Learning How To

I decided that I was going to learn how to play "Let It Be" on the piano.  I have a couple years of piano experience.  This was going to make it a lot easier to learn this task.  When I searched YouTube for the right video, I had plenty of videos to choose from.  I had to then search through which ones were even  close to helping me to play the song.  Then out of the ones that helped I had to find the one that used the terms of music that I knew.  After about 30 min of many times of replaying and rewinding through the video, I was able to play the song (not perfectly though).

I think this relates to teaching with the help of videos.  I think that the students need some sort of background knowledge to be able to understand the topic.  If I didn't know anything about piano or music, it was going to be hard to be able to learn how to play with the language they used in the video. I also think that you need to narrow down the videos that are out there that actually are useful in learning.  However, I think you do need to need to have a variety to give students the choice to fit their learning styles.

Assessments Through Student's Eyes

I really like the Turning Failure into Success scenario given in this article.  Isn't this the point of school? to learn.  Assessments are there to measure what they already know.  Students really don't get that much learning out of it.  I don't think that assessments should be changed.  I think that it is necessary for teachers to evaluate the progress their students.  I just think that the one time opportunity  of assessments should change.  The mistakes that a student makes on an assessment provides a great learning opportunity.  I think that learning from your mistakes is one of the best ways of learning.  Why not take advantage of this great learning opportunity?  Instead of giving this one time opportunity for success, students should be able to be getting something out of them.  This also helps a student break a losing streak if they get that "AH-HA" moment where they realize mistakes that they do.  This confidence will most likely get them on the winning-streak that will help them succeed in the future.