Posted on 01/14/2008 7:40:56 AM PST by reaganaut1
Most people believe that the purpose of schools is to ensure that young people learn the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in life. Accordingly, they expect teachers to impart skills and knowledge to their students. The objective of our teachers, first and foremost, should be their students’ academic achievement. That view, however, is not generally accepted in schools of education, where the great majority of teachers receive their training. The philosophy that dominates schools of education—in North Carolina and across the nation—stresses the importance of objectives other than academic achievement, such as building self-esteem and multicultural awareness.
The dominant “progressive/constructivist” philosophy in education schools leads to teacher training that prescribes a student-centered classroom where the teacher’s role is to serve mainly as a facilitator for student-directed learning. Under that philosophy it is regarded as bad practice for teachers to actually do much teaching. They are supposed to act as “the guide on the side” rather than “the sage on the stage.”
Unfortunately, the progressive/constructivist approach is markedly inferior to traditional, “teacher-centered” pedagogy, particularly when it comes to teaching students important skills like reading and math. Most students do better if they are taught with traditional methods, such as “direct instruction.” This investigation of education schools in North Carolina reveals that they are dominated by people who are deeply committed to progressive/constructivist theories. Consequently, students taught by teachers who have absorbed that approach are unlikely to progress as fast or as far as they would if their teachers were more appropriately trained.
(Excerpt) Read more at johnlocke.org ...
ping
My wife just completed her Master’s in Education and is working her first year teaching in a public school and she is facing many of the issues we see here. So much focus is on educational theory, that a lot of basic items are missed, such as classroom management, discipline, and tasks vital for her day to day work.
Don’t take me wrong, I am all for teaching theory, being in the educational business myself, I know how vital theory is, but all the books on theory can’t replace practical application education.
Self-directed learning has its place, but only after the basics are covered in the classroom. When the children prove they are responsible to go through this type of program, then they can attack it, but you need your basic foundation and groundwork first.
Schools of education around the country have similar philosophies, as shown by Rita Kramer's book "Ed School Follies".Traditional education doesn't really work either. That's why asians are always accused of not being creative and not being able to "think outside the box". They're extremely well drilled in the three R's, but that that knowledge is robotic.
But this educational “philosophy” is the one needed when dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks education majors cannot master academic content.
But this educational “philosophy” is the one needed when dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks education majors cannot master academic content.Methinks you've never met an education major. Most education majors I know are intellectually in the 80th+ percentile. What they lack is the ability and presence to control the spoiled little boogers parent's bring in these days.
Bump for later read.
During my undergraduate years, they were the least intellectually endowed group on campus. During my graduate years they would hire us as tutors to help with their Master's theses. During my professorial years they were they were nice, charming, pleasant and woefully deficient in their ability to grasp advanced concepts. That's 47 years of direct contact with education majors, and I can't recall one who impressed with their intellectual prowess.
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SoftballMominVA, Gabz and I have been asked to take over the list so that Metmom can concentrate on home schooling issues. If you want on or off this ping list, please FReepmail this month’s keeper of the list, SoftballMominVA.
....and homeschools where parents don't try to make their program look schoolish.
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