Chapter+4+Reflection


 * Think about the six facets of understanding that you have learned about inChapter 4. How do you understand the difference between perspective andempathy? What are similarities and differences between these two types ofunderstanding?
 * // There are many differentways of understanding, overlapping but not reducible to one another and,correspondingly, many different ways of teaching to understand //**
 * **// Haveperspective: see and hear points of view through critical eyes and ears; seethe big picture. //**
 * **// Canempathize: find value in what others might find odd, alien, or implausible;perceive sensitively on the basis of prior direct experience. //**


 * // These facets are differentbut related, in the same way that different criteria are used in judging thequality of a performance. For example, "good essay writing" iscomposed of persuasive, organized, and clear prose. All three criteria need tobe met, yet each is different from and somewhat independent of the other two.The writing might be clear but unpersuasive; it might be well organized butunclear and somewhat persuasive. //**


 * // Similarly, a student mayhave a thorough and sophisticated explanation but not be able to apply it, orsee things from a critical distance but lack empathy. The facets reflect thedifferent connotations of understanding we considered in the previous chapter,yet a complete and mature understanding ideally involves the full developmentof all six kinds of understanding. //**


 * // Empathy is affect,synonymous with sympathy or heartfelt rapport. //**


 * // Misconception 2: Empathyrequires agreement with the point of view in question. //**


 * // Empathy is not sympathy. Itis a disciplined effort to understand what is different, not a question offeeling what other people feel. Similarly, just because we work to understandwhat is different doesn't mean we agree with it. Rather, we come to understandit as plausible or meaningful. //**


 * 2) Going back to the big ideas that youuncovered about the theme you chose in Question 3 from Chapter 3 (Food,Clothing or Environment), try and think how these six facets of understandingwould manifest themselves in relation to those big ideas. What would you expectyour students to be able to do if they had complete understanding of theseideas? How would you test for each of these facets? What activities would youuse to bring about these understandings? **


 * // To develop fluency andflexibility in perspective taking—if understanding is to blossom—a studentneeds to have a clear performance goal and to keep that goal in constant viewas different points of view emerge. The case method in law and theproblem-based learning method in medicine exemplify this point. //**


 * // Therefore, students learnthey are not "done" with a project or lesson simply because theyworked hard, followed directions, and turned in a piece of work from a singlepoint of view—their own. Instruction and performance standards must requirestudents to see things from the perspective of the ultimate standards, thevarious players, and the primary audience—not their own intentions—as theydoggedly try to solve a particular problem. //**


 * // A more subtle andsophisticated perspective involves grasping the points of view behind teacherand textbook pronouncements. What is the point of view of the authors of theU.S. history and physics textbooks concerning what is true, verified, andimportant? Do other authors share those views? Do different experts, teachers,and authors establish different priorities? If so, with what justification andadvantages or disadvantages? That this line of questioning seems too esotericshows how far we are from giving students needed perspective. //**


 * 3) Think about the target language you teach.In what situations would you expect students to show misunderstandings in someof the six facets that would lead to less than effective communication? **


 * // Understanding is always amatter of degree, typically furthered by questions and lines of inquiry thatarise from reflection, discussion, and use of ideas—including our attempts tounderstand understanding. Our explanation of each facet involves three differenttakes on the concept: //**
 * **// Introduceeach facet with a brief definition, followed by an apt quote and questions thatmight be typical of someone wishing to understand. //**
 * **// Offertwo examples for each facet, one from daily public life and one from theclassroom, as well as an example of what a lack of understanding looks like. //**
 * **// Providean analysis of each facet, offering a brief look at the instructional andassessment implications to be explored later in this book. //**