DQC – Week 6

Writing is an incredibly difficult subject to teach. As a first grade teacher, I constantly found myself toeing the line of teaching writing conventions without crushing their interest in writing.

In Justine Cassell’s article, Towards a Model of Technology and Literacy Development, SAM really intrigued me as a “Vygotskian more capable peer, seeming to push children to act at the top of their individual ability through the nature of their social interactions.” As a teacher I always wanted to push students to try new things and expand their writing skills, but I was often afraid of crushing their spirits. I believe that a peer has more leeway than an adult when it comes to giving advice and acting as a role model. Maybe it is easier for a child to imagine doing as other children do; other children might be more relatable than an adult.

I have two questions on the subject:

In what other subjects could SAM push students to “act at the top of their individual ability”?

Instead of SAM should we be using this information as an indication that schools should organize more opportunities for students to work with more capable [human] peers?