From Gathering to Gathering: the Lesson is Conducted by the Learners

Author:
Tamar Ghahramanyan

In May we summarize what we have done for one year by marking our achievements and registering shortcomings. It is the May Gathering again; so another opportunity is given to us to throw a backward glance at what we have done.

This year the scope of my work has been diverse and multi-dimensional. They have been educational exchanges and trips of country studies, projects fostering further education, and various educational projects the implementation of which was carried out with new methods of teaching.   Being a teacher investigator I have written various articles articles and continued my translational activities. I have also been engaged in the activities of the teachers’ Choir “Sebastatsies”.

I want to mention the short term projects devoted to Avetiq Isahakyan and Mushegh Galshoyan. After fulfilling the short term projects we organize open lessons. After having read, studied and discussed a certain piece of literary work the teachers summarize what they have done. This summary is organized in an open joint lesson which is conducted by our learners. This open joint lesson has the following advantages:

• Presenting the results of one’s own studies, opportunity of raising questions in an informal talk
• Developing the communicative skills 

These are personal qualities which will accompany our learners during all their lives. These open lessons are especially precious when people of different life experiences take part in them, and the philosophical depth of literary creations is better revealed. The learner understands that conclusions can’t be unambiguous. There can be contradictory opinions and unexpected formulations. A group of students take the responsibility for conducting the summarizing lesson. They help each other and learn from each other. The learners feel as if they are teachers, and while doing this work they reveal the skills of investigating learners. During the lesson the learner-teacher has to overcome his/her fear, embarrassment and worries. Besides the teachers of the Armenian Language and Literature teachers of other subjects also take part in the open lesson. They are not just passive listeners. They ask questions, take part in the discussions and encourage the learner-teacher who is conducting the lesson. To make the lessons more interesting and attractive we use music and sing songs. For example, during the lesson devoted to Isahakyan we listened to the song sung by our learner Samvel Hovhannisyan. I hope that during 2016-2017 school year we will have more lessons conducted by our students.