Thoughts on Fashion

I must admit that these readings have proved to be some of the most thought provoking thus far. I could easily make several connections between education and fashion, but also found myself making more personal connections to these texts too. Fashion is always changing and never stagnant. Education is always changing too. For example, we discover new practices and varied methods for our work. All the while new models are constantly being developed. Just like a talented designer, a fantastic teacher has the ability to take a regular idea and transform it into something far more compelling. In this entry I am trying to zone in on the key ideas related to fashion as a "form". These ideas have the potential to aid teachers in shaping an authentic learning experience for students.

In his piece, Postrel states that "Function, not form, creates legitimate value". It took me some time to wrap my head around that thought. Here, the author was referring to a product in terms of usefulness. It is not about the way something appears, but what purpose it serves. In education, it should not be about adding unnecessary extras to our lessons. As teachers, we need to focus on the actual content of what we are teaching. On the other hand, with the rise of technology students have become much more visual learners. We still need to motivate and engage our students in some way. Postrel further states that  "Our love of sensory delights is crowding out more cognitive pleasures". I feel that teaching experiences should be filled with creativity along with a balance of hands-on/minds-on experiences. Each of us are unique individuals and harbor a "desire to be different". This is why we should strive to treat and teach each student in this manner.

Continuing on with my thoughts, there was truly a lot for me to learn from the "If Ideas Were Fashion" piece. Integrating these thoughts related to the experience of fashion into education is an innovative way for teachers to shift their thinking. In order to learn from this though, one must be willing to be open minded. Much like fashion, teaching is all about fresh perspectives and new takes. As teachers, we should let our students explore while helping to spark their curiosity in diverse areas. Supplying students with new avenues for learning can be a useful tool for teachers to employ. I carefully read over the points in this piece to create my own imaginative bridges. The ideas within "teaching as advertising, learning as shopping" captured me in a positive way. I agree with many of the points. Of course we want our practices within the classroom to be more than a mindless exercise for our students. We need to create the "buzz" that attracts students and ignites a desire within to learn. With hard work, careful planning, and dedication to the craft, this can be achieved.