Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:870] Fear in education - An answer to Barry Kort
From: Norma Benesdra (benesdran@sinectis.com.ar)
Date: Thu 11 Jan 2001 - 08:39:20 MET
From: "Norma Benesdra" <benesdran@sinectis.com.ar> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:870] Fear in education - An answer to Barry Kort Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 20:39:20 +1300
Dear all at the forum,
Barry Kort wrote:
"But more and more I've become concerned about the role of fear in
learning. In recent conversations and observations, I've noticed
that fear seems to be a significant factor in arrested learning."
In my long experience teaching grades and later languages to all age groups I
have found that fear does not just arrest learning but also arrests teaching.
That is why I consider it a paramount factor in education.
Learners are afraid of making mistakes because they have not been told often enough,
or else they have not taken it in, that failure is just a step in experimental
learning, which is the only true learning. It is, in fact, only through mistakes,
that I know what my students don't know and I have to teach again or practice
further.
Learners are afraid of asking questions because they cannot realize that it is
the answer to their genuine questions that will remain in their memory longer
than a pre-programmed set of information issues.
Learners are afraid of questioning high-sounding statements and they should be
encouraged to give their own views about science and information so that they
can develop their own thinking systems.
Learners are afraid of disappointing their teachers and they should be encouraged
to set up their records and break them instead of just meeting their teachers'
demands.
Finally, learners are afraid of wasting time, especially when the teacher is
explaining things to others because they will not realize that anything that is
worth knowing is worth knowing well.
When any of these fears, or any others for that matter, are in operation, learning
is suspended and unfortunately teachers don't usually notice this.
Teachers, in turn, are very often afraid of boring their students when it is them
who can get bored of doing the same thing over and over again. They might not give
students enough practice and learning will be arrested as a result.
Teachers are afraid of showing their ignorance and will not give a "no" for an
answer. As a result, learners will not ask and learning will be arrested because
clarity and certainty will not be achieved.
Teachers are afraid of losing their power and they should accept that knowledge
ensues after a Socratic dialogue. The wiser the teacher, the more he will encourage
his students to ask, question and experiment, and thus to learn.
To round off this short text I would like to recall an experience I had many years
ago when I was teaching a group of 12 8-year-olds English. I was giving a model
class for parents to see what their children were able to perform in the new
language they were acquiring. I had successfully dealt with the first part of the
lesson which was revision and teaching a new structure and some items of vocabulary.
Then the moment came to show the play we had been rehearsing for some months. In
fact, I had thought of 4 different sketches and had induced the kids to say their
own words for the situations. I had then copied out the texts and they had studied
them by heart. On that day, I said, "O.K. Can we show your parents the play now'?"
and they immediately looked panicky. I hesitated what to do. If I disregarded the
fear I could run the risk of showing a mess instead of an orderly play. If I admitted
the fear I should call the play off altogether. What I did was say, "O.K. I know you
must be a little scared about acting in front of everybody so I'll give you some time
before we begin" I had them practice something or other to set their minds off and
after only 3 or 4 minutes I felt they were ready. They performed willingly and
beautifully and I learned that our saying in Argentina is right although it is
usually used about traffic and not about teaching: "ĦEs mejor perder un minuto en
la vida que la vida en un minuto! (It is better to lose a minute in your life than
to lose your life in a minute)
I hope you have found this worth reading. It is indeed one of my favourite subjects.
By the way, Barry, I have read your article "Bring a candle, not a sparkler" and
I loved it!
Cheers
Norma Benesdra
Language Network
Institute for the Teaching of English to Argentinians and Spanish to Foreigners.
benesdran@sinectis.com.ar
languagenetwork.trabaja.com.ar
Fax 4805-8452
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