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The Ability of The Writer To Reflect On Their Experiences of Teaching and Learning Identifying Key Issues and Influences Related To The Question
The Ability of The Writer To Reflect On Their Experiences of Teaching and Learning Identifying Key Issues and Influences Related To The Question
Formalvs.InformalEducation
Formaleducationisclassroombased,providedbytrainedteachers.Informal
educationhappensoutsidetheclassroom,inafterschoolprograms,
communitybasedorganizations,museums,libraries,orathome.
Whatarethemaindifferencesbetweenthetwo?
Ingeneral,classroomshavethesamekidsandthesameteachersevery
day.Afterschoolprogramsareoftendropin,soattendanceis
inconsistent,asisleadership.
Classroomactivitiescanlastseveraldays.Afterschoolprograms
needtocompleteanactivityeachdaybecauseadifferentgroupof
kidscouldbeinattendancetomorrow.
Youcanassumethatclassroombasedteachershaveacertainlevelof
trainingineducationalphilosophy,effectiveteachingstrategies,
classroommanagement,andcontent.Afterschoolproviders,by
contrast,varyinexperienceandknowledgeofteachingtechniques,
contentexpertise,andgroupmanagement.Typically,materialsfor
afterschoolsettingsneedtoincludealotmorestructure.
Teachersneedtomeeteducationalstandardsandsticktoaspecified
curriculum,whichcanmakeitdifficultforthemtoincorporate
nontraditionalcontent.Afterschoolprograms,ontheotherhand,canbe
moreflexiblewiththeircontent
Bothformalandinformaleducationsettingsofferdifferentstrengthstoyour
educationaloutreachproject.Ifyourprojectfitsintheclassroom,itcanhave
averylonglife;teacherswillusetrustedresourcesforyears.Afterschool
programsofferadifferentkindofenvironment,whereyouractivitiesdon't
needtobeasformalandwhereyoucanreachadifferentaudience.
Whilebothschoolsandafterschoolprogramsservestudents,manykids
whofeeldisenfranchisedatschoolblossominafterschoolsettings.Real
learningcanhappeninasettingwherekidsfeellessintimidatedormore
comfortablethantheydoinaformalclassroom.Theultimategoalisthat
theirsuccessinaninformalsettingcanleadtogreaterconfidenceinthe
formalclassroom
Anadditionalbenefitofdevelopingmaterialsforinformaleducational
settingsisthattheymaybeusefultoparentsathomewiththeirkids,orto
adultlearnerswhoarelookingtoexpandtheirknowledge,eitherfortheir
ownenrichmentortoincreasetheircareeroptions