There has definately been improvements in teaching methods from 20 years ago. Particularly, the acknowledgement that all children do NOT learn the same. One teaching style will never reach all children. Teachers now are taught that some children are visual learnings, some audial, some audial and visual, while others learn by the act of seeing and writing. We understand now that each child has a particular cultural construct through which he or she interprets information. For example, language dictates thought patterns. For a child whose first language is not English learning has the possibility of being more difficult, even if that child has mastered English. For example, in Spanish, which I also speak, the adjective comes after the noun. That is a fundamental difference in terms of how one thinks about the world...the car red not the red car. All of these thing have an impact on the way a child learns. The more teachers understand about various learning styles and teaching styles the more children they will be able to successfully reach.
-Brandon ----- Original Message ----- From: Bob Velez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 8:35 AM Subject: Re: [Mpls] Public Schools > > I am not sure what Pamela means, but what I mean is that I expect that > > teachers will be required to continuously update their education by > > taking courses in new teaching methods, keeping up with the current > > theories and models of teaching being taught as general acceptable > > standards of teaching by colleges and univerisities of the day. What I > > mean is that the school district should require, and provide some of > > the means for, teachers to continuously revamp, revise and update their > > education. So that we don't have the current phenomena of 30 year > > veteran teachers that are using outmoded teaching techniques. (That is > > in no means to say that there aren't excellent teachers that have 10, > > 20, or 30 years under their belts Connie Blom, recently retired from > > Patrick Henry, was one of those teachers who was simply amazing). > > Bob Says: > I don't know about everyone else, but I think some of the problems stem > from continually trying to revamp teaching methods. Everyone who is > working on their Master's thesis or dissertation is trying to figure new > and innovative ways to teach children. Why? Kids are kids, right? What's > wrong with my children learning how I did 20 years ago? Mathmatics hasn't > changed THAT drastically has it? > > > This is not an unusual requirement. Lawyers, for example, are required > > to update their legal education in order to maintain their status with > > the bar association. > > Bob Says: > the law is continually changing thanks to career politicians of whom I am > guessing that 80 percent are LAWYERS! It is job security for them! Basic > tenets of education (reading, writing, math) haven't changed nearly as much > as laws have. > > Bob Velez > Shingle Creek > Ward 4 > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Robert Schmid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 12:40 PM > > Subject: Re: [Mpls] Public Schools > > > > > >> Pamela Taylor said: > >> > If we > >> > do not demand that our teachers teach in new methods > >> > coming out college, > >> > >> This statement worries me. As a victim of many of the > >> educational "experiments" of the last 30-40 years I tend to equate > >> this with "lowering expectations" of our children. I'm sure this > >> isn't what > > you > >> meant but I'd really like to hear some specifics of what these methods > >> are and how we expect to resolve the issues. > >> > >> > how do we expect to infuse any > >> > kind of change in how ANY of our kids learn? By doing > >> > so, you can address the issue of children of color. > >> > > >> > Without changing methods, you will continually get the > >> > same results you have always gotten, no matter how > >> > much money you can find to put into the educational > >> > system. Lets not waste what little we have. > >> > >> Otherwise, I agree. > >> > >> > --- Brandon Lacy Campos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> > wrote: > >> >> > >> >> My feeling: > >> >> > >> >> 1. The Budget Crisis...the new school board members > >> >> are going to have to > >> >> be adept at re-creating the Public Schools into a > >> >> non-profit model that > >> >> may need to include grass-roots direct appeal > >> >> fundraising to the parents > >> >> and citizens of Minneapolis. > >> > >> NO WAY. The moment we retreat to fundraising events to support our > >> public education system is the day we might as well shut it down. It > >> just gives policy makers a chance to reduce funding more and more > >> and/or turn our schools into the hands of corporate interests. > >> > >> >> > >> >> 2. Addressing the needs of students of color and > >> >> poor students...the > >> >> school district CONTINUES to fail to meet the needs > >> >> of and educate > >> >> students of color and poor students. ignoring social > >> >> factors that come > >> >> to school with students does not allow all students > >> >> to learn. > >> > >> These are not the only students whose needs are not met. In my > >> experience the system only works for "mainstream", white, heterosexual > >> "average" students. Students at the top and bottom, left and right > >> are dis-served whether they are segregated from the heard by race, > >> gender, intelligence, talent, sexual preference, economic class, and > >> even political views. Education is supposed to be the great equalizer, > >> but it can't be when not all students are being educated to their > >> potential. > >> > >> > >> Robert Schmid > >> Central > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________ > >> Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn > >> E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > >> http://e-democracy.org/mpls > >> > > > > _______________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn > > E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
