact, we absolutely must model 99% with good examples, because the younger ones do not know how to differentiate between them.

So, why do we allow our children to allow our children to have life modeled for them by the TV or the Video Games, or the babysitter we didn't take the time to really interview... or the teachers we do not bother to get to know. Why then do we think we have the right to complain that our kids are brats or trouble makers when they choose unwisely the things they do or the friends they make?
Christopher Weeks Dec 3, 2006, 11:24pm EST
Children know they can learn. By the time they're 18 months old they've already learned a tremendous amount. I strongly suspect that kids learn best with parents who are smart and educated and who don't worry about their kids' learning. Note that learning is second nature when the kids are interested. The more we interfere in their natural progression -- telling them when and what to learn, the more their internal rhythm is disrupted. I think that institutionalized learning is terribly effective at breaking the self-understanding that kids have about their own curiosity. But I also think that e.g. homeschoolers who follow rigid curricula will have the same effect. If you want your kids to be life-long learners, back off, lead by example and trust them to use the gifts that they were endowed with by nature or God or whatever.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 3, 2006, 11:53pm EST
Excellent Chris, I agree regimentation and the interruptions inherent in a school setting can be extremely negative to the learning process. And yes too strict a framework in home schooling can have a similar effect, thus the need for the tools and the patience of a less structured program, perhaps one that even reacts to the needs of the child, and this unfortunately works best in Home-school, I say unfortunately most parents cannot do it or are unwilling to make the sacrifices to Home-school their children. A school can be able to act like this but the bigger the class the less likely will it work.

Thank you, good thoughts! I appreciate all your different voices and the teaching you are all doing for me. My children will one day have you all to thank in some way.
Christopher Weeks Dec 3, 2006, 11:58pm EST
Emmett, most people will (wrongly, in my opinion) discard free schooling out of hand, but bear in mind that there are truly revolutionary schools out there. If you (or your readers) are not familiar with Sudbury Valley School, you might want to surf over and read a bit. They're sort of the grand-daddy of the American free-school movement.
Aileen F. Dec 4, 2006, 12:05am EST
I think how to learn is very important. With my girls I tried to instill an interest in learning. I learned some while in school, but learned so much more when faced with situations later in life that made me want to know more. My love of history came from historical romance novels, of all things!
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 4, 2006, 12:06am EST
Thank you Christopher, I am surfing over to take a look.

Again, you people are coming through for me and all the other readers.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 4, 2006, 12:14am EST
Aileen, I to love to read and it was one of the best learning tools, once reading was an ability instead of a srtuggle so much was opened for me to self educate.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 4, 2006, 12:16am EST
Aileen, I to love to read and it was one of the best learning tools, once reading was an ability instead of a srtuggle so much was opened for me to self educate.
Patrick T. Dec 4, 2006, 12:30am EST
My best Teachers inspired me to teach myself.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Dec 4, 2006, 12:46am EST
Right, but Patrick, what if you didnt know how to learn?
When our son was little, but not so little that he couldn't learn anything, we read to him. We played educational fun games with him. The TV was not his baby sitter, nor were Video games. He is an avid reader to this day and he's 29 years old. He embraced his schooling with good or mediocre teachers and learned and joined things and learned more.
What is the motivation? That you CAN learn. If you wish to, as there are no failures if you keep trying. That's taught at home first, I believe. And at a very young age. Diapers, eating, walking, running, etc's, all are learning things. Keep taking it steps farther and your child will shine all through life.
Marilyn - who is making this a feature on Our Neighborhood
or
www.ourneighborhood.gather.com
this is worthy of more comments and we have an English teacher on there already, who hasn't checked in as yet, he may have missed this, and if you'd like to teach learning, we'd love another teacher there! :)
Christopher Weeks Dec 4, 2006, 7:02am EST
Marilyn, "so little that he couldn't learn?" There's no such thing!

Also, it seems common to see people denigrate television and video games (as if they were the same) as horrible things for kids to do. Maybe that's not what anyone in this conversation means, but it's common nonetheless. It's clear to me that participation in all media are learning events. Remember that when schooling first started, many parents eloquently expressed how it would ruin the next generation as a waste of time -- the kids had important things to learn on the farm. There were once many parents who thought that kids shouldn't be exposed to books so young (cerrtainly not before adulthood!). I don't disagree that sitting around (in front of a TV or a computer) too much is unhealthful, but I think that both of these tools help us all learn important stuff, perhaps including how to learn or other areas of metacognition. (Just needed to throw in two more cents. :-) )
Connie C. Dec 4, 2006, 10:40pm EST
I had never thought of it in this exact way but it is true. We do learn because we are taught to learn....interesting thought. I am thankful that my parents taught me in this manner.
I was taught to lay my clothes out the night before and to prepare for breakfast by peeling the potatoes the night before. To this day, i prepare for the following day by doing small perpartations the night before. I guess I was taught to not percrastinate. My husband on the other hand...does not and he forgets everything. He was not taught in the same manner as I was when I was young.
George H W. Dec 5, 2006, 5:55am EST
School is an artificial situation, to train more than teach. It has long been known that extrinsic reward (grades) actually begins to dull the inquisitive mind of young people. In school we train people to do as they are told, if they do they are rewarded if they question to much they are punished with shame. It is also behavioral training not to get out of line. School has only been with man for a very short time in the history of man. It is more a public indoctrination system here in the US. Children are born with inquistive minds and they and we learn everyday as they also teach everyday. I am a public school teacher and I can't stand school any more now than when I was a student . I find it stifiling to the human spirit. It also teaches competition and ranking which is generally destructive to more than it is healthy for. We need a complete overhall of the system but it self perpetuates and we are broke supporting our military right now.
Lee smith Dec 12, 2006, 8:50pm EST
Children are always suprised when they are told how smart they are. The response is amazing. In volume two of my curriculum, search tag accounting for learning, lessons for motivation to learn, I include memory skills to which I plan to add reasoned arguement and study skills. You may want to read all 87 pages.
Christopher Weeks Dec 12, 2006, 10:22pm EST
Emmett, I just wrote an article on the Sudbury Valley School that I referenced above, targetting it as a model for educational reform. Maybe that'll get more talk going on.

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