Child Learning?
Process Over Content – Function Over Form
Imagine a team or class fully engaged and participating! No more waiting for instructions, get going.
We are pulling children along (reactive process). By enabling learning skills that already exist to a degree, we are encouraging proactive abilities and self governance. Taking this path, they will be ready to make coaches and teachers redundant, at least to a degree. They will certainly be better prepared for higher learning and training. They will understand at a personal level that what they are doing, is for their benefit, not ours. I see this shift in mindset as a possible game changer. No more zombies!
Do we have our priorities backwards when approaching the topic of learning? Looking back over my experiences in teaching and coaching children, a few persistent questions nagged at me. Could our models in Education and sport be improved?
The process is too long to go into here so I will jump to some observations and conclusions arising from that process. The primary thrust of educating children, on the field, in the classroom, etc. is the two-way communication method, which often diminishes to one-way. Teachers instruct a class, not individuals. Coaches work in roughly the same way, instructing a team or group of athletes. Individual instruction often does occur, until after the group approach is finished.
We end up with a number of challenges resulting from the processes we use. It is largely inefficient and ineffective. Without going into detail, I would prefer to focus on the dynamics of these processes. Our intent is to impart information to the group and assist individuals when required. This sounds fine in theory, but in practice…..? These processes build up a continual reliance on teachers, coaches, etc. for all of their learning. This forces all children through the same funnel, as if they are all at the same stage of development. They are not.
What if we were to shift our focus from content to process? Our process (content – curriculum) method will have to continue indefinitely. Rather than focus on curriculum and practice plans might we better off enabling children to become self-learners, leading them to become lifelong learners? The sooner we engage them through enablement and empowerment, the sooner they will become able to work independently. This ultimately taps into their own capabilities and learning styles. We support their learning strengths using curriculum as information to develop skills. In other words, content serves skill development, not the other way. Going with the current is easier and more efficient. We must decide which is the better option?
