Why constructivism help?

At the very beginning, I should define “traditional classroom”. The traditional classroom here I want to refer to those “teacher-centered classroom”, which means the teacher will control the whole class and give the direction of study. In those classrooms, students almost have no right to make their own decision, and in certain classrooms, students even do not have the chance to share their own opinion. Although those kinds of class may already hard to find in some developed countries or area, I talked with some of the high school students in China’s northern area. This “teacher-centered” teaching method still be a regular way school used through class. Most of the students said this kind of class gives them lots of pressure. They have the feeling do not be valued and even do not be respected.
The essential conflict in the classroom is who should control the class.
There are many elements such as the evaluation method in the educational system limited the teaching method of the class. But we can see the purpose of education is to let students gain knowledge, which means it should make the student the subject ( Paulo,1985). In many traditional classrooms, teachers mainly use behaviorism to force students to study what the exam ask them to learn. It makes students passive learner. For adolescents, they may discriminate against their teacher.
Here is constructivism can help in the traditional classroom. Constructivism encourages students to follow their patterns, to connect the new knowledge to what they already know. Using this method means the teacher gives the right to students to “control” their classroom. Students have the chance to discuss with peers. The knowledge is not formed what the teacher taught but from their own understanding and discussion. Teachers only guide students when they need help. Through this method, learners could think about why they are learning ( Sawyer, 2006). If learners know why they study, teachers could be an assist but not the one who force learners to explore. It can also release conflict in the classroom.

( But the essential thing is the constructivism may not fit the strict exams and evaluation system in many countries and areas. Students who under the constructivism may hard to pass the exam. In my opinion, the evaluation also should change and be more flexible. However, this is not what a single teacher can do. I would not talk about this part of this blog. It would be talking soon.)

References:

Freire. Paulo, (1985), The Politics of Education – Culture, Power, and Liberation,

Translated by Donoldo Macedo, Bergin & Garvey, New York, NY.  

Sawyer. K, (2006), The new science of learning in R.K. Sawyer (Ed.). The Cambridge

handbook of the learning sciences (p.4). New York： The Cambridge University

Press. New York: Oxford University Press.