Training Wheels

When you teach a young child to ride a two-wheel bike, you start with training wheels. The purpose of these is to simulate what it feels like to ride a "real" bike without the accompanying danger. As the child gains both skill and confidence, the decision to take off the training wheels is made. School should be the training wheels which prepare children for a successful transition to the real world.... it often is not! This nations obsession with administering standardized tests has resulted in a structure where the ability to memorize random, disjointed facts is applauded, yet politicians continue to wonder why American schools are outscore on international assessments which measure application skills.

This nation possesses so many talented and dedicated teachers whose pedagogy revolves around the belief that students need to be engaged in project based learning which stimulates higher order thinking skills.; the kind needed for successful participation in the real world. Their quest to create learning environments where students are challenged to take information, analyze it, apply it and make connections of their own is retarded by mandates which insist on "accountability". The number of times which we "assess" children in this country has become out of control. The purpose of assessment should be to inform future instruction, yet it seems to be used to determine where students are when compared to each other. Individual student growth is not a priority of the majority of these tests.

Many teachers know the ridiculous bureaucratic red tape that must be maneuvered through in order to make any changes to the traditional manner in which things are done in the public school system. Changes which are beneficial in preparing students for the future, such as utilizing the vast spectrum of technology which now exists, are viewed with fear and resistance rather than embraced. Politicians can continue to scream about how the U.S. does not measure up, but if we continue to ignore the need for classrooms where higher order thinking skills are the norm, nothing will change.

Textbooks: A sinful creation

I am sure that the development of the textbook was done with good intentions, however my personal preference is that they were banned from existence in the classroom. The majority of these sinful creations are no more than a compilation of disjointed facts which supposedly provides a basis for teaching. Unfortunately they have become a Bible for many teachers, who cling to them as though their lives depended on them. Rather than using them as a reference for background knowledge, many teachers systematically make their way through textbooks, evaluating their success by the timely completion of the various sections of the text by the end of the academic year (and let's not forget those wonderful questions at the end of each section or those pre-written chapter assessments). The current obsession with standardized testing has convinced some administrators and teachers that they only way to prepare students for these tasks is to buy into a pre-packaged program which claims to cover all of the essentials.

Students do not learn via lecture and textbook work! They need to be provided with opportunities to take information, manipulate it, and apply it through the creation of their own products. "And they don't just create these products in solitude for their own satisfaction, but for interaction with real audiences of peers, teachers, families, and communities - people with whom these products and performances can be shared, discussed, and used." (p. 27 Daniels and Bozar) Human beings are social by nature therefore it is absurd that many students are still expected to adhere to the rigid structure of schools which were created to meet the demands of the Industrial Era. Why are we allowing classrooms to continue to exist where students are continually subjected to a lecture and bookwork? I thought that we were the educated ones....

Harvey, Daniels,, and Marilyn Bizar. Teaching the best practice way methods that matter, K-12. Portland, Me: Stenhouse, 2005. Print.

Fear

All teachers enter the classroom with some sense of insecurity; about being the new teacher, in their ability to infuse technology into the curriculum, dealing with behavior management, etc. Although fear is not enjoyable, it is often the catalyst for improvement. Through the establishment of a our own professional support networks, we all are capable of educating ourselves to efficiently deal with our fears... or at least most of them.

The tumultuous economic situation which the nation finds itself in has added personal financial fears for many of us, which sadly has entered the classroom. As I read the local paper this past week, noting the 1.9 million dollar deficit which my district will be facing, the real fears that many of us in education are now dealing with was evident. The ability to provide the best education for our students is being threatened. As superintendent Eric Haley stated, in reference to the impact that this will have on my district (AOS 92, Maine), “It’s going to be bleak and disastrous,”. http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/19866332.html. Although no plans to curtail this deficit have been released yet, teachers are preparing themselves for the possibilities; a decrease in staff resulting in larger class sizes, fewer supplies, the elimination of enrichment activities, such as field trips, and the inability, on the part of teachers, to pursue professional development. There is no getting around the fact that cuts to programs must be made during this dire financial time period, however education is the key to providing children with the skills necessary to be able to function as adults. It is time for those of us invested in the future of our children to speak out for maintaining the quality of our schools. Please contact your representatives and tell them that public education is not something which can be compromised.

Maine House of Reps
http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/