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Re: Chapter 5--Everybody Counts
Posted:
Mar 28, 1995 5:08 PM
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>
>3. The author points out that the United States is "one of the few
>countries in the world that continues to pretend--despite substantial
>evidence to the contrary--that elementary school teachers are able to
>teach all subjects equally well." What recommendations for change would
>you make to ameliorate this situation?
In our school building there is a "Community" multi-aged grouping of
students grades 1-4, and 4 staff members teaming together. It provides the
4 teachers the flexibility to teach to their own professional strengths,
without moving students around. It also provides the other teachers in the
environment an opportunity to learn from each others strengths. I suspect
that at the end of the 4 year experiment, these four teachers will have
become strong in all curriculum areas.
As an elementary school teacher, I can attest to the fact that I am not
equally capable in all curriculum areas. In general, elementary teachers
tend to be strongest in language arts,(reading and writing). My personal
strengths tend to be math and science, so my students get a lot more of
those two subjects than they do of health, social studies, art, or Phy.
Ed., subjects in which I am particularly weak. A teaming situation such as
the "Community" in our school has, would be ideal for a teacher such as
myself.
>
>4. The author argues for less directive strategies of teaching and
>claims that "less teaching will yield more learning." What is the price
>to pay for less directive teaching, and on what basis could such claims
>of more learning be made?
I believe that the substitue for "less directive teaching" would need to
be, more opportunities for student inquiry and concept construction. This
type of "teaching" requires more planning, to provide the activities that
will engage students in constructing understandings, but yields more
learning if you agree that "learning" is a constructive process. (Students
constructing knowledge through their interactions with their environment.)
>
>Ron Ward/Western Washington U/Bellingham, WA 98225
>ronaward@henson.cc.wwu.edu
Eileen Abrahamson
0191enel@informns.k12.mn.us
Edw. Neill Elemetary
13409 Upton Ave. So.
Burnsville, MN 55337
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