Quote of the Week 2019/20 – The Pursuit of Knowledge

Those “aha” moments for students are golden. Seeing them finally get something after pursuing either some method or some content is one of the most  satisfying parts of the job. What we want to be able to do is to continually stretch each students learning without allowing them to break. Yes – it will be uncomfortable but it should be safe. Teaching students that acquiring knowledge and understanding of concepts and content can sometimes be difficult sets them up for the real world. We should be able to model to them and facilitate the learning of new skills and content. Knowledge unknown should not be something that is a fear for students. Everyone has had the experience of that maths concept that was quite intimidating at first sight. The beauty is though where great teachers and mediocre teachers differ is where they are able to break down the learning into manageable pieces, building upon their prior learning and then get students to many “aha” moments. Do this often enough and the pursuit of knowledge when supported becomes a challenge in a good way for students, not something to fear.

For more quotes of the week, keep an eye on #EMG_Quoteoftheweek!Written by Michael Dunn – EMG Consultant and Primary Teacher