Twitter Book Club: Robert L. Fried (2005) The Game of School - Chapter 5

Chapter Five:
Humanizing "School Talk" in Pursuit of Authentic Learning

@anderscj
anderscj"The child must want to learn what we adults teach, must feel that school is a friendly, safe, socially affirming, ... http://t.co/rSyCrsh 59 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"if what we seek is a learning partnership with students, we cannot remain aloof from them or be seen as demanding ... http://t.co/9TcB3uJ 59 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"what if instead of managing our students, we chose to enter into a partnership with them?" Fried 59 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"I worry that in focusing so much on the minority of 'problem kids,' inexperienced teachers unwittingly foster an e... http://t.co/5Rmfs4K 59 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"When control of the curriculum is seen as lying outside the classroom or school, and when the curriculum is loaded... http://t.co/RiCwozK 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

This pretty much sums up what Fried's whole book is about:

"When control of the curriculum is seen as lying outside the classroom or school, and when the curriculum is loaded with so much material that it can only be 'covered' through constant lecturing and note taking, students see the teacher as tied by marionette strings to an unseen, impersonal, yet constantly hovering master. Game-playing artificially replaces authenticity, and enduring learning falls by the wayside." Fried

@anderscj
anderscj"Intimidated, subservient teachers make poor role models for students." Fried 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

Thank you Sandy Kress! This is what thou hath wrought.

@anderscj
anderscj"I can't truly teach unless my students want to learn whatever it is I'm teaching them." Fried 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"all students are continuously motivating themselves with respect to their learning—even when they 'motivate' thems... http://t.co/35PxfUA 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"The traditional approach that almost all of us have experienced from kindergarten through graduate school assumes ... http://t.co/ojNcXXY 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

"The traditional approach that almost all of us have experienced from kindergarten through graduate school assumes that any lack of intrinsic motivation towards academics can be overcome by a good talking to, plus the judicious application of rewards and punishments." Fried

And of course this doesn't work. Enter Alfie Kohn, stage right....

@anderscj
anderscj"Nothing the teacher can do can substitute for my own will to learn." Fried 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"how seldom we look at people, especially people who are poor or poorly educated, in terms of their strengths, rath... http://t.co/Go0fNDE 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj"By understanding how vital self-motivation and natural learning appetites are in children, we take a huge step tow... http://t.co/KEkCQ6W 58 days ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto

@SheilaSpeaking
Sheila Stewart@anderscj I often come back in the morning to finish reading your "book club" tweets from the night before :) 58 days ago via web · powered by @socialditto

@anderscj
anderscj@SheilaSpeaking thanks. I do it to spark conversation. Feel free to jump in. 58 days ago via Twitterrific · powered by @socialditto