Chapter 2: Understanding Understanding

In this chapter we investigate more about the concept of knowledge. According to the text understanding is more than simply being able to repeat facts to answer questions. It is actually the ability to transfer the knowledge that is learned to other situations. Transfer in this sense means to be able to apply knowledge into more than one context. Students should also be able to explain why they use this knowledge to solve a problem or do something else. To effectively have students understand teachers need to ask themselves two questions when lesson planning: 1.  What should students come away understanding? and  2. What will count as evidence of that understanding? The first question helps the teacher form their objective and the second is the assessment that is used to measure understanding of the objective. 

With understanding there are also misunderstandings. These are instances when students apply knowledge learned to a wrong context. It is important that teachers can see these because they can reflect on what happened and figure out why this misunderstanding occurred. They can also use this reflection to help guide the student to the correct way to transfer knowledge.

In my classroom I try to promote this idea of knowledge in the classroom. It is hard though because I have specific content I need to cover for the year. Sometimes, instead of promoting the teaching of knowledge I just teach facts of English to my students. I forget to give them opportunities to practice using their knowledge in other situations. I am now more aware of how I should be designing my lessons to teach knowledge and give opportunities to students to use it. I believe this is the first step in the right direction to solve the traditional teaching problem I can get sucked into.