Ole Meg Again

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Home : 2003 : September : 20

Ole Meg Again
By Meg

Another administrator in the dark. It
is like when I vented on this board about traditional vs. new teaching. The teachers that responded had very sensible responses....there is no "one way" to teach. It is a combination
of lecture and hands on and experiments and role play and pencil and paper and worksheets. If there was one right way to teach, somebody through the ages would have figured it out eons ago and every last one of us would have the intelligence of Einstein. If there were one correct, cookbook approach to teaching like that, teachers could be high school drop outs and get paid minimum

wage (not that the actual pay is much different). I got out of a meeting not long ago - one of about 50 meetings already this school year. The topic of the meeting was making our teaching relevant. Now, get this.....and I promise I am not lying.....she asked us, "how many of you all have divided lately, got out pencil and paper and divided?". We all just sat there like bumps. Then she went on to show us some activities that would stimulate the kids thinking that were fun. This is one activity...Again, I'm not kidding.... it said, "design a candy machine that can be used without gravity". Now. I must be the brightest bulb in the chandelier because apparently only I caught the dumbness in this. THE ONLY WAY THAT ACTIVITY COULD BE RELEVANT IS IF THEY LIVED ON THE MOON!!!! Everybody just sat there all polite. I was thinking, "the only reason we don't have to get out paper and pencil to divide is because we USED paper and pencil in school and we can do calculations in our heads now". Now, which was more relevant - dividing or making that gravity-less candy machine? I rest my case. I had to actually get up and walk out of that meeting for fear after I had bitten a hole clean through my tongue I would answer out and blow her theories. I flew home, and being the Christian I am, I immediately went to the Holy Word cause I was just fired up. I went straight to a Scripture and laughed out loud. In Job 12:24, it says, "He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander around in a pathless wilderness". A word if I have ever heard one.

Do what you have to. Teach the way you know you need to teach. Have something up your sleeve to throw in in the event of an observation/ evaluation. If no one comes in, your kids can have the benefit of a good education. My math lessons are varied. We begin with a quick review, I do lecture to introduce new standards, we do drill and practice, then we always do a hands on activity, followed by a pencil and paper assessment. It covers all bases, and the kids enjoy this structure and the predictabiity. I make my kids do activities, too, that "researchers" would say was wasting their time. Things like speed drills and poetry memorization. These things strengthen mental muscles. Just like lifting weights physically. What they are memorizing may not be "relevant" but it sure strenghtens the mind up for when they do relevant thinking (like designing candy machines on the moon). Administrators and researchers would probably roll into their graves, but I feel like it is best for my students and I am the one accountable for them. And the parents think it makes sense! Teach like you know to do!! You won't regret it!