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Perkins Analysis

Perkins Analysis

Amanda Sherman

Post University

Perkins Analysis
Perkins Principle
Play the Whole Game
The concept of playing the
whole game means learning
subjects in relation to bigger
principles. Instead of
learning material or how to
complete a task just because
the material will be on a test
or a task because students are
told to. Playing the whole
game allows learners to relate
what they are doing to a
bigger picture so that they
may one day be able to apply
it to real life. This gives
learners a sense of connection This is a good example of not
between the material and
their lives and builds stronger
foundations for the material.
They are not only learning the and struggling in the course
subject but how to apply it.
Perkins Principle
Make the Game Worth
Playing
Making the Game Worth
Playing relates to providing
explanations to the student
for why they are learning the
material. Once a student
understands the reasoning
behind why they are learning
Analysis and Application
Non-Example
An example of not playing
the whole game is was the
first time I took a statistics
course in college. It was my
junior year and statistics was
part of my curriculum, which
was required. I have always
been strong in math, but
statistics proved to be more
challenging for me. The
material was presented in a
very straight forward fashion,
but without any sense of how
these principles would be
used later in the real world.
playing by the whole game
because I found myself not
connecting with the material
due to the fact that I was not
able to see how the course
would relate to what I wanted
to do with my life. (An
opposite example would be
the statistics course I took for
this graduate program. There
were real world examples on
every exam, I understood the
material much easier and
performed much better.)
Non-Example
In my 7th grade social studies
class there was an exam on
Africa. We were told that we
would be given a blank map
of Africa with the outlines of
the countries and we would
have to fill them in. This was
my first experience with
cramming for an exam.
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Support
Project based learning with
real world examples is a way
to instruct learners by
introducing them to the
context of the material they
are learning, and allowing
them to develop their own
strategies for the use of the
principles. Starting with the
concrete and solving hands-
on, real-world problems is a
great motivator. Ultimately,
they say, such project-based
learning that freely crosses
disciples provides an
education superior to the
traditional structure.
(Curtis, 2001, p1).
Support
Teaching to Understanding is
one way of making the game
worth playing. We are
fundamentally more engaged
when we understand and
more enthralled when we find
ourselves building
understanding (Perkins,
2009, p 65). Understanding

Perkins Analysis
what they are, they have a When I arrived in class to
different motivation. They take the exam I was appalled,
are now studying with a sense when I looked around the
of purpose. classroom and saw a picture
of every country on the walls.
This is a good example of not
making the game worth
playing because not only did
I not understand why we were
being tested on this
information or how I would
use it in the future, but after I
did learn the information, it
was made clear to me that I
didnt need to all along. The
motivation for me to study
hard for an exam again was
diminished.
Perkins Principle Non-Example
Work on the Hard Parts In my academic career
This principle is in reference science, more specifically
to focusing on the harder chemistry, is my Achilles
parts of a lesson. When heel. It is the only subject in
instructing it can be hard not which I have ever truly
to fall into a pattern of struggled. In high school
creating a lesson plan, during my chemistry class, I
following it, and finding out was struggling, and felt lost effectively. Such study habits
whether the students retained within the material. Some of
the information on the exam. the subjects I felt I was just
Adding focus, clarity and beginning to grasp, and others
emphasis to the more difficult I knew as much about
portions of a lesson allow the walking into the classroom as
students more time with the walking out. This is a good
difficult concepts and example of not working on
increase their ability to the hard parts not only
understand and use this because the material was hard
information in the future. for me, but I do not feel that
the teacher broke down the
lesson into understandable
portions, emphasized the
more difficult material, or
reiterated important topics. I
found myself feeling lost the comprehension may allow for
entire class.
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from the beginning of a
lesson why a student is
learning a lesson helps to
elevate them from merely
reciting memorized facts to
comprehension and
understanding.
Support
Metacognition is an important
strategy when facing difficult
subjects. Metacognition has
to do with understanding
ones own learning process
and using that knowledge to
process information more
include: preparing oneself
for a lesson, developing
positive study habits, and
self-monitoring of
comprehension.
Anticipating the hard parts,
when teaching the same
curriculum in consecutive
years a teacher may notice
classes struggling over the
same material. Preparing
diligently for these lessons,
spending longer periods of
time addressing these topics
and testing for
higher success rates in the
course. (Perkins, 2009).
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Perkins Analysis

