" Tubman High School in San Diego (Fisher, 2001) experienced a 12% overall gain in statewide achievement tests over a two-year period as three trends took shape in classrooms across content areas"
- Independent reading time was created
- Block scheduling
Reflection;
The school saw the need for an intervention. They realized something wasn’t working with their students. Self Awareness and the willingness to do something about it can go a long way. Some teacher’s refuse to accept the fact that their teaching strategies are not as effective as they once were. Some teachers in the schools, who believe that they have established a reputation, are especially guilty for that fact. The refuse to try new technology or other approaches as they believe their approach has succeeded and will continue to do so. Times have changed, generations have changed, learners have changed and technology is always changing. This was especially evident in my school hence why this quote took me at heart. Some teachers in the school refused to adhere to the increasing interest the students had to technology. Instead of looking at this interesting piece of information, analyzing it and paying particular attention to the fact that they can use technology to reach a wider range of students, they prefer to ban cell phones, iPods and other technological devices that grasp the students interest. If the traditional teaching styles are not reaching our struggling learners, we must find alternatives, interventions which will aid in equipping our students with the literary skills that we want them to possess.
Leo, it is good to see that you have published your reflective thoughts on the quote. However it is difficult to read the quote, can't see it clearly. Can you change the colour of the font to increase visibility? We would gladly appreciate
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that teachers are set in their ways and do not look for other methods to produce the content to students. I think that after teaching for a while teachers find the easiest ways to deliver lessons and continue to use it because it benefits them in terms of ease. However we as teachers need to realize that our priority is to the students that we are entrusted with and it is our duty to ensure that they receive interesting methods of instruction that appeals to them and make then want to learn in turn fostering learning. We need to be concerned about reaching all our students remembering that they are all different and what works for one may not work for another. Technology has improved and the students are well versed in the different forms of technology. We should incoperate them in our teaching, using what the students spend so much of their time using. If we as teachers consider our students our strategies will not be monotonous and unchanging.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy that as novice teachers we are already taking note of where our more experienced colleagues went wrong and what we can to do to move away from the monotony spoken of by Wheatney.
ReplyDeleteTo instruct only to the point that some or a meagre percentage of our students are successful surely defeats our purpose as teachers.
I think this quote by Leo is a good choice to stimulate us some more and reflect deeply on our practises in order to bring about meaningful change in our students. The usefullness of technology is undesputed.