Duncan, Laura
Johnson, B. (2013, June 28). Great teachers don't teach. [Web log comment.] Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/great-teachers-do-not-teach-ben-johnson?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-greatteacherquote
This article drives home the point that, while there are many important qualities that make an excellent teacher, perhaps the most important quality is a willingness to put the student in the driver's seat. The author's sites his own learning experiences, describing a class he took in college, in which the students participated in a number of psychological experiences. Rather than merely being lectured to or simply discussing theories, the students directly participated in psychological theories, and the author argues that this form of learning had the greatest impact on his long-term knowledge. Thus, he encourages project-based learning, in which students learn and apply skills in a real scenario, rather than simply thinking about them theoretically.
This is a valuable article - it emphasizes the value of participation, engagement and higher order thinking and encourages teachers to move away from a passive teaching approah.
As an undergrad too many of my education classes were too theory based. Sure, something can sound great in theory, but when you have 25 children in front of you the best-laid plans are shot out the window.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best classes in college was the Experimental Science education majors were required to take. Each class was essentially a lab. Our professor acted as a facilitator if we became utterly lost, but she encouraged us to work in our groups first before going to her. She also scheduled time during class to go to a local elementary school to teach a lesson.