Perkins Principle Non-Example Support

Play Out of Town An example of not playing Combining multiple methods
The concept of playing out out of town would be my of instruction as well as study
of town refers to trying new sophomore year of college I strategies ensures that
things. If a student is always was taking a communications students will be pushed out of
presented material or class. The instructor would their comfort zone at some
studying material in the same devote class time to point. Creating lesson plans
way they are going to only memorizing our with visuals, videos reading
develop skills with that one presentations, however he assignments etc. allow for the
type of instruction. Mixing would instruct us to sit in the student to connect with the
up the instruction method and classroom and read our text material in different ways.
material allows students to over and over. This method Assigning work in different
grow a variety of skills and of study was very ineffective formats such as group work,
learning techniques. That for me. I actually retained the creating a video diary, essays,
way in the future, whether it information much better and quizzes allows students
be the next class or in a real when I was rehearsing the the opportunity to find what
world scenario, they will have speech, reading out load and strategies best work for them
a variety of problem solving practicing my speaking skills. and what they may find
and learning techniques to After class I would go back to helpful in the future.
access. the dorm and practice my
speech again, this time the
way that was effective for
me. The reason this is a good
example is because there was
a technique that wasnt
working for me, and instead
of changing up the study
method, and trying something
new, I was still instructed to
use my class time the same
way every day. Luckily, as
the student I was able to find
a strategy that worked for me,
but the teacher was unaware
that his method of
memorization wasnt
effective in my case.

Perkins Principle Non-Example Support

Uncover the Hidden Game
This principle of uncovering
the hidden game is in
reference to understanding
the systems that have an
th
When I was in 8 grade, I One way to help a class
was in my SPICE academics understand the hidden game
class which was meant to be a is to introduce examples from
creative learning space for Bronfenbrenners theory of
gifted students. My teacher ecological system. Making
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Perkins Analysis

effect on the material learned,
and also learning the hidden
strategies in how to
comprehend the lesson itself.
For example a student
looking to study abroad who
only learns how to speak the
language and looks at local
maps for directions will be at
a clear disadvantage to a
student who has studied the
political atmosphere and
social climate.
assigned us a stock market
game. At that age, even
though I was said to be gifted
I had no idea what the stock
market was, I grew up on a
farm. There was very little
instruction with the game
besides pick a few stocks and
follow them. I was able to do
that task, but I had no idea
why I picked the stocks I did,
and I learned nothing about
how the actual stock market
functions or why. This is an
example of not learning the
hidden game because there
was no connection to the
principles of the stock market
that affect the movement of
the stocks, and there was no
connection to the larger
concept of the economy.
connections and examples of
how the lesson the students
are learning is impacted by
factors from other aspects of
the students world gives them
perspective on the lesson.
This will in turn essentially
pulls back the curtain on the
students learning experience.
They are able to see the
hidden games or hidden
influences on the material
they are studying. Students
are then able to form a much
deeper connection to the
material and understand it in
a deeper way.

