Posted on 02/20/2016 7:56:38 AM PST by Republicanprofessor
As a state college professor, upset over the disaster that our public schools have become, I have been thinking a great deal about the most effective teaching strategies. These obviously differ according to subject matter. But these are some points I’ve worked up over the years; it is now time to post them, hoping to get feedback and a discussion going. The Democrats have ruled public education through the chains of the federal government and unions for decades. It is time to take back education into an arena of challenge and success.
1) First we have to acknowledge that we need to rethink and rebuild our education system from the ground up. Teachers, students, parents and taxpayers have to realize that we are not graduating students ready for the challenges of the twenty-first century. We are a decaying nation; we need to revamp and come alive again. And we can. Education nowadays is not supporting critical thinking but political indoctrination. Students who are not bright enough to see the difference use these contemporary political analogies and conclusions for dramatically different and even ancient subjects, such as seeing the rights of women to their own bodies in ancient Greek works like the Nike of Samothrace. What one young man wrote about this: “The content of this sculpture is about freedom and having the right to be on your own without anybody. It looks like a lady with wings trying to reach out for help to be free.†That is certainly not the usual, art historical interpretation, which would stress the use of clinging drapery and the effects of the sea and wind upon this figure usually seen on the bow of a ship. It is not about the rights of women to their own bodies.
2) Students are bored, not challenged; after teaching the same subject in the same way, teachers are also bored and unchallenged. Do teachers really just pass out packets of information for students to read on their own during class? What happened to the skills of teaching, and all those courses in education curricula on pedagogy? At the same time, there is more information and more knowledge accessible through the internet than at any time in the past. How can we use this online expertise to enliven our teaching methods?
3) We need to collectively visualize a new kind of education system, one that will excite and enlighten our students and teachers. With the advance of the internet, old systems of teaching are passé. We need to get rid of dead wood and emphasize enthusiasm and new modes of teaching over the old rules.
4) We need expertise from the real world; can we evaluate the teaching abilities of those who have not gone through the education system of graduate degrees and help them to become great teachers with real-world experience? Education curricula is notably lacking in content, while repeating pedagogical courses. Let’s emphasize knowledge, not tired past methodology.
5) Allow a wider pool of teachers, those with experience and content knowledge but no education courses. Have them take 1-2 courses in pedagogy and let them loose in the classrooms.
6) We need annual or semi-annual conferences with the best teachers talking about their strategies to engage students. Each school and college knows who the good teachers are, who can challenge students and to whom the students relate. Get these exciting teachers to share their secrets; get the teachers at the conference to go back to their schools to share these ideas.
7) What are new ways that we can use to evaluate teachers? Can their superintendents or visiting groups of fine teachers (perhaps on sabbatical) visit classes and offer suggestions or examples to engage students? Can we rotate class visitations so that each teacher does not get evaluated every year but approximately every third year or so?
8) We need to revamp the curriculum as much as the teaching staff. Students are not learning some subjects that they really need, such as a basic understanding of economics—internationally down to personal finance. Why can’t this be integrated with mathematics so that students understand about interest rates on mortgages, credit cards and student loans as well as international economic theories?
9) Can we use blogs for writing classes?
10) I suggest that we ask these questions: What do my students need to learn about my subject by the end of the year (and, thus, through the curriculum from K -12) and how can I get there?
11) Here’s an idea for possible assessment, and which I use in my college classes each semester. In the first day of class, ask students a question or two on a subject they should master by the end of the semester. They may know nothing….and that’s fine. In the last day of class, ask the same or similar question(s) and see if their knowledge has improved. Have other teachers “grade†this assessment and offer suggestions.
12) Instead of books, can we use articles and resources online? Would that save money for school districts and thus allow all students access to the same information in addition to training them to use and evaluate information online?
13) We also need to ask ourselves: how do kids learn? Does the old lecture system, taking notes and memorizing facts, really work? How about using online reinforcement and critical analysis of the facts? We need to engage students rather than lecturing to them.
14) If we can succeed in getting schools to truly consider a revamping of educational methods, can we have a moratorium on testing for 5 years or so in order to implement these changes?
15) We need to consider BOTH sides of all issues, leading to increased critical thinking skills by our students. We cannot just indoctrinate students to liberal ideas; we need to be more open and weigh both sides of issues fairly. Here’s an idea for an exercise in the future: for political issues, students should research the issue from both sides and then evaluate how the media (on both sides) is presenting the issue. What do they think are the relevant arguments and why?
16) Should this be a Republican issue or non-partisan? Can the Republicans come up with good ideas to push to revamp education, or is this a losing battle? The Democrats have reigned supreme in education for decades, and look what has happened: lowered scores, lowered knowledge.
17) Include ideas from students….how do they learn best? What do they need to stay interested? (I have asked my students this on my own class evaluations, and their responses are below.)
18) We may need to challenge all students and to teach to the brightest instead of the lowest common denominator. Teach to excite students to become lifelong learners, to love learning….be it about their hobbies or more intellectual pursuits.
