(no subject)

[Bonnie Keyser <Bkey@NNI.COM>]

> I agree COMPLETELY with Flit McElligott!  Teaching "skills" such as
>
> using an almost-obsolete card catalog will have amost no
>
>  meaning to a student and be a waste of precious time!
>
Do math classes "teach" the slide rule because you might not have a
calculator handy?

I sometimes get asked to teach a "skills" lesson, probably because the
teacher asking can't think of an idea to come for a flex session.  Of
course, I never say no to anyone asking to come to the LMS for any
reason, but I do question the Teacher until I can find some reason
connected to the classroom curriculum (however slight or flimsy it may
be) on which I can base my "skills" lesson.
I still teach print and non-print encyclopedia lessons because print is
still very much alive.
And yes, there is a great deal of wisdom to the concept of the teachable
moment.  Even with flex, we don't always hit that moment, but we get a
lot closer when we ATTEMPT to link what we do in the LMS with the
classroom.
Bonnie Keyser
LMS
East Bradford Elementary School
West Chester, PA





> bject:
>         study skills card cat
>    Date:
>         Fri, 11 Jul 1997 14:51:34 -0400
>    From:
>         Florence Mcelligott
>
>
>
> Someone suggested we should still teach card catalog because you never know
> when someone might "move to Smallville".
> I disagree that something not relevant to a student in an automated situation
> should be taught as a skill they should know.
> I do refer to it, but I have found that teaching a skill out of context is
> NOT remembered because it has no relevance.
> If someone  moves to a place and needs to use a card catalog, it can be
> taught at that time because it will have meaning then, but not taught in a
> vacuum.
> That is my argument for flex scheduling - the teachable moment. I see it all
> the time.
> Flit McElligott
> Rosendale Elementary
> Niskayuna NY
> fmce@aol.com
>