This week I have been re-reading Mitchel Resnick’s “Lifelong Kindergarten” and thinking about the teacher’s role in the classroom or other kind of learning/collaborating space. In the “Peers” section of his book Resnick outlines four Cs that he envisions for classroom teachers and Computer Clubhouse mentors:
Catalyst: By asking good questions the teacher can provide the “spark that accelerates learning.” The teacher/mentor provides the conditions and resources for learners to follow their own curiosity.
Consultant: This is the oft-cited “guide on the side” model in which the teacher does not lead the learning through didactic teaching techniques but rather provides expertise and feedback as needed while learners experiment and explore.
Connector: No teacher/mentor has all of the knowledge and experience for all possible learning experiences (at least in truly open-ended experiences). Locating specialized mentors for learners, whether inside or outside the physical learning space, is a crucial role for teachers and mentors.
Collaborator: Excellent teachers and mentors follow their own passions and model this to their learners. Inviting learners to work together on a task, a problem, or even an entire project demonstrates the openness that we want all of our learners to develop.
More great ideas from “Lifelong Kindergarten” can be found in Resnick’s book itself and you can read more about the book and author as well as reader reviews in Good Reads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34889378-lifelong-kindergarten
Aaron Tyo-Dickerson 