BP03_2009101_Response_to_Anti-Teaching

Based on the assumption that the educational systems as we know them do not work for the vast majority of the students moving through them, what would work?

At the end of each school, I look back and reflect on a similar series of questions, what worked well, what didn’t work, and what changes are necessary for tomorrow? The answers are as varied and numerous as the 100 plus students that will have pass in and out of my classroom during the course of the day.

Each student will enter possessing a personalized set of talents, challenges, wants, and values. Regardless of the curriculum, delivery method, and available resources, as demonstrated and back by Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory and Eric Jensen’s discussion on Brain-Based Learning, teaching begins with knowing and understanding your students.

Through knowledge, time, and experience, teachers are keenly aware of relevance of the material being taught and the challenge becomes sharing that relevancy to unaware and unconnected students.

This challenge is made more difficult within the confines of an educational system that defines success and channels resources based on a single annual institutional test.

For many teachers, this is where technology integration plays vital role and provides the means to individualize curriculum, engage students, and create connections for learning and meaningful understanding.

Web-based tools and collaborative communities provide a variety of mediums for creating, presenting, and discussing material and go beyond the typical classroom curriculum. With minimal effort, content can be easily adapted to accommodate multiple learning styles and skill levels.

With these tools students can progress at their own pace and review specific instructions or material as often as needed. With proper guidance and instructions, students have the opportunity to facilitate and take ownership of the learning process creating excitement and fueling a life long appreciation for learning.