[ProfessionalDevelopment 2300] on learning to singCynthia Peters cynthia_peters at worlded.orgMon Jul 14 16:53:45 EDT 2008
I don't know much about singing. But I imagine that to do it well, you need to do more than learn the basics of sounds and rhythm. Perhaps that's a good starting place, but to be a *really good* singer, you would need the kind of coach/teacher who helped you draw on your own inner strengths/abilities/interpretations to create something truly unique and beautiful. Part of the artistry might be figuring out how that individual singer's talents speak to the current cultural context. Some of the "best" art isn't just somehow objectively good. Much of it addresses other art or comments on the context somehow. The best teachers I had when I was in school were the ones who helped me believe in my own mind, who encouraged me to be skeptical, who encouraged me to think harder and more deeply. They did this actively — not telling me what to think but communicating to me that my own thinking really mattered. As a teacher, I feel good about having taught comma rules, algebra principles, and tricks for memorizing multiplication tables, etc. but the times I think I had the biggest effect were when I figured out some way to invite the students to use their minds in ways they hadn't before or when they were prepared to uncritically settle for some accepted idea. Sometimes, this is as simple as asking a question: What do you think about that? Sometimes, it was by treating someone as if their mind mattered. In any case, it was purposeful. Steve — you said in another post that you want to accept people the way they are. Does that mean you think that the classroom does not provide opportunities for potentially transformational growth? You are worried that some of us who support critical thinking in the classroom have an agenda. The problem is, in this political and cultural context, it's impossible *not* to have an agenda — or at least be part of an agenda. In my classrooms (workplace-based), the agenda on the part of the workplace was to have workers who spoke better English. The agenda on the part of the union was to have more active union members. If I claimed to not have an agenda, I would still be a cog in the wheel of the super-imposed agenda. So, no matter what, you're carrying out an agenda of some sort. My personal agenda is to use the classroom to inspire empowerment and agency in each individual. I believe this is central to a healthy democracy and ultimately is essential to our survival. Not to mention, it is a simple pleasure — like singing or art, which frees up some form of expression that we otherwise would not have had the joy of experiencing. Cynthia -- Cynthia Peters Change Agent Editor World Education 44 Farnsworth Street Boston, MA 02210 tel: 617-482-9485 ext. 3649 fax: 617-482-0617 email: cpeters at worlded.org Check out The Change Agent online at: www.nelrc.org/changeagent >>> On 7/14/2008 at 12:10 PM, in message <f1a6e820807140910v38d0d22fif74ff520b898a9c5 at mail.gmail.com>, "Steve Kaufmann" <steve at thelinguist.com> wrote: > Janet, > > I think that the activities of a language learner, and the attitude of a > language learner, are quite similar to those of someone learning to sing. > First one has to listen and get used to the sounds and rhythm. And one has > to find a way to enjoy the learning process. For a more complete description > of my view of language learning you can look at my > article<http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-three-stages-of-language-fluency/>whic > h > appeared on Pickthebrain.com today. > > Steve > On Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 6:05 AM, Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu> > wrote: > >> Steve and all >> >> I don't *think* you're saying that English learning should be like music >> appreciation – that one can enjoy either (language or music) with no basis >> of prior expectation, concepts or assumptions? That the language or the >> music will just be heard and appreciated? >> >> Surely, part of the language learning process involves >> receiving/hearing/taking in. But for learning to occur, active processes of >> meaning-making have to happen. >> >> In order to learn, to make meaning, there needs to be some basis of prior >> understanding, of a world view, yes, of assumptions. The critical thinking >> part (in the target language, in this case English) may, for some, be merely >> a matter of learning the words to translate thoughts from a first language >> into English). For others, it's a process of asking questions, weighing >> options, learning more about possibilities and consequences. >> >> Janet >> >> >> >> >> *From: *Steve Kaufmann <steve at thelinguist.com> >> *Reply-To: *The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List < >> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> >> *Date: *Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:43:00 -0700 >> * >> * >> > I am of the opinion that beginner ESL learners should be allowed to >> listen to the language and try to enjoy it, with little requirement to state >> what their assumptions are on anything. >> >> ---------------------------------------------------- >> National Institute for Literacy >> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list >> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov >> >> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to >> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment >> >> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki >> >> > http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Developmen > t >> > >
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