Exploring Human Behavior in the Classroom

The Grade 6 students are lined up along one wall of their classroom. A large chunk of clay sits on half their desks. The teacher says, "throughout this exercise you are to keep your eyes closed and say nothing . . . not a word or sound. I will be leading each of you to a chair. When two of you are seated together, I'll put your four hands on the clay. You are to make something . . . anything . . . together while keeping your eyes closed and saying nothing."

After about 15 - 20 minutes, the teacher says, "okay, open your eyes." There is a rush of talking and activity as the students find out who their partner was and look at their own and others accomplishments. A lengthy discussion begins with the question: "What was it like for you?" The follow-up questions focus on three aspects of the exercise: decision processes, communication and feelings. Some contemplation of the wonders of the human brain, that can assemble from messages traveling up ten fingers an accurate "picture" of what's happening to the clay, is also valuable.

This exercise is one of 78 assembled for a Unesco-sponsored program 31 years ago. It was responsive to the fact that much of children's curiosity is focused on their own changing lives. Yet, our typical curriculum totally ignores this. Biology is generalized and social studies is about others. Thus, the natural self-directed learning, generated by one's own questioning, is frustrated and replaced by memorization of text-book chapters.

Under the auspices of Unesco's Associated Schools Project, I ran two teacher-training workshops to explore approaches to human Behavior for 11 - 18 year olds. We collected and adapted a number of experimental situations inspired by the research of psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists. They were tried out by the teachers and then revised at the second workshop. These "experience situations" consisted of 15 to 20 minute activities for all pupils followed up by a discussion that focused on what they had just experienced and how it related to the nature of human behavior.

There was a multicultural/ international component available. A class in one country would do a unit at about the same time as classes in several other countries. They would then exchange their results and discussion summaries with these other classes. This offered an opportunity to discover what turned out similarly or different and how the discussions varied from country to country. In follow-up correspondence, the students could also share their interpretations of each other and receive confirmation or disagreements.

A formal evaluation was done through the Unesco Institute for Education in Hamburg. It's conclusion: the project was proceeding successfully. Yet, like so many other success stories in education change, the impacts have been both time and place limited. The lesson that needed to be learned . . . all aspects of human Behavior belong as a central feature of the school curriculum . . . wasn't learned and still isn't. The Unesco publication, in three languages, was reprinted and all copies were soon sold out. Yet, the indications are of another education success that came and went. Today's text-based social studies courses are largely descriptive. The analytical and personal are notable by their absence.

What is often offered derives mostly from scary newspaper or TV coverage of school violence and rising rates of teen pregnancy, smoking and drinking. An adult authority is invited in to lecture on the topic and show a scary video. A bit of discussion may follow before the teacher feels compelled to return to the prescribed curriculum and textbook chapter.

These days, with so many students and schools in worldwide contact through web sites, list serves and email there are easy means to develop a multicultural program that is rooted in the students own explorations of human Behavior A frequent comment made by the teacher's was that their classroom dynamics had changed. The formerly non-involved non-academic students became more active in the follow-up discussions. it was as if they suddenly found their voice.

The approach described above offers an effective way to make the whole experience quite real. This can guarantee a more lasting and generalized learning experience. From a block of clay, a whole world can be built.

About the author

Dr. David Wolsk

Dr. David Wolsk is Adjunct Professor of the Faculty of Education and Associate, Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria, Canada.

University of Victoria
1040 Matheson Lake Road
Victoria, B.C. Canada
email: davidwolsk@shaw.ca
phone: 250 478 9795
fax: 250 478 9707

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