Frame of Reference Dr.

Humphrey
I argue that the process of learning should be fun. But what does this mean exactly? What we
consider fun are usually the things that grab our attention, hold our interest, and make us ask
questions in order to learn more and to fully understand what we are doing. Education must
engage; it must excite; it must ignite inquisition, even if that inquisition throws doubt on what
was learned. It is with this in mind that I try to approach my process of teaching.
The big question here is how exactly does one make education fun? It is safe to say that certain
topics may lend themselves more easily to this pursuit than others, but it is not correct to say
that it cannot be applied to all subjects. I think it is too easy to fall into the trap of talking at our
students, rather than talking with them. For instance, relying on lectures with little
engagement or interaction, the end result being that even the most interesting topic becomes
dry and uninspiring.
One of my goals in education is to allow for the opportunity for engaging in the material and
inciting curiosity through object-based learning. Object-based learning provides a direct link
with a specific topic or with the past in general, and can greatly enhance a students interest in,
and understanding of the topic being discussed. I am primarily a visual learner. In my own
practice in teaching archaeology, ancient history, and human evolution, I have found that it is
incredibly important to give students a chance to experience the material in a hands-on fashion
as much as possible. For instance, having students handle stone tools from museum teaching
collections. I remember my own first experience holding an Acheulian handaxe, and realising
that it had been made and used by a totally different type of human over 1 million years ago,
and that rush of excitement and awe. If I can create paradigm-shifting opportunities like that
for my students, I will consider a large part of my job as an educator complete.

In other situations, object-based learning has taken the form of having students try out stone
tool making techniques. This allows them to not only gain a better understanding of the
techniques used to make the tools, but also the skill level required. This helps open their eyes
to the idea that, although the tools they are studying are made of stone, they are not simple,
primitive items, but are instead the end-result of complex conceptual planning. And, frankly, its
not as easy as it looks.
Object-based learning allows students to work with each other to develop ideas and start
debates, and to reflect on how processes in the past can be connected to events in the present.
It also makes role-playing, or kinesthetic-based learning, more accessible because students will
have gained a deeper understanding of the people they are studying. I have used role-play to
show how an early human ancestor would have walked, after letting students examine casts of
modern and early hominin pelves, in order to better explain the changes in skeletal and
muscular anatomy. This last tends to be a favourite of students, not least of which because the
students get to see their teacher having fun. And this, I believe, is key. If I expect my students
to engage in the material, then I had better be engaged in it as well.
A large part of the engagement process is the development of critical thinking and asking
questions, both of which are key elements in the Thinking and Communication core
competencies outlined in the new BC curriculum. In the classroom, this can take two different
forms. First, I try to base my teaching around answering specific questions, rather than simply
dealing with material in a chronological fashion. For instance, why do civilisations develop?
What are the pros and cons, and why might people choose a solution that has more cons than
pros? How do we connect our modern social practice of labelling individuals and groups to our
early hunting-and-gathering past? Why is it that many cultures around the world appear to
have shared cultural themes? A part of this questioning strategy is to open debate and
discussion with and between students, and to allow them to discover that there are multiple
ways to interpret the past, and that sometimes there is no single, right answer. In this way,
teaching is empowering students to interrogate the existing social structures of everyday life
and allows them to question the status quo.
Object-based learning creates situations where skills in critical thinking are developed.
Students are encouraged to think of their own explanations and interpretations of how an
object was made, and for what purpose. These critical thinking skills are further developed
through written and oral course work. Critical thinking is a skill that requires nurturing we are
skilled in asking questions, but not necessarily in processing and evaluating the answer. We are
inundated with information in the modern world, much of which is readily available via the
internet. However, much of this information has no intrinsic critical filter. Critical thinking
requires the ability to consider problems from a number of different angles, and an
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understanding that there may exist different interpretations of the same concept. Being able to
critically assess important concepts and different viewpoints, both within my classroom, as well
as in the wider world, will allow students to develop self-confidence in their thinking.
Assessment can be one of the most stressful aspects of education, from the students
perspective. Often in their view, this is where they are judged and classified based on how well
they perform a certain set of tasks. This is usually based on one final summative task, such as a
formal paper, or a unit exam, where students have to demonstrate their achievement of a
specific learning expectation. However, assessment does not need to be a stressful event and
in many cases, actual assessment takes place without students even being aware of it. It is
important to have a combination of assessment tools available, and to use as many types of
assessment as are applicable, because students are not just learning a set of required facts.
They are also learning how to work cooperatively and socially, how to express themselves, and
how to solve problems and think critically, and how they as individuals learn. This last is a very
important discovery for all students to make, as people collect and recall information in
different ways some of us require visuals to make connections between ourselves and
information; others require hands-on constructionist activities to cement understanding; and
still others require the process of putting pen to paper and stitching words together to truly
express their understanding.
Because the learning process can be a very individual journey, it is important to assess students
on more than just the final product (although this is also important). While students are
learning, we as teachers must monitor student progress on their journey. By using small and
whole group discussion, non-graded quizzes, tickets-out-the-door, games, submission of minute
papers or reflections, and my own observations, I can keep abreast of the level of
understanding of specific topics within the classroom. Tied to this formative or diagnostic
assessment, it is also important to allow students to evaluate their own understanding and
performance, as well as their classmates. Through self- and peer-evaluation, they can
strengthen their ability to make logical arguments based on an understanding of the material,
as well as an opportunity to develop their voice.
I strive to help my students develop accountability in their learning. During this formative
period of their intellectual and psychological development, many students frequently dont
make the connections between cause and effect. Some of this disconnect can be traced to a
lack of engagement in the material and the learning itself. The goal is to create a classroom
atmosphere where the student is able to develop their adaptive and emergent growth
processes so that they are invested in the learning. Following the research of Rousseau and
Kohn, the goal is allow the students own interests within a given subject area to mature, and to
direct and provide incentives to encourage their curiosity and independence. This can be
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achieved on a large scale, through project-based inquiries, where students are given the
opportunity to channel their curiosity and interests with a specific goal in mind. On the smaller
scale, for those students whose emergent self is delayed, it can be achieved through the use of
Unit Outlines, which contain a series of definitions and topic questions to help focus their
learning, as well as copies of all rubrics that will be used. Students can use the outline to
narrow down their interests, to focus their inquiries, as well as get a clear understanding of
their responsibilities. Students can choose for themselves if they wish to complete the outline,
with the understanding that if they decide not to, they may lose the opportunity to do bonus
assignments.
Student accountability is also encouraged by making sure to develop and maintain close
relationships with parents and guardians. At the beginning of every school semester, I send out
an introduction letter to all parents and guardians in order to make the initial contact. I also
encourage parents and guardians to contact me with any concerns they may have through my
teacher website. Traditional models of teacher-parent contact often place the student in the
role of delinquent; one only hears from the teacher when their child has done something
wrong. I make a point of contacting parents not only when I have concerns for a student, but
also when students are doing well, and are achieving their goals. By highlighting the successes
of my students, I hope to create an atmosphere where students take pride in their learning.
Finally, I want to create an environment of respect and safety in my classroom. Much of this
comes from how I behave in class, as I am setting the primary example of how everyone should
operate. There are several values that I demonstrate and try to pass on to students, through
my behaviour. These include but are not limited to the importance of being organised and
prepared; the importance of respecting one self and ones fellow classmates; the importance of
autonomy and personal accountability; and the importance of making time for others. If
students know that their observations, ideas, and actions are respected by their teacher, and
that they will be held accountable for these same behaviours, they are much more likely to
engage in learning, both on an individual level, and on a co-operative, group level.