Perkins Principle Non-Example Support

Learn from the Team Reflecting on my college Pair problem solving is one
By learning from the team years, there are many strategy for learning from the
students are able to develop examples of group work to team. This consists of
their weaknesses into draw from. Unfortunately students pairing off and
strengths. Taking learning most of them are failed taking turns as the active
strategies that have worked experiences. Specifically in listener and the problem
for others and modeling my abnormal psychology solver (Perkins, 2009, p 176).
them into their own behaviors course I had a group project This allows the students to
can be immensely valuable. and was not fond of my hear a full explanation of how
Or looking at a concept in a teammates. So we divided up a different mind would work
different light may bring new the work at the beginning of through a problem,
clarity to it. Collaboration the course and by the time we essentially model a different
allows a learner to grow from were presenting in front of set of problem solving skills.
hearing a different the class I had no idea what Communities of practice are
perspective. the other team members were groups of people who share
talking about. This is an a concern or a passion for
example of not leaning from something they do and learn
the team because I did not how to do it better as they
take the opportunity to listen interact regularly (Wenger,
to what my classmates 2009, p1). They allow the
contributed, or learn their opportunity for members to
strategies for approaching the engage in a high level

Perkins Analysis
Perkins Principle
Learn the Game of
Learning
In this principle the questions
what might be learned about
the game of learning and how
is it going to get learned?
(Perkins, 2009, p.193) are
answered.
As a student progresses
through school they develop
certain study habits and
techniques that work for
them. They are learning how
to learn.
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project. The deficiency in exchange of ideas and
this case was not at the hands collaboration.
of the teacher, but yet at the
hands of the student, myself.
Non-Example Support
An example of not learning Learn by doing every
the game of learning was student is different and needs
when I was in elementary to develop their own process.
school. I am of a certain age (Perkins, 2009). When
when the school systems instructing it can be more
were trying a new language beneficial to have the student
learning system called whole provide their own strategies
language. Whole language for solving problems or
is a constructivist approach coming to conclusions.
to education, constructivist Instead of standing in front of
teachers emphasize that the class and providing them
students create (construct) with the answers to an exam
their own knowledge from and merely testing their
what they encounter recall. Providing a student
(Bomengen, 2010, p1). I was the opportunity to explore the
told to sound out words for material themselves gives
spelling and was never them a chance to develop
instructed on how words are learning strategies that will
actually spelled. This is a work best for them.
good example of not learning
the game of learning because
the style of learning that
works best for me, which is
direct and clear instruction
was never offered. The
teachers stuck very rigidly to
their curriculum, and I never
developed the language skills
I needed. Had I received
individual instruction,
possibly an educator may
have deducted that this
learning style was not an
appropriate fit for me.
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Perkins Analysis

Connections and Reflections

After reviewing Perkins Making Learning Whole I have a new perspective on the

educational experiences in my life and am able to better prepare myself for a career in education.

The concept of playing the whole game is something I had previously never thought of. I have

had a very traditional learning experience, sitting in class, learning material and reciting it for an

exam. Thinking about the material I was learning in connection to the outside world was

something I never did actively as a learner, and if my professors had done so in the past, there

are only a few occasions when I can truly think of where I was drawing connections to a bigger

picture. One class, Sociology of Revolutions, was an extremely positive experience for me, one

which I will hopefully model many of my teaching behaviors from. We studied three individual

revolutions and their social contexts, but then we also drew parallels to each other. I needed to

learn about the unique world or time period in which each revolution occurred, then relate the

happenings of the actual military experience and the social ramifications. It seems daunting, but

I did so with ease, and I was fully engaged, so much that ten years later I hold the class in

incredibly high regard and can still explain much of the material. Is this due to the fact that I was

playing the whole game? Possibly.

Making the game worth playing never really entered into my life as a student. As Im

sure many other students in this masters program I am a life-long learner, I relish reading,

writing and test taking. I never required any extra motivation to study or to overachieve, in fact

my parents would often tell me I was studying too hard and I needed more sleep. However, the

one instance in which I could never motivate myself to open a book was in the aforementioned

Chemistry. I do not believe that I will ever be able to understand Chemistry, but I also dont

believe I connected with any of the teachers presenting the material. They certainly never
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Perkins Analysis

explained the why behind what I was learning. When was I going to use Chemistry in the future?

