tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34011427.post8229208358790455078..comments2024-03-26T07:00:11.620-05:00Comments on Wisdom of the Hands: a cooperative view of intelligenceDoug Stowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13003845322415622289noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34011427.post-52195958799995874682011-03-16T00:59:19.759-05:002011-03-16T00:59:19.759-05:00"We" do sometimes have kids do group pro..."We" do sometimes have kids do group projects for a group grade, and I've been involved in university engineering projects that were all about teaching teamwork. Lots of teacher think this is worthwhile. But once you hang a "grade" on the performance, people get nervous. Is this fair? What if Johnny worked harder, shouldn't he get credit? But then we'd have to ask, why is this a problem? In real life people make different contributions, depending on the abilities, interests, and extenuating factors. <br /><br />One "rule of thumb" I've come to rely on is that schools are largely ruled by fear. School boards fear activist parents, teachers fear tests, kids fear humiliation and failure... I'd bet the #1 reason we don't see more innovation in school is that somebody is afraid of how someone else will criticize the effort.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34011427.post-73220970229439226832011-03-13T07:47:24.802-05:002011-03-13T07:47:24.802-05:00Wanted to share this link with you. It is a works...Wanted to share this link with you. It is a workshed in London where kids will have tools to make, build and fix things. There seems to be a social/cooperative component also.<br /><br />http://www.shedworking.co.uk/2011/03/shed-out-of-ordinary.htmlDavid Bleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14273679675469666739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34011427.post-12149660809171259192011-03-09T11:56:24.340-06:002011-03-09T11:56:24.340-06:00Joel, believe it or not, there are engineering gra...Joel, believe it or not, there are engineering graduates that don't know their fractions... they've never been required to use them for anything. Even if you knew things at one point, if you don't use what you know, the brain discards or cleanses itself of that information. The hands and hands on learning build clear pathways for the retrieval of information. So hey say use it or lose it. I say that in most cases we either use it or we won't really get it in the first place. Real knowledge must become embodied.Doug Stowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13003845322415622289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34011427.post-48233747546492068372011-03-09T09:39:31.391-06:002011-03-09T09:39:31.391-06:00Actually, a lot of what standardized testing tests...Actually, a lot of what standardized testing tests for are important job skills that all too few students- even those with good grades- have. I remember back in the 80s we hired a school teacher as an assistant manager- she was fed up with the school system, and just looking for good pay; and as she had a Master's degree, we were happy to get her. At first. Our first sign of trouble was when she described 3 7/8 as, and I quote, "Four minus one of the little things; not the littlest one, but the one next to it." And her math skills were not up to THAT standard.<br /><br />The really scary part? After we mutually agreed to part ways, she went back to teaching- at a raise.Joel Monkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10631333436948102576noreply@blogger.com