In many school districts, teachers are PROHIBITED from face-to-face teaching. Instead, teachers must give students packets, and the students are supposed to teach each other.
It's called “cooperative learning”, and it's one of the latest educational fads. It doesn't work, by the way.
I know teachers that were fired - yes, fired - for trying to teach the old-fashioned (and successful) way.
It’s called “cooperative learning”, and it’s one of the latest educational fads. It doesn’t work, by the way.
I had that in the mid 70s with algebra 2, geometry, and trig. except my math teacher divided us by skill level. The only problem for him was I was way over the top good in Math. There were a few times I’d hand him the packet or test before he ever finished giving the slower kids theirs and always got 100. He’d tell me, “well go help your group.” I’d say, “that’s your job, do you have any more problems.” Granted at that point he’d give me really challenging problems and if on occation I got stuck he’d say, “go figure it out.” Actally it didn’t really hurt me much because I’d just move on the next problem and ask my older sister when I got home. She is way way over the top of me.
Yeah... “New Math” was a lot like “New Coke”.
LLS
It's called “cooperative learning”, and it's one of the latest educational fads. It doesn't work, by the way.
I know teachers that were fired - yes, fired - for trying to teach the old-fashioned (and successful) way.
THIS IS TRUE!!!! This is exactly what I experienced when I went back to college to become a teacher a few years ago. Basically we were taught not to use "direct instruction" which is the way anyone over 40 was taught. Direct instruction is: the teacher gives lectures, asks questions and leads discussion. Any teacher using this method will not get goods reviews from her supervisors
Instead, the high priests of the university education departments have decreed that students should teach themselves. They should "discover" knowledge through self paced exploring and with their peers in groups. How wonderful! Give the students the freedom to teach themselves and learn from their ignorant classmates.
According to this UNPROVEN theory, magic happens when the teacher stops lecturing. Once the teacher steps off the stage the students magically start to learn spontaneously and their ignorance disappears. poof! they become filled with knowledge as if the Holy Spirit has descended on them, and they will automatically start to teach their peers and there will be no difficulties and happiness will prevail throughout the nation.
Apparently the education elites actually want us to believe that the impediment to learning is ... teaching. Once actual teaching stops, children will learn. It's so logical and simple./sarcasm< p> So what do teachers do? They can't just let the classroom devolved into chaos so they hand out packets and sit at their desks surfing the Internet (since they're not allowed to teach)
People need to stand up and demand on the local level that schools abandon discovery learning and cooperative learning and return to old fashioned direct instruction! Write your local newspapers and speak out at school board meetings. No more packets!! Students deserve to be taught. ANd teachers need to be freed from the prohibition against direct instruction so they can start teaching again.