When I first became a teacher often discussions were summarized with the question, is this appropriate for our students or not? Do you remember those days? What happened to asking these most simple questions? Are my students ready for this? What do they really need to know? What skills can I teach now that will really be of benefit in the life of my students?
With the emphasis on testing and schools "looking good", I wonder are we really teaching what our students need to know, how they learn, and in the time they need to learn it? It seems that we are "rushing" through many things and not giving real depth to anything. It never ceases to amaze me how "easy" something can be for a student when you wait until they are ready to learn it. You can struggle for months trying to teach a student something like subtraction with regrouping, but when the time is right, the same skill can be learned quickly.
I often wonder if we, as educators have learned anything?
What? Are the students ready? Full speed ahead, the TEST is only months away!!
ReplyDeleteWill we ever learn? All too often I'm just focused on all the specific content to get crammed into their heads, it the short time allotted. Think the next 'educational reform' will take into account the students' as individuals? I hope so, but am not optimistic
Sara, I think teaching is truly your call and gift in life...I've watched you and you amaze me. I agree. Sometimes we push/present so much that we end up teaching less. The past couple of yrs our 2nd grade team has had a change in mindset...we teach less but more. It's been so rewarding.
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