Rock Star Theorists

The theorist that I see carry through to my teaching style the most is John Dewey and the idea that students learn through experience.  The experiential learning theory and Dewey’s ideas have several aspects that resonate with me.  These ideas have subconsciously shaped my teaching style, which is heavily based in the societal aspect of education and school rather than just a place of churning out pure content regurgitation.  The idea of students playing a part in crafting their education is a focus for me.  Especially for particularly unmotivated students, allowing them to have a say in their education can be a make it or break it aspect.  A major tenant of his ideas involve the notion that students should and need to be active participants and decision makers in the educational process.  This materializes, for me, as students sharing input on activity selection, assignments with student choice, or simply involving students in the planning process to let their voice be heard. 

I want my students to leave my class as not only better mathematicians, but better thinkers, better speakers, and overall better humans.  My preference for student-led work is indicative of this, as it develops self-discipline and responsibility, which are important life skills that extend well beyond any educational experience.  I also have a strong connection to the tenants of constructivism, which is an easy connection to Dewey.  I don’t want to lob content at students only for them to lob it back; I want students to dive into the content and find the parts of it that mean something to them.  I want to facilitate this process as much as possible so that my students can construct more value and meaning in their education. My classroom is less about me and more about my students.