My point is that even if a teacher doesn't know the subject matter before the class, he or she should be able to learn it well enough to be able to teach it to others.
I would actually (mildly) disagree with that position. IMHO, to be a really effective teacher, one should KNOW the material, and know it cold. I don't necessarily mean "be the worlds greatest expert" in the subject, but in my experience, when the teacher is "learning as he goes" the results aren't real pretty. Now I won't say that it *can't* go well that way... but in general, I think it's a bad situation when the instructor is only a few steps ahead of the class.
A couple of semesters ago at Wake Tech, we had a Discrete Math class like that.. the guy teaching had a Phd in Physics, and "knew" higher level math.. but as he told us the first night of class "I haven't touched this stuff in 25+ years, so I'll be learning it right along with you all." Uuugghh... it wasn't a real fun experience, and I really don't feel like I learned a whole lot from it.
Then again, I suppose my position on teaching is biased by my own teaching experience, and the training I went through in the fire service. When I took my instructor methodology course to get my NC Fire & Rescue Commission instructor certification I recall the instructor telling us "You don't really KNOW something until you've taught it." I didn't understand that until I taught my first Firefighter I/II class... now I'm firmly of the belief that a teacher (at least in the fire service) needs considerable depth of knowledge to be very effective. To be able to explain something to somebody else, it just seems that your knowledge and understanding need to be deeper than just having read a chapter ahead in the textbook..
Anyway, it's hard to explain why I feel that way, any better, so I'll end this long, rambling, pointless rant now. :-)
TTYL,
Phil
--
When the 1st Amendment no longer protects your voice.
And when the 4th Amendment no longer protects your privacy or your stuff.
Thank God we have the 2nd Amendment to tell our elected representatives that enough is enough.
It's time to put "... from my cold, dead hands" back where it belongs.
FREE AMERICA Vote Libertarian www.lp.org
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