In the mission we were taught to promise blessings, and it always seemed a bit cheap to me--why promise them that your product will work when they can test it out? I would simply tell people to stop drinking, and see how they felt. It worked every time that they actually did it.
When this happens, the student will ask how they can feel it again, and that's where knowledge comes in: teach them to teach others. But don't just stick with L/T and roles--teach them experience, teach them knowledge, and help them experience it firsthand.
I really think that's what Dillon Inouye did my Freshman year: he talked all about potential, and told us that he would double our reading speed in one day, if we wanted it. When we did it, we were exhilarated, and would have walked off a cliff if he had asked us to--we had tasted it ourselves. And we wanted to be pushing the boundaries of our learning forever.
I agree with what you say Benjamin, but my question is then what does the teacher do when the "experience" happens and produces a different result than what you are proposing will happen? What if there were students in Dillon's class, beside yourself, who, when attempting to increase their speed reading were unable to do so? In the mission I also committed people to stop smoking, drinking, etc. However, some of the people got the "feeling" while others did not, for various reasons. I think the question of how to pass on the "fire" of the method is deeper when the principles of agency and uncontrolled environments outside the classroom are considered.
I agree that it's tough--but I don't know of anyone who didn't improve. I think there are some things that everyone can learn. I have another one that I'd love to do with the class sometime. I'll give you a taste: it involves me auctioning off a dollar bill. What do you think the prices will be? (If you've done this before, please don't ruin it for everyone.)
If you're up for it, I'll show you, and you can decide whether or not it would work all the time.
I like that activity. It definitely motivates. But I think the reason it works is because the intrinsic and perceived value of the dollar is initially already with the students. How do you motivate a student to develop the desire to learn when they have never really recognized 'the fire'? I think part of the process involves strong validations of the central message. I know for myself that I tend to believe something more if the validations are strong and relative to me.
I think I would like to see the dollar auction in our class, just to see what might happen...
In the mission we were taught to promise blessings, and it always seemed a bit cheap to me--why promise them that your product will work when they can test it out? I would simply tell people to stop drinking, and see how they felt. It worked every time that they actually did it.
ReplyDeleteWhen this happens, the student will ask how they can feel it again, and that's where knowledge comes in: teach them to teach others. But don't just stick with L/T and roles--teach them experience, teach them knowledge, and help them experience it firsthand.
I really think that's what Dillon Inouye did my Freshman year: he talked all about potential, and told us that he would double our reading speed in one day, if we wanted it. When we did it, we were exhilarated, and would have walked off a cliff if he had asked us to--we had tasted it ourselves. And we wanted to be pushing the boundaries of our learning forever.
I agree with what you say Benjamin, but my question is then what does the teacher do when the "experience" happens and produces a different result than what you are proposing will happen? What if there were students in Dillon's class, beside yourself, who, when attempting to increase their speed reading were unable to do so? In the mission I also committed people to stop smoking, drinking, etc. However, some of the people got the "feeling" while others did not, for various reasons. I think the question of how to pass on the "fire" of the method is deeper when the principles of agency and uncontrolled environments outside the classroom are considered.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's tough--but I don't know of anyone who didn't improve. I think there are some things that everyone can learn. I have another one that I'd love to do with the class sometime. I'll give you a taste: it involves me auctioning off a dollar bill. What do you think the prices will be? (If you've done this before, please don't ruin it for everyone.)
ReplyDeleteIf you're up for it, I'll show you, and you can decide whether or not it would work all the time.
I like that activity. It definitely motivates. But I think the reason it works is because the intrinsic and perceived value of the dollar is initially already with the students. How do you motivate a student to develop the desire to learn when they have never really recognized 'the fire'? I think part of the process involves strong validations of the central message. I know for myself that I tend to believe something more if the validations are strong and relative to me.
ReplyDeleteI think I would like to see the dollar auction in our class, just to see what might happen...