CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH IN TEACHING

Introduction We all are living in 21st century where there is advancement in technology and innovation. So it is quite difficult to develop the scientific thinking in children with old teacher centric approaches. We need to be a facilitator instead of teacher. Child is not like blank slate, he is full of ideas and being a teacher we need to act as facilitator who can unfold the hidden ideas with creative approach i.e. constructive approach of teaching. Meaning of Constructivist Approach of Teaching Constructivist approach of teaching is based on constructivist learning theory. According this approach, No learning is possible until and unless learner are involved in teaching learning process. According to this theory, all knowledge is based on the prior knowledge. Therefore, a child learns better when a teacher listen his ideas and motivate him to develop his ideas in channelized way. We all know “The best teacher of a child is his last mistake”. When he performs the ideas and fined the result, then he gets new ideas for improvement and better results. Characteristics Constructivist Approach of Teaching · child centric approach · democratic · activity oriented · supports learning by doing · makes a child responsible and autonomous · self -dependent Methodology in Constructivist Approach · Experimentation method · Research project · Field Trips · discussion · Survey Role of Teacher as per Constructive Approach In teaching learning process teacher always plays an important role and try to imbibe his ideas in child mind but this approach believes that a teacher should act as facilitator who promote the creative thinking of child in this own way. Three roles for teacher to support a child in learning environment as: · Modeling · Coaching · Scaffolding How to Do Assessment · oral discussions · KWL chart( What we know, what we want to know, what we have learned, how we know it) · mind mapping · hands on activities · Pre testing Problems Faced By Teachers in Class Room · Old strategies of teaching are preferred. · Too much syllabus · Dogmatic thinking · Lack of creative teachers. · Over dominance of examination · Lack of integrated topics. Ways to Overcome Problems · Trained teachers · In-service workshops · Revised curriculum · 2 time examination in a year.( Term I & term 2) · Integrated subjects Conclusion In my opinion nothing is possible until and unless we want to accept the others ideas and stop thinking as dominant teacher. Let we act as facilitator not as a dominant teacher. No idea can grow in the boundaries, let we give wings to the ideas of child and decide him to take his flight. Constructive approach is a boon to the present teaching learning process but we all need to encourage the learning by doing and building of new ideas from pre existing ideas. As cell theory says” all cells arise from pre-existing cells. Similarly “Knowledge already reside in human body we need the ways to explore it”