http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/a...ml?id=2877

Explains a lot, right dawgitall?

*Edit: posted corrected link

bump

Excellent essay, but the people who would benefit from it won't read it.

Note the corrected and improved title for the thread.

You really do not understand a subject until you teach it. To actually understand something well enough to convey it to others takes time.

I'm reminded of a Chinese proverb

Tell me I'll forget

Show Me I'll remember

Involve me I'll understand.

I'm also reminded of a professor I had who wanted me to involve the background of the student in everything i taught. methods of teaching or Instructional strategies 305. I remember her just sitting up there lecturing me and then downgrading me when she critiqued me teaching in Inner City Toledo. 2/3rds of the way through the course we were really butting heads. Biology is Biology then for the coup de grace I asked her what she researched on my background before trying to teach me instructional strategies............ awkward silence. I would say 95% of my undergrad was just jumping through hoops and I truly didn't understand the material until I had taught it a couple of years. Some truth to the article.

(08-05-2013 07:45 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/a...ml?id=2877

Explains a lot, right dawgitall?

*Edit: posted corrected link

Universities do a poor job of preparing teachers for the classroom. I doubt you will find many teachers, or student teachers for that matter that would disagree.

Teaching is mostly on the job training.

Some schools should not be allowed to issue teaching degrees.
There is a huge difference between teacher preparation.
That's why mandatory testing is essential.

As a teacher, I know first hand what it takes to teach children.

1. College teaches in a very traditional way that is difficult for most people to learn. Which explains why many drop out.

2. Teaching in public school must be non traditional in order to teach/involve more students.

3. Because children learn in different ways and teachers must teach all children, by default public schools can be mediocre.

I'm sure we can limit only top tier incoming students into the various colleges of education because all those top kids are pointing to an education degree and that $30,000 beginning salary. They will choose the education degree over engineering, etc. given the salary prospects. BTW, my experience with "the college of Education" was that they didn't teach crap for what you needed to know when you became a teacher. It was largely a waste of money.

Interesting though, that teachers from these same colleges of education go teach in a private setting and do fine. Maybe it's that other factors in schools have a greater impact than the particular College of Education a teacher comes from.

(08-05-2013 11:07 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 07:45 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/a...ml?id=2877

Explains a lot, right dawgitall?

*Edit: posted corrected link

Universities do a poor job of preparing teachers for the classroom. I doubt you will find many teachers, or student teachers for that matter that would disagree.

Teaching is mostly on the job training.

Quite honestly that's true of just about any degree/job...

(08-06-2013 11:13 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  As a teacher, I know first hand what it takes to teach children.

1. College teaches in a very traditional way that is difficult for most people to learn. Which explains why many drop out.

2. Teaching in public school must be non traditional in order to teach/involve more students.

3. Because children learn in different ways and teachers must teach all children, by default public schools can be mediocre.

Funny the "children learn in different ways thing" is not stopping Japan from packing their class rooms and exceeding our standards.

(08-06-2013 01:19 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:07 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 07:45 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/a...ml?id=2877

Explains a lot, right dawgitall?

*Edit: posted corrected link

Universities do a poor job of preparing teachers for the classroom. I doubt you will find many teachers, or student teachers for that matter that would disagree.

Teaching is mostly on the job training.

Quite honestly that's true of just about any degree/job...

(08-06-2013 01:20 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(08-06-2013 11:13 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  As a teacher, I know first hand what it takes to teach children.

1. College teaches in a very traditional way that is difficult for most people to learn. Which explains why many drop out.

2. Teaching in public school must be non traditional in order to teach/involve more students.

3. Because children learn in different ways and teachers must teach all children, by default public schools can be mediocre.

Funny the "children learn in different ways thing" is not stopping Japan from packing their class rooms and exceeding our standards.

This video may explain that for you.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-6912732.html

(08-06-2013 01:27 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(08-06-2013 01:20 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(08-06-2013 11:13 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  As a teacher, I know first hand what it takes to teach children.

1. College teaches in a very traditional way that is difficult for most people to learn. Which explains why many drop out.

2. Teaching in public school must be non traditional in order to teach/involve more students.

3. Because children learn in different ways and teachers must teach all children, by default public schools can be mediocre.

Funny the "children learn in different ways thing" is not stopping Japan from packing their class rooms and exceeding our standards.

This video may explain that for you.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-6912732.html

Which again has nothing to do with the fact kids learn differently.... That was my question. The problem of respect for teachers can not be paid way, that comes from the home.

While the article the OP referenced was pretty good, I'd suggest that folks read what Heather MacDonald wrote about ed schools a few years ago. It is linked to in the Pope Center article. She nails it.

What I found from my experience is that little of what I was taught had much applicability to the classroom. Lots of theory which works well in theory but not so much in practice. Of course, the latest ed fads are taught, which nowdays always seems to revolve around "social justice." Forget teaching them anything factual. Convince the newbie teachers that they need to be a "change agent." Progressivism run amok.

The biggest hurdle for new teachers is learning how to manage a classroom of kids who have little discipline elsewhere in their lives. Without that skill, you can be the best teacher in the world and it makes no difference in an out of control classroom. A required mentoring program (during their student teaching) from master teachers would make a great deal of difference to newbies. Show them, help them, mentor them. It all starts with classroom management. Without it, nobody learns.