Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) Reflection

Please reflect upon your ILIPE materials and journal entries and
consider what you have
learned about CLT.
The material which was used in the workshop was genuine and I
googled it when I was in Islamabad but didn’t found anything copy/past.
The book was also a fantastic and worth reading. When I returned to
my school, I share the book with my fellow teachers and literally they
were snatching the book from my hands for reading. Activities in the
workshop was so much effective and I try some of them in class room
as well as in the teacher staff room.

Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) is a shift from teacher centered

class room to student centered class room. Teachers love to deliver a
lecture in their class room, infect everyone love it, peoples sitting in neat
clean clothes and all are silent, listening to each of your word. But wait,
we are losing something, we are losing creativity, student input. So, a
shift is very necessary from teacher centered to student centered.

Overall, what ideas about constructivist learning theory were CONFIRMED for
you as a result of participating in this workshop? (Ideas that you knew to be true, but
something about the workshop really reinforced it for you.)

Since I am working in Government School, for me the shift of class room from one
domain to the other was a new concept. Although I participated in few training
programs here in Pakistan but at the end I always feel that practically it is not
possible to take opinion of every student in the class or how to take input of
everyone sitting in the class room. Participating in this workshop, actually assured
me that it is possible by implementing constructivist approach.

Overall, what ideas about constructivist learning theory did you find most
CONFUSING? (What, if
anything, about CLT remained or became unclear?)
Principle number two ‘Structuring Learning Around Big Ideas’ was a confusing part
for me as for as the implementation of CLT is concerned in the class room. The
reason is, in class room where 40 to 50 students are sitting and you have only 40
minutes given to wind up, your lesson plan need real world examples and
explanation, so it is difficult to stay in ‘student centered class room’ .
Overall, what ideas about constructivist learning theory do you believe to be the
most ESSENTIAL? (What
about CLT do you believe every Pakistani teacher should deeply understand or be
able to do?)
For every Pakistani Teacher the most essential part of CLT is, Assessment should
be in the context of learning. Only 5 to 10% students are studying in the elite school,
the remaining are in Government/semi government/ private school, where the
assessment is not in the context of learning.

Since the January workshop, what has changed, if anything, about your teaching
practice? Please be
as detailed as possible.
Returning to my school after participation in the workshop few things which are
changed, I would like share:
(1) I am now valuing student’s opinion in my class
(2) Now I’m not looking for a right or wrong answer, infect I observe what my student
have learnt.
The last one is not about my teaching practice but It is about our debate in staff room
between teachers, teachers now discussing about their methodologies in the class
room and how to improve learning process of students. In my opinion the credit goes
to your team, you guys push me and I started this type of debate/discussion in the
school. Sitting in Government school it is a huge change.

Since the January workshop, what effect if any, have you noticed with your
students? How have they
experienced the changes you’ve implemented? Please be as detailed as you can.
Students now feels that our teacher is a part of class room, discussing every matter
with us, and not a kind of typical teacher who came to class for 40 minutes with a
bored lecture.
One week after the workshop a student came to me after class and said ‘Sir you are
changed since returning from Islamabad’ I smiled in response.

Since the January workshop, what have been 1-2

of your greatest challenges to integrating more CLT into to
your teaching practice? Please be as detailed as you can.
Since we are living in a world where peoples oppose to a change, there are some
elements/teacher who don’t want to change their methodology, what I have done to
make a pathway for implanting CLT is to find support for myself in teachers. And I
am very much successful now in this strategy.

Since the January workshop, how many trainings for other teachers/peers/adults
have you conducted and/or
facilitated?
I have conducted three workshops for my colleagues, and now planning to discuss a
rather big workshop with the help of my principle and District Education Officer. Their
response is positive in this matter.