remarkablechatter's podcast
Direct download: SGO_53.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:02pm CDT

 

One the most challenging aspects of being an educator is knowing when to answer questions…and when not to.  For example, the other day I was visiting a school and came across two young students who were in a heated debate over whether or not megalodons—enormous, prehistoric sharks—still live in today’s oceans. 

 

 

 

One student was adamant that the giant sharks were extinct.  He insisted that he had recently been to a natural history museum, seen a model of the creature’s giant jaws and teeth, and read on the display that the last megalodons had died out about two-and-a-half million years ago.

 

 

 

The second student argued vehemently that the ocean was so big that there had to be at least one megalodon left.  He added that numerous sightings and photos have appeared on the web and that the Discovery Channel did an hour-long program on recent evidence that was uncovered of an enormous, 5-ton shark. 

 

 

 

After a couple of minutes of arguing, the students noticed that I was listening to their conversation, turned to me, and said,  “Mr. Chandler, you’re a teacher.  Are megalodons still around?”

 

 

 

This little scenario has caused me to reflect on a number of things.  First, while the media tends to portray young people as digital zombies, today’s students are anything but.  They are inquisitive, intrigued by the world around them, and fierce defenders of their own ideas.  Second, as the ‘sea of digital information’ grows increasingly deeper, it is likely to become more and more difficult for students (and for teachers) to discern fact from fiction. Finally, in the midst of debate about what constitutes authoritative knowledge in schools (i.e. Wesch, 2009), it seems that some students—particularly young ones—continue to view adults as the final authority of what is and what is not true…

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

 

Elias, M. J., Weissberg, R. P., & Zins, J. E. (2004). Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. Alexandria: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

 

 

 

Friedlander, B. S., Tobias, S. E., Goleman, D., & Elias, M. J. (2013). Emotionally intelligent parenting: How to raise a self-disciplined, responsible, socially skilled child. New York: Harmony Books.

 

 

 

Wesch, M. (2009). From knowledgable to knowledge-able: Learning in new media environments. Academic Commons, 7.

 

Direct download: teaching_students_How_to_think_instead_of_WHAT_to_think.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:16pm CDT

Direct download: STEM_15_Engineering.mp3
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Category:general -- posted at: 9:14am CDT

 

Human beings seemed to be innately adept at asking questions.  Over the past few weeks here are just a few interesting things that I have heard come out of students’ mouths.

 

 

 

 

 

-Why do we round up instead of down in math class?

 

 

 

-What are our armpits for?

 

 

 

-Is toothpaste a liquid or a solid?

 

 

 

-If I was bad, but really wanted coal…would Santa give it to me?

 

 

 

This week I was fortunate to be able to visit on the phone with Dr. Maurice Elias and to talk with him about questions and questioning techniques in the classroom.  He is a psychology professor at Rutgers University and the director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab.

 

 

 

Maurice lectures nationally and internationally to educators and parents about students’ emotional intelligence, school success, and social-emotional and character development.  Dr. Elias has written numerous books on promoting social and emotional learning and on social decision-making and problem solving.  He also writes a blog for educators and parents for the George Lucas Educational Foundation at www.edutopia.org.   In this podcast, Dr. Elias gives his thoughts on (1) the increased attention in education to higher-level questioning, (2) questioning tips and techniques for teachers, and (3) pedagogy that fosters higher-level. 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

 

Elias, M. J., Weissberg, R. P., & Zins, J. E. (2004). Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. Alexandria: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

 

 

 

Friedlander, B. S., Tobias, S. E., Goleman, D., & Elias, M. J. (2013). Emotionally intelligent parenting: How to raise a self-disciplined, responsible, socially skilled child. New York: Harmony Books.

 

 

 

Direct download: podcast_higher_level_questioning_curtis_chandler.mp3
Category:education -- posted at: 12:09pm CDT

Direct download: SGO_52_Rags_to_Riches.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:10pm CDT

Direct download: STEM_14_Eric_I.mp3
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Direct download: kssa_31.mp3
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Direct download: HT26.mp3
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Direct download: TWISI_20.mp3
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