I’ve been reading a great deal lately about Jewish culture. One of the most important aspects of ancient Judaism is the concept of Talmidim; the Japanese have a similar concept called uchi deshi, which is still prevalent in Eastern culture. This approach to teaching is much more like a traditional apprenticeship than a modern classroom.
Student’s engaged in this type of learning literally work side-by-side those who have greater knowledge. They learn through hands on experience, imitating someone who possesses the skills they want to acquire. In this setting, learning is not so much about retaining data as it is about gaining essential wisdom for living.
And yet, while occasionally I write for, and with, my students, most of their literacy learning occurs outside of the classroom, on their own. This is often true of technology and social media use as well. I demonstrate a few tricks of the trade, and they are left to complete a project on their own.
But now I’m wondering, what if my classroom became a place of apprenticeship in writing and technology, rather than a traditional classroom that dispenses facts and knowledge. Instead of covering more, we cover less with greater depth. How would this change me? my students? my classroom? If part of the point of apprenticeship is learning essential wisdom for living, how critically important is this with the rise of social media, with all its benefits and caveats?