‘The Example’
The example. I always thought how could anyone do anything without an example?
Or better yet, an ‘exemplar’ THE perfect piece. Please, show me the best, show me what YOU want. I think I’ve gone through life requesting this. Essentially, I was asking ‘what do you want me to produce to pass or get affirmation from you’? Little did I know learning is not about obtaining affirmation from you, universities or teachers. Who’d have imagined? 
As a teacher what do we do? No examples? I’ve used this with my grade 1 class- negotiated rubrics, checklists. They woke me up. We want to create something they said. It’s simple stuff really .We all have the same goal. How do we get there? Getting there is up to you.We all think differently and have different ideas, strengths, talents and interests.
I used to give examples, ‘Kids, I want you to make this..’ And guess what? They made it. It was great. All the same. Yawn. Yes, they did exactly what I asked them do. I thought this isn’t what I wanted them to do. I wanted them to think. This was tough. Kids wanted, pleaded for an example. It was hard NOT to give them one. Downright cruel. They didnt know what to do. Or did they? As teachers, our desire to see our kids succeed is so strong. It was hard not for me to not give them an example. The answer. VERY hard. In the end they struggled, had conflicts…They learned something.
Examples are appropriate sometimes, Im just saying they’re aren’t appropriate all the time.
Let them decide and create.
The Learning Journey 
NIce 🙂
I’d much rather leave it open and see what happens. As soon as you give even one example, you limit the possibilities, I’m sure of it.
Thanks Edna, agree!!
To often we constrain our students with what we want their learning to look like with examples, but I also believe that, as you said, there is an Appropriatness for the use of models. With a new class I use a lot of models, but try to make the learning outcomes of the model clear – is it the aesthetics of the poster layout or the content of the research or the process of working in a group?
I think that we do want our students to truly succeed in their learning, but often those times when they are struggling, where it is easiestfor a teacher to assist, we should stand back and let them struggle, as the learning will be much more powerful.
Thanks for the comment. That struggle is so much a part of learning. That confusion and feeling of insecurity. Such a great feeling once we get through that journey. Thats learning and its the reward.
The sharing of an exemplar is only with the intention of raising their standards of achievement. I know there is a casualty of limiting their performance / creativity
but at times it can serve as some kind of map to lead them to their final goal.
The final call depending on the learning engagement needs to be taken by the teacher.
Just leave it open and create a real learning opportunity.
Watch this video about what motivates people http://youtu.be/tJr9QajdCNc
I think it works too in classroom 😉
Just leave it open and create a real learning opportunity.
Watch this video about what motivates people http://youtu.be/tJr9QajdCNc
I think it works too in classrooms 😉
Nicolette
Thanks! I love that video. Dan Pink has some great ideas.
The sharing of an exemplar is only with the intention of raising their standards of achievement. I know there is a casualty of limiting their performance / creativity
but at times it can serve as some kind of map to lead them to their final goal.
The final call depending on the learning engagement needs to be taken by the teacher.
Prasmipavirajeev
Thanks for the comment. I see your point here. I always like to think of the journey as the real value, not so much the final product in some cases. Youre right, its very teacher dependent. A teacher might negotiate the engagement/challenge with learners and discuss strategies to go about the task without telling them to make X. This is very challenging as students needs to really used prior knowledge and experiences to think about how they might reach the goal.Often for me the goal can be a secondary aim, its all of the thinking, cooperation, discussion that goes on over the journey that is the most powerful. When I ask the kids what engagements they enjoyed over the year, those ones they found challenging always are remembered.
The sharing of an exemplar is only with the intention of raising their standards of achievement. I know there is a casualty of limiting their performance / creativity
but at times it can serve as some kind of map to lead them to their final goal.
The final call depending on the learning engagement needs to be taken by the teacher.
You can also show the students multiple models which meet the criteria. I find this helps students get their creative juices flowing. But I agree, that when students see a model, they all want to recreate it with prettier colours and a nicer design. This is not learning.
The open ended and problem based learning really helps students take THEIR path to the class goal.
Scott
I also wonder about how much of an example to show. I mean I wonder if you showed ‘some’ of the example but withheld the rest, maybe that might be serve as a motivator as you suggest. I think I might give that one a try. Thanks for the suggestions.
Some nice thoughts here, thank you. What about providing examples towards the end or after the process? This gives students a chance to compare their work against something, seeing where the possibilities differed or were the same – it extends the practice of reflection. Additionally, done repeatedly, it can train students to see examples (even when provided at the start of a process) as potentials rather than exemplars.
For me, it seems silly to throw away experience (in the form of examples), be it either collective or individual experience.
Glenyan
Thanks for the comment. Thats a nice idea, examples at the (near) end. Perhaps after some reflection, and seeing an example might spawn new inquiries or provocations to take their learning further.
Very thought-provoking, thank you Jay! I agree that anything that stifles creativity and choice is unlikely to result in meaningful learning. I think it all depends on the individual student. If they can articulate or show you what they hope to learn from an example, it can help to give them one in order to guide them. But different students will benefit from different examples at different times. Students from other classes can also be asked to provide examples which is a lot more engaging for all the learners. A lot also depends on the subject area. Students learning an additional language benefit from clear examples. As as often the case, it’s up to the teacher to make the decision about when an example will hinder and when it will help learning. Thanks, Jay!
Mary
Thanks for the comment. Depending on what we teach and who our learners are will greatly affect the way we view and use or not use examples. Perhaps we might use examples at different stages of the processes. Its a tricky one. Over the last year with Gr1 it seems that as soon as I give an example (of how to make something for example) most students made exactly the same thing. Pretty much copied from the example. I agree my views may be subject area dependent. I think not having an example is not the same as not having a goal. The rubric, instructions, outcomes..thats where the real understanding comes in to play. How well can one interpret this and use their own experiences to create something unique is the real challenge, especially without examples.
Another means to achieve a certain quality of product & make the process more authentic and also make the struggle as part of their learning : is to develop a rubric with the desired criteria of the product along with the learners after a class discussion.
This will encourage them to brainstorm, as to what according to them are the essentials of a good product & while doing so they would also be visualizing how they can also achieve the desired product.