You're kidding.  You must be kidding.

I have this larger than life picture of my 4th hour class of 7th graders
this year sitting for hours doing "intellectual" work.  Perhaps we need to
define intellectual work.

But I have to tell you that I am deeply  offended by your remark that
teachers who contextualize "jump through hoops to entertain".  When was the
last time you attempted to engage (you might want to read Deborah Brandt's
interesting book on Literacy and Involvement) a classroom of children.  If
they are not engaged or involved (and this is NOT entertainment) then there
is no learning going on.  You the teacher can stand up in front of a
classroom for hours and talk your brains out, but if the kids don't listen,
then all your intellectual talk has been a waste of effort.  And before you
begin your lament that students today aren't what they used to be, check out
what yesterday's students were really like.  I'm not talking about you as a
student. I'm talking about the other kids.  I remember them.

Engagement happens when students can connect what they are learning to what
they already know about themselves and the world around them. And, if we are
dealing with text, then they learn by connecting what they learning in or
about text with what they already know.  They may have to adjust their prior
knowledge because of the new information they are receiving--just as you are
attempting to adjust yours as you are reading this post.

Your knowledge of a classroom tells you that students will sit still for
hours.  My knowledge of the classroom tells me this won't happen and
learning won't happen if students aren't engaged, if they do not have a
context, if they do not feel that what they are learning is important and
meaningful.

At 10:29 AM 6/20/01 -0600, you wrote:
>I'm sorry, but the arguments below (getting fairly well known by
>now) still seem to me to be just excuses.
>
>Why can't students just sit at their desks and do several hours of
>intellectual work?
>
>"Contextual teachers" seem to jump through hoops to entertain
>their students.  Be careful, you'll spoil them!
>

Nancy G. Patterson, Ph.D.
Portland Middle School, English Dept. Chair
Portland, MI  48875

"To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can
learn."

--bell hooks

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http://www.msu.edu/user/patter90/opening.htm
http://www.npatterson.net/mid.html

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