From: Eugene Matusov
Submit: Post Message
Date: 16 Oct 1996
Time: 00:05:35
Hi Valierie--
I read your message just before the class (I didn't have time to reply although). Thanks a lot for ponting important questions that you are interested -- it really helped me to provide guidance for the Monday class. Thus, this is a good example of shared guidance.
You wrote, "i finished reading An assessment of learning through the qualitative analysis of fieldnotes yesterday. This article did two things for me. 1. gave me a better picture of what barrios unidos's learning environment should be like. and 2. made me a little concerned that barrios unidos seems to be far from the 5th dimension in san diego. "The normative rule that guides the student efforts is an istantiation of the idea of the zone of proximal development; "help as little as you can, but enough that the child is having a good time"."
In reply:
1) We are not necessary repeating 5th dimension experience of the UCSD. They are also different from site to site (there are several sites where 5th dimension works).
2) However, you can try to provide children minimum guidance (or what I'd call "children-run" approach) if you feel comfortable to try. Let us know what will be the results. I guess it is important to try different approaches to find what best works for you and kids.
You also asked, ". If it is possible can you try to include for our reading, more litariture about the 5th dimension in san diego."
Yes, they are included in the readings.
Eugene