As a realist I see best teaching practice as consistant with the underlying
processes of effective learning. They alsoare more consistant with supporting
the full range of personal and social objectives- not in acquisition of bits and
pieces of skill and knowledge but in terms of becoming knowledgable citizens of
a democracy capable of asking good questions and collaborating on solutions.
I think your estimate of 10% is far too low. I'd say 20% are doing a good job of
using best practices and another 40% though tied to tradition moderate it
through their empathy for kids and their informed common sense. That's not what
it could be but it's perhaps double what it was 10 years ago. What will happen
with the on-slaught on teachers and teacher education is hard to say.
And I want to restate a key proposition. There is no way to overcome ineffective
teaching by mandating practice- best or worst.
Ken Goodman
Mike Cole wrote:
> Don-- The prescription/proscription distinction seems helpful, but
> does that solve the problem I began with (proximally speaking). 90%
> of classroom run the recitation script as the norm with the lot that
> it carries with it as a cultural form. A lot of people on this list
> seem to feel it is not an optimal educational form and push for alternatives
> of a child/activity-centered variety. Presumably they do so on the
> grounds that the latter are, by some criteria, "better." But on what
> grounds does one from the betterness?
>
> With what bracketing or in what framework?
> mike