ACTIVE LEARNING METHODS
ACTIVE LEARNING METHODS
Source Image: Apprendoo
I was to be a substitute teacher in a 5th grade class and I was nervous. The instructor had shared his plans with me at 7:45 am and I was still looking it over and trying the connect the projector for the morning meeting when the 5th graders started trickling in. Thank God they had two specials that day: PE and Music. Looking over the plans, though I noticed that in social science, we were to discuss the Transatlantic Slave Trade. And then I had an idea. I would use an active learning method to deliver the course today.
Source Image: Anabaptist world and Met Exhibition and Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Students today learn differently. Gone are the days when concepts were expounded in a one-directional way. The days of mental mathematics, daily dictations, and memorization. The modern student must learn with images, concepts, and collaboration. The scholastic method of learning with its “rational discussion and clear understanding” is no longer the norm. The philosophy of relativism has found its way into our educational systems. But truth does not change and we must teach students how to incrementally uncover it without being bored, distracted, or left behind.
This is where active methods of learning come in. These methods aim at helping students “to engage in their learning by thinking, discussing, investigating, and creating”. Some of these methods include think-pair-share, three-step interviews, case studies, role-play, flipped classrooms, peer teaching, and instructor storytelling. In my 5th grade class, I was going to use Instructor Storytelling and give a new perspective on the Transatlantic Slave trade in which West Africans were forcibly torn from their lands and taken to Europe and the to Americas.
The first question I asked the students was how they felt about how the Transatlantic Slave trade. The answer was a unanimous “We hate it!”, “tired of it”, “they have been harping on this since 3rd grade”. Then I asked them if they could hear my accent. The answer was “yes”. I told them I was originally from West Africa and that today we were going to learn about the subject differently. On a table at the back of the class, I lined up articles such as clothing, art pieces, musical instruments, staple food from West Africa (banana plantain, cassava, and papaya), and a globe etc…(I had gathered those at my house during lunch break). Then I proceeded to explain where West Africa was located with respect to America, spoke of the climate, the people, their culture, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, the music they played (thanks to YouTube) etc. We then moved on to what the voyage must have been like, the shock and the difficulties. In that way, this difficult lesson came to life, engaged the children, and gave them a more thorough understanding of the people who were involved in the Slave Trade on the African side. The look on these 5th graders' faces was my reward and a sure sign that Storytelling as a teaching method which in this case, had been a success.
STORYTELLING RESOURCES
Wow! I would have loved to be one of your students that day. What an excellent way to teach about the Transatlantic Slave Trade. I am sure that lesson will be one that they will remember as adults. You are a fantastic, resourceful substitute teacher. I love using storytelling to teach. I often use this strategy with my first graders. I enjoy bringing out props, using different voices, and gestures to bring the social studies stories alive. It is beautiful to connect real-life stories to stories so that students can make a lasting impact. Have you used this active learning strategy with any other lessons?
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa: I have had many substitute teacher days and this one was definitely one of the better ones :-). Like you, for the younger grades, I try and bring books to read with them and use those as materials for downtime. It helps that I work at the library where I have a huge selection of fun books for the kiddos. Storytelling has helped with the older grades (they are a little tougher) when the subject allows me to do it. Thank you.
DeleteThis lesson sounds amazing! You were able to make the lesson engaging and had the students actively engaged in their own learning. The power of words can have an astonishing effect on students, especially if spoken well. Active learning comes in various forms and you nailed it! You were able to creatively get your students excited about learning and that is not always easy. It seems like you were able to bring the active learning strategy of storytelling to life!
ReplyDeleteHi Josie: Words are indeed powerful!
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThis lesson sounds amazing! I think it is so great that you were able to bring to life what it was like at a deeper and much more meaningful level! I'm sure the students will never forget this lesson, and they will reference it in their Social Studies classes for years to come! Bringing in actual props from West Africa is a great way for the students to feel more connected to a place that is so far away! You are amazing!
Thank you Ashley: It was my pleasure to share something that meant so much to me. And the kids were so responsible, I felt like I was the lucky one
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI love the lesson that you created. It sounds like you really did created a learning space for the students to enjoy and create a deeper understanding. The images you used gave me an idea of the lesson. You did a great job bringing in your culture and bringing in so many different artifacts for the students. Like the fifth graders said they have been learning about Transatlantic Slave trade for years but you changed the way the look at it forever!
Hi Oboube,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you used storytelling as an active learning method to make the Transatlantic Slave Trade lesson more relatable for your students. Your approach clearly made a significant impact! Did you notice a shift in how the students responded to the material after your storytelling approach? I’m curious if it helped them view the topic in a different light. It sounds like your approach had a profound impact on their perspective of the material.
Nice work!
H. Yancy
Hi Yancy: While I did not follow up to check on the questions you asked. I did notice that the kids told their teacher about this "African sub" from whom they loved so much and that was the best compliment i could have had. I was hoping to spark some curiosity in them and make them dig deeper! Thank you!
DeleteHello Oboube,
ReplyDeleteYour storytelling must have been captivating. I can tell this lesson was what true active learning looks like. The artifacts you brought in to share showed the students an enlivened the lesson which made it so much more real. Your experiences and knowledge of your home country gave the students a close hand account of the people involved. It is so interesting to hear different perspectives that are non-western. I respect your background and your ability to share this especially as a guest teacher in the class. You did not just fill a position, remember that, you taught an engaging lesson that meant a lot to those students. Feel free to let me know when you're available, I would love to have you come in or set up a zoom.
-Elizabeth
What a fun lesson that had to be for you, Oboube! Not too many substitutes can say that.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, what a lucky class to have had such a substitute teacher. I love how you incorporated humanity and empathy based ideas first. Humanize the people they are learning about through their food, music, culture - then there grows a connection. From there, their hearts are more open to learning about their experiences and showing the compassion that's deserved. Thanks for thinking outside the box for them. I'm sure they're grateful, whether they know it or not.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience with the Instructor Storytelling active learning technique. I appreciate that you chose to teach the students about the trade from the West Africans’ point of view. Growing up, I was never taught this history in that way. It was always just boring facts. I couldn’t really relate to the material. However, I’m sure your students were able to connect to this history from your story. Being able to connect keeps the knowledge with you as it has now become personal. I’m glad we now have teachers like yourself who are paving the road to a more engaging way of teaching and learning.
Great post!
~Alisha