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 [log in to unmask] To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/