Durff's Blog: Pesky Pre-conceived notions

Durff's Blog: Pesky Pre-conceived notions

This post serves 2 purposes:

1. 1 I am still trying to figure out all of the really cool stuff that I can do in this amazing world of blogging. I have just linked to Durff's Blog. (which is pretty cool)
   
2. this is an amazing thought on pre-conceived notions that I wanted to make sure gets shared!

As a literacy teacher, I use these preconceived notions as schema or background knowledge, I use them to help students connect to the text and make connections with what they are reading.

Marzano describes Piaget's work on schema theory as either assimilation where a learner "gradually integrate[s] new knowledge into a learner's existing knowledge base," or as accomodation, where "interaction with content must challenge existing perceptions. (2007, 59)

As a Social Studies teacher I find myself trying to challenge students' preconceived notions to trade one perspective or way of thinking for another!

The idea that "Preconceived notions are necessary. It is our capacity to relinquish and learn something new that is vital" is important for us to acknowledge as we push to reach a new understanding.