Reflection Week 7

I began this week, wanting to embrace learning in the collective for my students. I struggled with the issue that my students are anything but passionate about the content they are learning, and if this is the case could a true learning collective form and be successful? On Tracie's post she talked about successful collectives she's participated in and that is was easy to do so because it was something she cared about, and it was fun. Which continued my thought process, can a collective work without the passion of it's contributors? Margot seconded my concerns. She was coming from the perspective of young students needing to learn the core subjects. But still addressing the same concerns, as well as having difficulty seeing the big picture. Thankfully, I continued on to the interactions between Ginger and Christine on Ginger's blog. Ginger had posed the question, can we provide a positive learning collective in the classroom? To which Christine responded, it depends. AHA! Yes, I was thinking of a learning collective as the end all and be all. But it does depend, on the students, the class, the topics. There are many variables that can effect a learning collective. She also mentioned it is not something you can create or plan rather you can just provide the opportunity. Yes! This is exactly the perspective I needed to wrap my head around a learning collective in my class. Barbra helped me in my search for an existing math learning collective. She suggested I teach students to form a collective and from that new collectives can grow. I likened that to planting a seed. If I teach them how to form one, I can guide them off the start with etiquette and what ideally it can be and what it needs to be successful, and it can bloom from there. From this I realized a new approach to introducing the blog to my students. Most are skeptical as they have never participated in a public forum for learning. If I can frame it with reference to blogs they follow and participate in for fun and personal use perhaps they will have a more relaxed experience. I have noticed in the past some classes totally embrace the support system provided with a blog, usually due to one or two students having personally blogging experience. In other cases, like this year, it takes them half a semester to figure it out. All the variables Christine mentioned. I can't force it, just provide it. Now I can provide a newer, expanded version with a better introduction and explanation.
This week, I was again the one doing the learning. Makes me ever so thankful for this learning collective I am a part of!