Stephen wrote,
>"I found that good teacher in a traditional school often smuggle moments=
of
>authentic teaching. They are foreigners in the schools where they work.=
"
>
>So, Eugene, what kind of environment do you think would be necessary for
>"good teachers" to become "authentic teachers" everyday? Bounce your ide=
as
>off of me, I crave the feedback. :)
>
>I like those two little sentences. It seems sad that teachers who want t=
o
>expand the learning of their have a difficult time at doing so because o=
ur
>society has deemed that "that is not the way we teach our kids." Is it t=
he
>case that there is only one way in this country that our children/studen=
ts
>are allowed to learn?
I think your questions are about goals and priorities of education. I've
found that I'm not sure I understand what is the goal (or goals) of the
existing traditional mass school education. I think that these goals are
very diverse and sometimes conflicting. I also think that the economy an=
d
reproduction of the society is one of major player in defining goals of
school education and teaching in the classroom (although many other thing=
s
like traditions, national and regional politics, culture, and so on play
their roles in shaping the school institutions). It seems to me that the
main goal of schooling is prepared students to do what others (more
powerful) asked them to do (i.e., transmission of self-contained and
indifferent knowledge and skills). If look at our US economy, it does no=
t
ask very many people to do creative jobs (according to Robert Reich's
estimates (1991) no more than 20%). Even when it does the creativity is
expected in narrow areas with certain limits. Thus, traditional schoolin=
g
is doing great in promoting skills and dis-abilities (McDermott, 1993). =
I
think that many issues that people often associated with schools actually
come from conflicting demands of the economy. For example, modern US
economy often requires now that people switch from one non-creative job t=
o
another. It asks for both teaching rigidity and flexibility at the same
time.
What I called "authentic teaching" is guided by another set of goals than
traditional schooling. The weaving model of teaching involves teacher=92=
s
efforts to integrate students=92 and teachers=92 interests and the academ=
ic
curricula in the classroom activities. The weaving model of teaching is=
an
attempt to guide teaching by love, to make school not just preparation fo=
r
adult life or to a future job, but exciting life itself for the children =
and
the teacher. This model is based on beliefs that:
* learning and work can and should be fun for all the participants
(including the teacher),
* students, teachers, parents, school administrators, educators,
politicians, taxpayers, and non-taxpayers generate important interests,
needs, concerns, and inquiries that can and should be shared with the
students as a part of their education,
* what students want to do is no less important than what they can do,
* classroom learning activities can and should be meaningful and authenti=
c
for the students,
* all students=92 interests have social origin,
* learning involves doing mistakes, while, education involves a safe
environment to do them, and
* students guide the teacher how to teach while the teacher learns from t=
he
students about their interests and needs.
This list is not exhaustive but it gives some sense on what beliefs and f=
rom
what concerns the weaving model of teaching has emerged.
Of course, this model of teaching ignores the existing economy, politics,
and traditions and pays for that by not being popular. But being a minor=
ity
and in underground, this model is alive and well surviving for decades no=
w
in Dewey times of progressive education movement thanks to inspiration an=
d
struggle that many teachers, educators, parents, and kids are willing to
embrace in their local circumstances. I'm sure careful analysis will rev=
eal
that these local circumstances and opportunities although scarce still a
part of our social fabric.
What do you think?
Eugene
PS Today afternoon I'll leave for a small conference in Germany titled
"Joining society: social interactions and learning in adolescence and
youth". It is sponsored by the Johann Jacobs Foundation. Shirley
Brice-Heath, John Tudge, Clotilde Pontecorvo, Lauren Resnick, David
Middleton, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont, Roger Saljo, and Paul Bates (to na=
me
few whom I know) will be there. I'll be back in a week.