GENUINE STUDENT TRANSFER of the FIVE STAGES of LEARNING

A couple of years ago I came up with a theory that involves teachers and students using the 5-STAGES of GRIEF as a model for their own learning. It sounds a bit grim, but if you click on the original post, since published in ETAS, you can see where, and how I took it for use as a type of an autonomous-student formative assessment in my workplace.  The reason for today's post is that we witnessed a student using the model to complete a presentation he did over the bayram holiday.  We had not asked for the Five-Stages analysis, but he chose to include it, himself, which real autonomy, dedication and awareness of his own understanding.

Holiday Assignment...

The homework project involved the students watching a film that we had given them to view over the holiday.  We made sure that there was a purpose to the activity, otherwise we knew we would get the students either not watching it, or just the beginning, then watch a trailer on youtube.  The objective, therefore, was for them to watch the movie using English subtitles, then they had to take a snapshot of 6 important scenes, and describe in reasonable detail what has happened up to and including that point.  They then had to make a ppp showing the scenes, a description of events, and the reason why they liked that scene.  The bullet pointed objectives below outline what the benefits of doing such an activity are:

• Listening practice
• Reading practice with the English subtitles
• Identifying the themes set out in the screenplay
• Empaythizing with the protagonist   (& antogonist in this case)
• Using technology skills to display the findings
• Present in English to the class on their return

The student who blew our minds this morning was a kid called Emre.  It was so good what he had done, I asked if I could use his example on the blog.  He dutifully agreed and here is what he produced:

THE FIVE STAGES OF PAKU

STAGE ONE: DENIAL

He denies the baby girl's arrival when her father, Poro, gives her the name, Paikea.

STAGE TWO: ANGER

He gets very angry when Poro leaves his daughter, now called Paikea, with his father (the tribal leader), so he can go to the city to become an artist. 

STAGE THREE: BARGAINING

He tries to change the girl's name, by getting agreements from his villagers.  He prays every day for a boy to save the village and tribe.

STAGE FOUR: DEPRESSION

He stops talking to everyone and cries to the spirits and his ancestors. He moves to a secluded area of the village. He continues to prey for help.

STAGE FIVE: ACCEPTANCE

When he sees that his grand-daughter does indeed have a special connection to whales, especially after his wife gives him the whale bone only Paikea could get from the sea bed. She is then celebrated as the village and tribal leader by Paku. 

(note: I tidied up some of the syntax for your reading pleasure. However, all of the ideas are his.)

This image shows the final scenes where Paikea makes a spiritual connection to the whales.

Much more than just a successful project, but we witnessed true investigative student-enquiry (over a holiday) that highlighted how this kid has really understood the conceptual theory of the 5-Stages of Learning. I have to be honest when I say I was totally proud this morning, to be a teacher of Emre.