The Disciplined Mind
The first of the five minds Gardner discusses is the "disciplined" mind. He identifies four steps in the formation of this type of mind.
1) Identify truly important topics or concepts within the discipline.
2) Spend a significant amount of time on the topic.
3) Approach the topic in a number of ways.
4) Most important, set up 'performances of understanding' and give students ample opportunities to perform their understandings under a variety of conditions.
Gardner argues for more depth in our curriculum at the expense of breadth. There should be a greater emphases placed on practical application and less on memorization of facts. Gardner narrows the pre-collegiate level of education down to "science, math, history, and one art form."
I remember teaching in Wyoming when a Standards Based Curriculum was not in place. We spent a great amount of time planning our instruction that was application and performance based. We did not have report cards, but utilized portfolio's. It was a great experience for me to have.
Though I was a part of teaching in this type of a system, I find it hard to think what that would look like today? Teachers have become so ingrained in C-scope and the TEKS, I don't see much innovation in today's classroom. :(
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I agree with what Gradner says about decreasing tha amount of concepts we are forced to teach and instead increase the depth of what we teach. I feel the American education system should adopt the philosophies of the Japanese. The Japanese teach their students approximately five to seven concepts a year (intergrated curriculums as well) at an indepth conceptual and applicable level. We teach twenty times that number of concepts at the surface level. The Japanese are learning ang our students are being left behind. It goes back to the educational debate of the American schools having the mile wide inch deep curriculum vs the inch wide, mile deep curriculum of other countires. I wonder what the folks at TEA would have to say about this?
ReplyDeleteI wonder what TEA would say as well. I found the information Gardner discussed about foreign schools very interesting. I agree that American Education is suffering and our students will pay the price. I wonder what significant changes will take place in the next decade. Will the change of testing create a shift in our curriculum? Will technological advances force educational policy to create new goals?
ReplyDeleteFive Minds is a great tool that helps us understand new ways of thinking. I believe Howard Gardner is a visionary. In addition, I believe his thoughts will serve a great purpose in our future.
Mastery teaching argues for fewer (but critical learnings) objectives and more depth of understanding so that the content is actually mastered and can be built upon. Public education is in a period of volatile unrest with the results and with outside forces seeking to change it. What a great opportunity for prncipled leadership!
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