We’ve met a lot of teachers over the years, both during our own youth and in reporting and writing about education. There are a few who are, as the president phrased it, “resistant to change.” But most are not. They don’t just embrace change, they fight for it, they dream it up and they constantly look for new ways to both educate and inspire the students under their guidance.It’s a tough job, one that, like local journalism, isn’t rife with fringe benefits or spectacular salaries. But it has its rewards.
Word Jazz served (mostly) daily. Education, politics, music, the arts, New Jersey, and whatever else strikes me. "A widely read teacher blogger" - Jane Roh, Courier Post. "One of my favorite bloggers" - Diane Ravitch
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Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sanity, Part 2
Had to go all the way to South Carolina for a little Blue Ridge wisdom:
In my experience, there is constant change in the teaching profession. Every few years, some expert figures out a way to teach (insert subject area here) better and the curriculum directors all jump on and decide that they've been approaching (insert subject area here) all wrong, and it needs to be taught THIS way. So the teachers then have to adjust their teaching method. Even in my short time in education, I have seen this happen at least twice. When I was student teaching, I was practically teaching the veteran teachers the new way their district wanted to teach reading because I had just learned it in college....those who think that teachers are resistant to change have NO IDEA of the change foisted upon teachers over and over again. The very idea is laughable.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point; curriculum does go through fads, and teachers are expected to be able to change with each one.
ReplyDelete