Teaching for Understanding and Beyond...

The name "Harvard" is often associated with the best and brightest, and in recent years, the name also is closely associated with those of the liberal mindset. Despite the prevailing liberal worldview present, God is still God and often uses the likes of those who do not believe in Him. Case and point with the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I frequent their website often and usually find something that is useful to our school.

David Perkins and Tina Blythe have written an article on teaching for understanding. In their research, they have developed a framework that can be helpful to the classroom teacher in teaching understanding, but understanding is only the beginning of the process for us at WCA. We can use this article to better our approach to teaching understanding, but our goals go far beyond. Our goals encompass critical thinking which demand that we move our students beyond mere understanding into analysis, synthesis, application and evaluation. A WCA graduate will be able to discern, be a critical thinker, be an articulate defender of his or her faith in Jesus Christ and be ready to live and work with excellence for the glory of the Lord.

At WCA we are not afraid of the work of those who do not know the Savior for we believe in a redemptive God who is in complete control. The work of Perkins and Blythe is both helpful and useful in our desire to be excellent in all things!

The framework is made up of the four elements below:

1. Generative Topics:
Selecting a topic to teach is an important process and central to successful teaching. Topics must be central to the discipline and have a ready connection that the students can use.
2. Understanding Goals:
Goals are important in long range and short term lesson plans.
3. Performances of Understanding:
Activities that both develop and demonstrate understanding are important.
4. Ongoing Assessment:
Assessment is an important part of the entire lesson.

The framework is useful but is not the only means by which to teach for understanding. I am confused as to why it stops at understanding as there is much more to the taxonomy of higher thought. I can see applications of the elements at higher levels, but I can also see some issues as analysis is very different than understanding. If you desire to read the entire article click HARVARD to enjoy it. Blessings!