How did it affect my life? Chemistry was always presented as a dry set of cause and affect

scenarios and characteristics of molecules. Presenting the why along with the lessons may have

helped me to develop at least a basic understanding of chemistry. In my future in education I full

intend on explaining why a class is studying material, or a student is performing a task.

Working on the hard parts is something that I was actually very familiar with coming into

this course. Being an active learner I was always looking for ways to improve my skills and I

never felt uncomfortable with a challenge. Relating that to my future in education, I now need to

look at lessons from the perspective of being able to present information. So what happens when

you get to the hard part of a lesson and you need to relate that information to the class? Real

improvement depends on deconstructing the game, singling out the hard parts for special

attention, practicing them on the side, developing strategies to deal with them better, and

reintegrating them soon into the whole game (Perkins, 2009, p10). Providing extra support for

the challenging areas, repeating the information, developing strategies for tackling the

information and reintegrating it into the lesson. This strategy presented is one I plan to utilize in

my future.

For a learner to play out of town they have to be pushed out of their comfort zone, and try

new ways of learning. Developing new learning techniques comes from practice. Presenting

information in different ways and testing in different formats ensures that the learner is forming

new processes within their learning style and challenging their mind. Presenting information in

the same way throughout a course will leave the class not only bored, but stuck with only one

way of processing information. And when information is presented in an unfamiliar way, they

will be ill equipped. I have always been comfortable with multiple styles of learning, and that
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Perkins Analysis

may be in large part to the educators I have had the privilege of having in my life. For my

future, this lesson emphasizes the importance of thinking outside of the box when instructing.

Uncovering the hidden game in learning is presenting not only the surface information to

students, but what the factors are that influence the material you are presenting. Also what

hidden learning strategies can be used in presenting information and aiding students in their

learning? In my experience I would say that in some courses I have looked at the deeper

influences of what I was learning, but sometimes I just learned the surface information, did well

on the exam and moved on. Making the deeper connection can be as simple as presenting to

students the relation to a bigger principle. And what about the hidden strategies? I have been

using learning strategies before I knew I was developing them. If I sit and think I can break

down how I study and what is effective, which strategies work best for what material and so on.

This in turn will help me in the future when mentoring students and working with them to

develop their own study skills.

Learning from the team was not one of my stronger skills. Growing up I never had a

problem socializing or sharing, but as I grew older I preferred to do my own work, and dreaded

group projects. I think this is somewhat due to the fact that you are not completely in control of

your own grade, and being an overachiever, you assume that everyone else is too and they are

going to put a great deal of effort into their work. Working in groups I was typically let down by

the experience. Recently however, in this graduate program, I have had very positive group

experiences. Intelligent group members, who engage and are responsible for their contributions;

this is what I was expecting. In my future in the educational field I now have a new perspective

on group work. There is much to be learned from fellow students, how they study, what is
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Perkins Analysis

effective for them, their opinions and perspectives. Group work is also a good way to break up

the lesson and give the students a different format as mentioned above.

Learning the game of learning is possibly one of the most important lessons. For me

developing a learning style was extremely personal. I am internal about my learning process and

strategies, over time I was able to find out what worked best for me and what strategies were

effective in what situations. For some learners this happens naturally, and for some it does not.

For my future in education I believe I have a lot to offer students who need assistance learning

how to learn. With my background in psychology and counseling, modeling different strategies

and providing assistance in the self-discovery that is needed in order to identify what type of

learner a student is will hopefully be a strength of mine.

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Perkins Analysis

References
Bomengen, M. Phd. (2010). What is the Whole Language Approach to Teaching Reading?

Reading Horizons. Retrieved August 7, 2016 from:

http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2010/09/23/what-is-the-whole-languagee-approach-

to-teaching-reading

Curtis, D. (2001). Project-Based Learning: Real World Issues Motivate Students.

Edutopia. Retrieved on August 7, 2016 from: http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-

student-motivation

Perkins, D. N., (2009). Making Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching Can

Transform Education. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass

Wenger, E. (2009). Communities of practice. Communities, 22, 57.