Reflection 3

REFLECTION # 3 – COSNTRUCTIVIST PLAN

Let’s talk about food. If we eat the same food on the same way every day, the time will come that our taste will not accept that food anymore. If we eat rice and beans every day, or beef with mashed potatoes and gravy every day, our body will lack certain kinds of vitamin and things which are necessary for our health.
The same way occurs with education. If a teacher uses the same method every day, i.e. just giving information, at a certain time his/her classes will not have the desired effect of learning. The classes will become boring and the students will not assimilate the information any more.
It is necessary vary and create new methods of teaching, try to make the students interact and take their own lessons.
There are teachers that just use what is conventional. They only give information, and the students have to follow what the teacher says, so, the learning is based only on the direct direction of the teacher. And the teacher expects just an answer, a direct answer from his/her students, maybe exactly what is written on his guide book.
Educators have created the constructivist method of teaching plan, where the students depart from theories to practice. It involves participation from the part of teacher interacting with the students. By discussing some issue, students have the opportunity to construct knowledge based on their own experiences. Knowledge will be constructed under relationship between the teacher and learners.
The teacher creates a situation with questions, and divides the classes in groups to discuss the issue. He/she offers guidance and examples about how the situation can be solved. This is called scaffolding ways or strategies. Then, every student has a chance to explain his/her ideas about what is in study. They are not mere containers of information. Their attention was captured, and they work together to solve the problem presented, by investigating and discussing. It is important to notice that despite the teacher guides them, the students have the responsibility to find the solution.
In the end, teachers can evaluate their students on the basis of skills and response. It has been demonstrated that this method is very useful in education, but teachers have to be aware that it demands a little more attention in planning. However, the hours spent in planning, will be compensate in class.