Ernie: The idea of a classroom tested taxonomy is certainly worthwhile. But I was very surprised about some of the comments in the article. For example, while my information is rather out of date by now, I know for a fact that in the past no-one even got into a classroom to teach without X number of methods classes, viz, how-to-teach classes. Certification requires usually a minimum of about 20 credit hours of methods, in fact, or did so, not that long ago. Not that , to judge from the few methods classes I took intended for public school teaching, these classes were necessarily for the best. But some were very good, and a direct counter to the old saw about methods classes being pointless. Anyway, the taxonomy idea has merit. Heck, my ABD was mostly about methods, at least considering my goal, becoming a better college teacher. But that level of teaching is quite different than grade school or HS. And, yes, I have limited experience at those levels, from the year after graduating with my MA but before I found my first college position. But my approach to the topic is altogether different, or I should say, it is drastically different. The key is motivation, what turns each student on. For this, a teacher has to be, so to speak, in love with his subject, and I will guess this is just as true for women teachers. A passion for subject matter is what matters most, at least IMHO. This is what my best professors and instructors had that inspired me, as I am well aware, and to judge from what former students have told me, to the extent that I was successful, this was my defining quality also. Methods are crucial, don't get me wrong. Heck, if it was up to me every student in all public schools would, in HS, take a course in how to teach. Not because they all will find jobs in schools, but because we all are called upon in life, on the job, as parents, as friends who want to help other friends, etc, to teach people things. To say the least, most people are clueless about what to do for the best results. I mean, utterly clueless -all the while with the attitude that the improvised "method" they use is good enough. Usually, based on what I have seen first hand over the years, it is so far from good enough that it is close to tragedy --or farce. This is true for all kinds of people, everyone from "scullery maids" to high order professionals. After all, each had the view in the past that teaching is unimportant and all that matters is getting a paycheck or getting a sheepskin. Very short sighted outlook. OK, motivation is the open sesame. How do you motivate others ? Find out what most interests them and work with that, for starters. A caveat. If a student does not want to be in school, anything you do as a teacher is just about guaranteed to be a waste of time. Usually not a major issue in college, but at the HS level and earlier it is a huge factor. Personally, if it was up to me, all the "I hate school" crowd would be placed in special schools which demand parental involvement in their children's education and which employ specialized guidance counselors. For their own good and to get them the hell out of the way from normal schools so that kids who want to learn are not distracted by youthful idiots and, in cases, by youthful criminals. The HS I attended in Chicago was a special technical school and you had to have good grades to get in ( most students had plans to attend college in a field like engineering or, as in my case, architecture ) . Students who " goofed off" or were rowdy didn't last very long. The "kicked out rate," at least for non-serious freshmen, was high. That created a good environment for learning, everyone still at LTHS wanted to be there and had motivation for college or some serious trade like the good number who wanted to become electricians or auto mechanics. But if schools can't remove trouble makers or low IQ types or nut cases or the like, the idea of reform is mostly a joke. All kinds of things that might be said about motivation once the basics are taken care of. Maybe if there is interest I will add more comments at another time. Billy In a message dated 3/19/2010 2:43:32 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
_http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html?pagewanted=all _ (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html?pagewanted=all) (via _Instapaper_ (http://www.instapaper.com/) ) Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ Centroids mailing list: [email protected] http://radicalcentrism.com/mailman/listinfo/centroids_radicalcentrism.com Archives at http://radicalcentrism.org/pipermail/centroids_radicalcentrism.com/
_______________________________________________ Centroids mailing list: [email protected] http://radicalcentrism.com/mailman/listinfo/centroids_radicalcentrism.com Archives at http://radicalcentrism.org/pipermail/centroids_radicalcentrism.com/
