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Date: | Thu, 21 Jun 2001 21:01:29 EDT |
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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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