In a message dated 6/21/2001 3:27:09 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Please don't stereotype traditional teachers as blind authoritarians
 who talk when no one's listening.

 Gretchen reports a student complaining about those stupid old
 traditional teachers: >>

Robert,

I'm on my way to a camping trip so I can only comment briefly.  Please don't
put words into my mouth.  I never implied "stupid" "old" or equated those
with traditional teaching.

The comment the student made was in fact about the text book authors.

I don't think all traditional teachers are authoritarians.  Many are very
successful with students who learn in a traditional manner.  I got into
constructivism because I saw so many kids who weren't successful in a
traditional setting seeing themselves as failures because they learned
differently.  In using setting up my lessons so that more intelligences are
involved (ala Dr. Howard Gardner), I have seen a blossoming in kids who were
heretofore categorized as failures.  That's my objection to using strictly
traditional methods - it doesn't reach as many kids.

I teach in a very academic private middle school who, oddly enough, has a
high percentage of ADD and ADHD kids.  I see both sides of it.  I will never
say that traditional teachers are "stupid."  I just think that varying
methods so that kids get more control of the learning process and see it in
the context of their lives is a valid way to teach.

I'd also like to make the point that you can't teach "all" knowledge to a
child. The data base is much too big, as it has been for  . . . decades?
centuries?  So if I teach a child how to learn, to construct meaning and to
enjoy it, haven't I made a life long learner?  One who knows how to locate
and process knowledge she will need later in life?  That used to be the goal
of the liberal arts/humanities major when I was in school.  I just see
constructivism as another way to give the power of knowledge to the kids.

Robert, if I thought this list were full of old, stupid, fuddy-duddy
authoritarians, would I spend so much time on it?  I hope I have never come
across as disrespectful to the teaching styles of others.  Please don't read
that into what I say because I certainly don't mean it that way.  Your
"hoop-jumping entertainer" remark seemed to call for a comment from one of
the contextual types.

Gretchen in San Jose
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