This may be one of my favorite articles so far because it touches on the soul issue that I have heard about teaching in the past few years. I feel like there has almost always been the question, "Why does that teacher lecture?" There may have been multiple answers to that question...they're a bad teacher...they don't know how to teach...they hate kids...(I am hopeful in the fact that most of these geezers are being weeded out of the education system or are all starting to retire)...Whatever the answer may have been to that question has seemed to have changed in recent years. The most accurate answer to that question may not be that the teacher is bad at their job but that they have no choice but to lecture.
I'm sure you are all aware of "Common Core" (dun dun dun dun). This lovely program leaves your average 21st century teacher with little room for creativity. They have a set agenda of what needs to be taught and they have very little time to do it in. That goes without mentioning all of the time put into prepping students for standardized testing. With all of that lumped into every class, five days a week, in 180 days, more and more children are unmotivated to learn. Who wants to do anything if it's not FJNS.
These are some of the stresses and issues that teachers tell me about when I tell them that I want to be a teacher. I have mentioned it before and there is no worse or more disheartening feeling when a teacher tries to discourage you from what you want to so passionately do. I have made up my mind regardless of what I hear. For better or for worse, I want to become a teacher. At the end of the day, I want to work with children and I want to inspire and educate (forgive the clique but it's true).
So yes, I think that it is imperative that teachers get back to teaching and not lecturing. And to be fair, not every single class is lecture based. Our education system has not fallen completely to communism yet. There are discussion based classes and in my formal education I was very fortunate to be a part of many of those. But here is another issue. I'm sure you all remember our friend Oakes and her article on "tracking". Well, a lot of those discussion based classes are the "honors" or "accelerated" courses -- so the average, or bellow average student is missing out on those opportunities.
I know that is a lot to think about -- maybe I should have put "Rant" instead of "Reflection" but I feel strongly on the issue.
Talking point -- How was your formal education? Where a majority of your classes lecture or discussin based?
All this "common core" stuff has never made me not want to become a teacher. Teaching is what I love to do, but however it does scare me because now I'm afraid I won't be able to help all my students succeed in what they need help in. Personally, I think it's stupid and should not be used
ReplyDeleteRyan i love the points you bring up, it is true that our education system hasn't fallen apart completely but its coming pretty close. I dislike the fact that all this common core leaves very little space and time for some good old fun in a classroom!
ReplyDeleteThe more standards teachers need to meet, the less likely people will want to become teachers. It's so difficult for people to become teachers these days. Too bad the education system can't be put together instead of falling apart more every year.
ReplyDelete