The misconception is on the focus of Prior Knowledge as an event rather than a process. Educators like myself often focus on the what a student should already know and how to present the new information. And PK activities are used as straight pathway between the two endpoints; often an after thought.
But by shifting our understanding that PK may not have a starting point on the pathway due to trauma gaps or cultural miscommunications we can avoid negatively effect students' acquiring new information.
If PK is seen as an 'either/or' situation, both teacher(s) and student(s) may intentionally or unintentionally assume that the student lacks an ability, or skill-set for a particular subject area. When the educator actual missed an opportunity to present questions that not only triggering students' PK, but spark the students on a personal level. The result can be that students do not immediately recognize how that new information can be applied to: the present task and fail to activate PK, acquire new information, and demonstrate understanding or application in a timely manner. As a result, the impact is that teachers and students are likely to identify the learner as someone who cannot.
However, if the teacher re-frames the concept of prior knowledge from an activity to a process they open students up to autonomously deep-diving they learning could be off the charts. Jeff Haden explored the concepts of learning more and remembering in "Leading Brain Expert on How to Learn Faster and Retain More: Ask Yourself These 3 Questions". Reading this sparked something in me and helped fill the gaps that I expressed earlier on regarding how prior knowledge is misunderstood and misapplied as a concept in education. Haden shares that one of three key pillars to successful learning-personal. A concept a mentor taught me; lessons need to be personal, profound, and positive (3 Ps), students can learn more than I set out to teach them. Haden identifies Jim Kwik's three questions from Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life. If I adapt these questions and ask myself during the lesson planning process, "How can my students learn this?", "Why must they learn this?", and "When will they use what they've learned?" my lessons, expectations, and outcomes are drastically impacted. My mindset shifts from prior knowledge being either/or to a personal learning process. Furthermore, when I ask my students to answer, "How they can learn/use this?", "Why they must use this?" and "When will they use this?" their mindset shifts from what they don't know how they can learn more faster and use it!
Can your reflect on a lesson plan and identify areas where these 3-questions are asked?
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