19) Emphasize writing and critical thinking skills. This can be assessed through writing at the end of the semester. Judging from the papers I get as a professor vs. what my children are learning at independent schools, the public school children are not reading and writing nearly enough.
20) Have more in-house evaluations of fellow faculty, with suggestions for improvement rather than penalties. Have others come in to visit a few classes for district oversight. Have a committee of former award-winning teachers to evaluate class visits and projects.
21) Rethink and revamp your teaching techniques every few years.
22) Let students learn at every opportunity, including from their tests and exams. Some schools do not allow tests to come home (because then the teachers would have to construct different tests). Parents have to make appointments to see their child’s exams. This is not an effective strategy for learning.
23) Not all students are scholars, but we need to educate them anyway. Even more important, we need to connect to each student and to find their inner source of individuality and creativity. Each student has a special quality; we just need to find and nurture it.
24) Include the arts (drama, dance, music and visual art) to enhance the creative understanding of students. Teach the teachers about the arts and how to use them to integrate with history, language studies, etc.
Thoughts from my students about good and bad teachers.
Good teachers:
1) Know all the students by name.
2) Engage the students: teach interactively, get their opinions and be open to them.
3) Use hands on learning. Make the learning fun, not cut and dried.
4) Are flexible with students.
5) Use common knowledge to connect with the students.
5a) Use many examples to prove their points.
6) Have a sense of humor.
7) Treat students with respect, allowing for varied personal connections with the material.
8) Have a variety of assignments.
9) Challenge students.
10) Are passionate about their material.
11) Are personal, sharing personal stories on how this material has affected them.
12) Are knowledgeable about the subject matter.
13) Put in the same effort in teaching, and prepping for class, that they expect from students.
14) Someone who can inspire students to learn about life through the material they are teaching.
15) “Effective teachers demonstrate a strong command of the subject matter, incorporate student discussion, and distribute a healthy dose of supplementary reading.â€
16) “a good teacher creates a comfortable environment for learningâ€
17) a teacher willing to adapt to a class’s learning style and include the class in how the class runs makes for a stress-free learning environment.â€
Bad teachers:
1) Are boring. They go too slowly and have a dry presentation of the material. (My question to these teachers: Are you bored teaching? If so, get interested or get out!)
2) Have a lack of knowledge about the material.
3) Communicate poorly.
4) Have no time or patience for questions. Are unable to answer questions or to see things through the eyes of confused students.
5) “ineffective classes lack respect, discipline, and interest toward the subject matter and the teacher.â€
6) Have few items to be graded, few chances for students to improve and do better.
7) “Ineffective teachers are too lenient (for such a tendency removes all sense of accomplishment), expect too little of students and speak with little or no enthusiasm.â€
So how can we get rid of bored, ineffective teachers and ensure that students get the best, most motivated and enthusiastic teachers?
“Limit college to the top 5%, determined by exam.”
You have learned the ways of the Communist Manifesto well Grasshopper. :-)
Thanks for the graceful reply. Here's my stab at your question.
Most of the workshops I've been forced to attend in my career were total garbage, but one was exceptional. It changed my whole way of teaching.
It's called the Madeline Hunter method, and they key to it is anticipation, presenting each lesson as a mystery to be solved. A link to it is below.
So in my subject, physics, I wouldn't start a lesson by saying "Today, we're going to learn about forces." Instead, I'd start with a quick force-related demo, then ask, "Why did that happen?"
Now comes the sad news. I'm not allowed to use the Hunter method anymore. My district has latched on to something completely different, a current and destructive fad. I still use the Hunter method of course, but I must disguise it when I'm being observed.
And secondly, no method works when you are not allowed to remove one or two chronic disruptors from your class.
Regards!
LR
So how much freedom does teaching require? Is it possible that a teacher could have has much freedom as a parent?
I beg your pardon?
It's communist societies that practice universal college education.
If you use our method of near-universal enrollment, THIS is the result.
College is a waste for the VAST majority of "students" there, and the downstream impacts on society are enormous.
I don't know if the cutoff should be top 5% or top 10%, but anything more than that is a farce.
Interesting, but longer than necessary as another poster suggested. I have been an elected Board member of a community college, and am now a recently appointed Budget Committee member for a large school district. Most of education policy/directives comes from top down. ..ie..Feds...State Legislature mandates...it should start with student but does not (well except for lip service). $$$$$ drives “education”. Until parents pressure their state and national politicians I fear nothing will change. I do agree with another poster that after junior high (if education was done right) students should pursue their interests...not be locked in a classroom.
Not everybody is prepared for advanced education, as your Grandma said, true.
The difference between a pupil and a student is that a student is truly motivated by the study and pursuit of his subject. They are nearly self guided or on their way. They have an understanding of the theory or what they pursue and an understanding of the theory of what education truly is and they understand that is is never ending. That is why Socrates said he knew nothing.
The vast majority of grade school and high school pupils are that, pupils. They have to be spoon fed material and have no self motivation to pursue anything on their own (Ido not care if they break down into study groups. That is just another way teachers waste time and evade work.). Their desire, perhaps, is to complete the course but not to go beyond the material and make use of it or improve their abilities or understanding. True education is never ending.
