Comments on: Faith Enlightening Education, Part Three: Construction and Instruction http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Greg Fazzari http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41331 Greg Fazzari Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:53:41 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41331 Paul: I completely agree with your last statement - constructivism taken too far is very dangerous - as if we can "create reality". However, you would probably agree that everything that we learn; history, geography, etc. adds to the sum-total of our knowlege base and ultimately our total perspective on life. Learning new words not only increases our vocabulary, but we have a word for a concept that we may not have concretely considered before. Historical data consists of facts and figures, but also gives us insight into the behavior and reactions that others had during unique circumstances in history. These add to our total "world-view". Paul:

I completely agree with your last statement – constructivism taken too far is very dangerous – as if we can “create reality”.

However, you would probably agree that everything that we learn; history, geography, etc. adds to the sum-total of our knowlege base and ultimately our total perspective on life. Learning new words not only increases our vocabulary, but we have a word for a concept that we may not have concretely considered before. Historical data consists of facts and figures, but also gives us insight into the behavior and reactions that others had during unique circumstances in history. These add to our total “world-view”.

]]> By: Paul http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41330 Paul Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:49:29 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41330 Constructivists advocate that teachers passively coach from the sidelines as the learner constructs his own unique perspective on the topic or procedure being studied. The learner than incorporates the new material into his worldview. Call me dense but when you say worldview I hear the word philosophy. Which of the following core studies are philosophies? Math English Reading History Geography Spelling Languages Science (okay there are some theories, of a philosophical bent, sometimes taught as proven science) I understand the need to teach in a manner suitable to the learner but to teach subjects as if they weren't based solidly in reality is dangerous. Constructivists advocate that teachers passively coach from the sidelines as the learner constructs his own unique perspective on the topic or procedure being studied. The learner than incorporates the new material into his worldview.

Call me dense but when you say worldview I hear the word philosophy. Which of the following core studies are philosophies?

Math
English
Reading
History
Geography
Spelling
Languages
Science (okay there are some theories, of a philosophical bent, sometimes taught as proven science)

I understand the need to teach in a manner suitable to the learner but to teach subjects as if they weren’t based solidly in reality is dangerous.

]]> By: cece http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41323 cece Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:38:41 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41323 Great article. As a teacher of children in a Montessori classroom (grades 4,5,and 6) in a public school, I know the politics that surround the educational system. As a Montessori teacher I also know the importance of teaching the "whole child" as well as the entire family. Montessori schools use the constructive philosophy, but with the added "prepared environment." The prepared environment is the environment from which the learning occurs. It is prepared by the teacher within the confines of the subject matter taught. The environment is planned and monitored by the teacher so the children can participate in their own learning. The teacher facilitates the child's learning by preparing lessons, experiments, and experiences to guide their development and learning. The most important part of my job as teacher is not to give each of my students the knowledge of the material, but to facilitate their growth as a human being - physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually - yes, even in the public school. Great article. As a teacher of children in a Montessori classroom (grades 4,5,and 6) in a public school, I know the politics that surround the educational system. As a Montessori teacher I also know the importance of teaching the “whole child” as well as the entire family.

Montessori schools use the constructive philosophy, but with the added “prepared environment.” The prepared environment is the environment from which the learning occurs. It is prepared by the teacher within the confines of the subject matter taught. The environment is planned and monitored by the teacher so the children can participate in their own learning. The teacher facilitates the child’s learning by preparing lessons, experiments, and experiences to guide their development and learning.

The most important part of my job as teacher is not to give each of my students the knowledge of the material, but to facilitate their growth as a human being – physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually – yes, even in the public school.

]]> By: Greg Fazzari http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41318 Greg Fazzari Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:21:43 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41318 Every parent is inherently an educator. In this sense, every child is "home-schooled", but some families choose exclusive home-schooling. Most of us can think of children that have rebelled because of parents mistakingly becoming to "contructivist" or too "instructivist". It is not just a problem with educationl institutions, but even THE educational instituion called the family. Our faith is an extraordinary gift. Every parent is inherently an educator. In this sense, every child is “home-schooled”, but some families choose exclusive home-schooling. Most of us can think of children that have rebelled because of parents mistakingly becoming to “contructivist” or too “instructivist”. It is not just a problem with educationl institutions, but even THE educational instituion called the family. Our faith is an extraordinary gift.

]]> By: elkabrikir http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41316 elkabrikir Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:32:22 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41316 Greg, what an excellent article with a unique instruction! I homeschool my children because of "The thrill of discovering the reasonableness of truth". Truly it is a joy to journey with my children into the Heart of Truth, which is the Sacred Heart. Perhaps I would delegate my children's education to a third party, such as Thomas Aquinas, however, I would somehow find a way to join the ride, simply for the thrill! The education process must serve the person. Sadly, within the framework of a politicized educational system both truth and the child are tossed aside and "left behind". Thank you for this article that challenges all to achieve authentic "Excellence in Education". I will disseminate it. Greg,

what an excellent article with a unique instruction!

I homeschool my children because of “The thrill of discovering the reasonableness of truth”.

Truly it is a joy to journey with my children into the Heart of Truth, which is the Sacred Heart.

Perhaps I would delegate my children’s education to a third party, such as Thomas Aquinas, however, I would somehow find a way to join the ride, simply for the thrill!

The education process must serve the person. Sadly, within the framework of a politicized educational system both truth and the child are tossed aside and “left behind”.

Thank you for this article that challenges all to achieve authentic “Excellence in Education”. I will disseminate it.

]]> By: Joe DeVet http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41313 Joe DeVet Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:15:08 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41313 Kind of reveals one of the several reasons for the huge increase in homeschooling. Parents instinctively know the boundaries for "constructivism" and "instructivism" and can best apply these to the very students they know well. It isn't perfect, but it does tend to avoid the excesses of educational experimentation, the secularism, the social engineering, the behavior problems, the sex-ed by Planned Parenthood, the forced "mainstreaming" of the profoundly impaired, the self-esteem fixation, and the myriad other perversions that have overtaken what is sometimes called the "State monopoly on education." Kind of reveals one of the several reasons for the huge increase in homeschooling. Parents instinctively know the boundaries for “constructivism” and “instructivism” and can best apply these to the very students they know well. It isn’t perfect, but it does tend to avoid the excesses of educational experimentation, the secularism, the social engineering, the behavior problems, the sex-ed by Planned Parenthood, the forced “mainstreaming” of the profoundly impaired, the self-esteem fixation, and the myriad other perversions that have overtaken what is sometimes called the “State monopoly on education.”

]]> By: noelfitz http://catholicexchange.com/2009/07/21/120326/comment-page-1/#comment-41306 noelfitz Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:18:10 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=120326#comment-41306 This is a great article, holding out such high ideals for education. "Excellence in Education taps into both the lived experiences of the learner and the revealed truths given to mankind by God." Well said. It reminds one how valuable education is, and it goes on all through life when we learn about and encourage others in the truth. This is a great article, holding out such high ideals for education.

“Excellence in Education taps into both the lived experiences of the learner and the revealed truths given to mankind by God.” Well said.

It reminds one how valuable education is, and it goes on all through life when we learn about and encourage others in the truth.

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