Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I am an Affective Cognitivist

After perusing through chapter 3, I've come to the conclusion that I am, for lack of a better term, an Affective Cognitivist.  Now, this might sound horribly offensive to some people, especially to those listening into your conversation in the lunch room.  But if you explain to them the importance of being one, perhaps they will join you in your cognitivity (I believe I just created a new word).  Briefly - in three words or less - the term simply means "Head and Heart";  You reach the whole student.  If you just teach the head, the student may get some of the information (between his doodling on his notes and chit-chatting with his pal), but more than likely he won't get the overall meaning.  If you teach to the heart, you inspire the student, making them want to learn; once you reach the heart you can reach the head.
To be an effective teacher, people need to realize that not all students are the same, they don't all pick on information in the same manner.  If the student can't identify with it, they won't learn it.  For example, The Constitution.  Not the most talked about piece of paper at the dinner table; the student won't bring it up if they learned it was a hand-written paper written a long time ago by a bunch of guys wearing wigs . . .  But, if the historical document is disected and explained, and if the students are asked probing questions about what would their be like without some of the freedoms they have today, more discussion is likely.  You got the heart, and the information stayed in the brain.


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