Respectfully, once you get there, it's over.
You're right. As I noted before, I'm an urban public school teacher. So I really don't know the situation in suburban or rural schools. But yeah, urban schools are past the point of no return.
My urban school is rather unique in that we still send kids to the Chemistry Olympics, etc., and we do well. But every year less and less kids go. And at the same time the violence in the classrooms has increased. So I know where my school is headed.
And the greatest victims are the good kids. I've taught in some pretty rough schools. And even there 80% of the students were decent kids, who just wanted a decent education.
Hmmm, but we all know the best education is not for profit, much like parenting. No get-your-money back guarantees.
Oh wait I forgot you don’t know that the criteria for entrance to the 4 year university system now is wait for it, exams and GPA. I’ll bet you thought just any old body could waltz into registration at FSU or UT or MIT and sign on up. Git er done. :-)
I agree about the need to get rid of the government. I used to think my husband was crazy to want to get rid of the Department of Education, but now I agree with him.
I wonder if the first step to improve education is to get rid of the federal government and to return education to local entities. Send those bureaucrats back home.
I can imagine how the libs would scream! We need someone to educate the liberals about the evils of federally mandated education. Public education is all about rules nowadays, not knowledge.
An article doing nothing more than arguing for even more liberal nonsense.
Good question. A teacher must NOT have as much freedom as parent. But on the other hand, a teacher should be given considerable leeway as to how to reach the objectives set by his superiors.
As an example, from my experience (teaching physics). My students are expected to learn, and apply, Newton's Three Laws of Motion. I know what demo's work here, and which don't. And I know that a good motion problem for an honors class would just confuse a basic class.
But I don't have have any leeway here. I must teach exactly from the binder. I pretty much ignore that directive, but I do so at a risk. Teachers have been fired for "infidelity to the curriculum" (yes, that's the term they actually use).
Since I teach at a state college, I disagree with this. I don’t think everyone needs to go to school, but neither do I want to see only the top 5%—as determined by exams—able to go to school. I always thought the European method of early testing to determine career eligibility as far too narrowly determined and constricting in terms of their lives and goals.
Saying that, we do need skilled laborers (auto mechanics, electricians, etc.) and they don’t have to have college degrees. But training students for some careers (like nursing, communications and design) combined with liberal arts courses can be a good combination. Some of the liberal arts courses (history especially) should have been taught much more effectively in high school. But since it is not being taught comprehensively in high school now, we do need students to learn something in college. State colleges are a good place for this combination of career training with the liberal arts.
Can the teachers be the superiors?
I hate that you can’t teach the way that you see as the most effective method. Kudos to you for continuing anyway.
Who writes those binders and directives for teaching? Upper level bureaucrats who haven’t been in the classroom for ages, if ever?
I have no idea how to handle the violence, except that once I thought there should be more martial arts training in the schools, for teachers and decent students. The respect underlying the martial arts seems to be sadly lacking in today’s schools.
“I’ll bet you thought just any old body could waltz into registration at FSU or UT or MIT and sign on up. Git er done. :-)”
Actually, for many colleges they can. SAT is not required, high school GPA not required. Schools that claim to have entrance requirements have waivers that can be provided.
If you lived in my city, you'd have my vote for School Board director!
As to your question, and speaking only about my own district, at one time all the supervisors were teachers who had moved up through the ranks.
For example, when I first started teaching, my science supervisor was a promoted science teacher. He knew the challenges I faced, and his attitude was: What can I do to help you?
Now many of the supervisors are outside consultants. Grant money plays a big part here. Their attitude: You had better not be going off-script.
“Can the teachers be the superiors? “
The article advances the superiority of the student. Totally backwards. Very liberal.
From my wife:
As a current public school teacher, I completely agree with these points. However, I would add one more key factor-parents. Too often they swoop in to save their child from “failures.†Instead of directing their child’s attention to his/her lack of effort, teachers are told it is their fault. Mistakes are how we learn and when kids understand that there are no consequences and that mommy or daddy will “fix†it, they lose the incentive to try harder. Motivation, while intrinsic, seems to be handled in an extrinsic manner. We, as a society, do not value real education, i.e. critical thinking and analysis, in order to be life long learners and productive adults. Parents set the example of respect and importance of an education. I see cultural differences in attitudes towards school, and it shows in student outcomes. Without parental, and societal support, too many students will continue to slide by using as little effort as possible
Community college my boy. Anybody with the price of admission can go. Isn’t that terrible? How can that possibly be allowed? I don’t get it. Well not true I do get it but you don’t. Community college is for well, the community to avail themselves of selective types of further education. Not necessarily needing a degree but some additional info or skills for a vocation. Or to show the academic ability to successfully complete coursework and move on into a 4 year situation.
That’s why if you were paying attention which you obviously weren’t that I said 4 year universities require exams and/or GPA for entrance.
Does that make sense to you? If not well there’s always community college. :-)
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