Chapter 7: Thinking about Teaching and Learning

Upon reexamining my personal philosophy statement from the start of the EDU 101 class series, there are some things I feel more strongly about, and some that I would change or add.
One thing that I would make more prominent in the statement is to focus more on students’ individuality, and how to work with this to better teach each one.
One thing I did not agree with in Chapter 7 was the concept put forth by Ausubel of learning by reception rather than discovery. I feel that the field I have chosen, of Earth Sciences, is easier for students to understand when they can explore the material in a hands - on fashion. Also, some of the material presented can be handled in lab sessions, which can involve activities that hold students’ attention more readily.
I liked the Socratic Questions, which were brought into sharper focus by John Dewey, and further refined by Ralph Tyler’s evaluate and revise steps. This closely resembles the Scientific Method, which I obviously would support.
I also felt the changing classroom focus idea was one of those ‘best of both worlds’ solutions. Rather than things being black and white, instruction should be in shades of gray. Teachers should be prepared to adjust their delivery style to the subject matter.
These are some things from Chapter 7 that intrigued me and caused me to rethink my teachers’ personal philosophy statement.