Another question requiring courage: Is teaching bad?
| I've been attending all the discussions I could possibly find these days. (Believe it or not, today I simultaneously attended Michael Coghlan's talk at YM for the baw2005 group **and** the Tapped In session by Dana and the others for the weblogging group, because I was determined not to miss anything. I just hope I didn't sound too confused, trying to keep up with both!)
Anyway, my point is this: In most of these talks, discussions, and conferences, I've received the impression that "teaching" is nowadays a no-no, and that classes should be run differently so as to encourage student empowerment, decision-making, etc. Of course, all our textbooks say the same, so it's no surprise to me, and to a large extent I agree, **but** I have to be totally honest and say that when I look back on my own learning experience, a lot of my best teachers were exactly that: *teachers* (in the traditional sense). I mean, they were authoritative and the center of the class, and very much in charge. So I find myself wondering: Is that necessarily bad? Isn't this the old pendulum case all over again? I mean, it's not necessarily true that new ideas are always better than old ones, is it? I'd guess that each has their merits and demerits, and that very often it's just a matter of knowing when to use which method rather than clinging to one or the other. So what do you say? Is "teaching" (as opposed to mere facilitating/supporting/etc.) bad? Looking forward to receiving help on this question! Susan @>---;-- Tehran, Iran |
Comments
It's not that I don't go in for all these new ideas; if I didn't, I guess I wouldn't be here. *But* I want to keep an open mind both ways, and not be prejudiced either way. You know, all this reminds me of how I feel when I look at pictures of my mom 30 years ago: The clothes look absolutely fabulous on her and so does the hair-style (and they were the height of fashion back then), but I know if I went out looking like that today, I'd be laughed out of town! The question is: if it was good-looking back then, why should it be funny today? I guess there's a fashion in teaching styles just as in hair styles ...
I hope you do decide to write more on this topic in your blog (and mine!); I'd love to hear more about your ideas on this. :-)
Susan @>---;--
Tehran, Iran
However, what can replace the feelings dominant in the class? How is it possible to teach and learn when there are no REAL student and teacher in the class? What is the purpose of teaching and learning? Those in favor of “no , no teachers” motto may miss the effectiveness of emotional and sometimes the spiritual relationship between those involved in education? Don’t they think that THIS can lead to more traditional ways of teaching and learning, namely, transmission of knowledge ? If the future is going to opt for “no teacher classes!? “, I wonder how I can miss the Teaching class of my great professor, DR…………… I have learned much more things from being in his presence than what was covered during the course itself. The teacher himself/herself can be the best model. Surely, never can the future classes miss these wonderful models!!
Technology with REAL TEACHER and Real Presence in class.
Regards,
Fatemeh Nikui Nezhad, A teacher and an M.A student.