Week 3- "Inventions of Teaching" Chapters 1,2,3,10

"Teaching is multifaceted.  The teacher wears many hats" (p.2) I went into this read with the challenge that was presented to us during class, many times, "Think globally."  With that framework in place, thinking about the theoretical issues that will be discussed in this book, I wonder how this view, or martyr-esque pressure, that a teacher may place on themselves here in the U.S. would compare or contrast to that of our fellow teachers around the world?  Even within our society, at the highest levels of education, do educators wear many hats?  Take for example all of the terrible professors that we have had in the past, it doesn't seem that they wear too many hats, perhaps only one, lecturer.  Dumper of knowledge into our empty tanks.  What about around the world where in many cultures the teacher is held with such high regard, even over a student's guardian or parental figure/s, are they taking upon themselves the burden that teachers who guiltily strive for the lofty goals, of creating the great learning environment where all perspectives are respected?

Trying to return to a open-minded and eager want to investigate the material, Davis then continues into using Darwin's Theory of Evolution and to use Davis's phrasing of Darwin's theory, "is slowly but surely nudging lifeforms toward perfection", (p.20).  Are we as educators moving towards perfection?  And if that perfection is actually attainable, and we are in fact broadening our own terms of education to incorporate the different hats a teacher wears to be better suited for the needs of our students, then why are so many people leaving education as a profession?  Are we really moving toward a more perfect type of teacher, better equipped to take on the challenges of education?  Or are we setting ourselves up to be so overwhelmed to the point of quitting? 

Considering Davis's thoughts on the idea that, "gnosis points us toward wisdom and ethical action, episteme points to the rational and pragmatic competencies that allow us to function in the physical world." (p.30).  To me this resounds the nature of praxis within our studying of pedagogical theory and the implementation of those ideals.  Perhaps some of the great educators so much about the epistemological views within a "gnosis" point of view, that we are never able to carry out the "episteme" in our function within and outside of the classroom. 

Davis continues, "many systems and events emerge in the interactions of agents that are themselves dynamic and adaptive." (p.94).  Does our educational system move in a fluid nature that can be seen within this type of systematic interaction?  Is our educational system over powered by those who are dynamic and an adaptive in ways that undermine what we would hope our educational system to resemble.  With so many involved in the decision making process, it becomes hard to hold out hope for an educational system that seeks to carry out both the hopes of "gnosis" and "episteme" within education. 

Interobjectivist discourses as Davis states, "their shared concern is the social construction of knowledge", (p.110).  Hope for our educational system can certainly be rooted in the grounds of continued interobjectivist discourses that are shared by, what may seem to be such varied and differing views of education, policy makers and those who are subject to them.  What will it take for the two to find a common thread of epistemology? 

Week 2- "Theories of Learning & Teaching" article; Bruner Preface; Freire Forward & Introduction

Hey peeps! Stacey is a little under the weather, so I volunteered to lead this week so that she could have a few more days to recuperate.

After finishing the readings for this week I was completely exhausted! I had no idea how much I was going to have to THINK! lol

Nothing particularly stood out to me in the Bruner selection or the Forward in Pedagogy of Freedom, however the Introduction left me with several ponderances.

The Theories article was a whole different ball game. It was honestly one of the best articles I've read in a long time. I ended up sending it to several of my colleagues and am suggesting that one of my schools read it and analyze within their PLC's in a few select grade levels. Given that it is almost 10 years old, I found myself pondering how I would have perceived it 10 years ago vs now, particularly with regards to the current teacher crisis in our state (and across much of the country).

Here are a few things that stuck out to me this week. Feel free to respond to any of them or share what stuck with you.

1- In the Introduction of "Pedagogy of Freedom", Aronowitz states that "These are dark times for educational innovation and its protagonists. In schools and universities "reactionaries" have all but overwhelmed the "progressives." He later provides the example of recess being eliminated in some elementary schools by the "reactionaries".
I can think of several additional examples of "reactionary" changes being put in place in schools, districts, and states that I have worked in. I would like to know if you have experienced these types of changes, and if so, did they have the desired effect? Were they well received by the school/system stakeholders? What sort of implications and/or ramifications came along with these changes?

2- In "Theories of Teaching & Learning", Wilson and Peterson state that "any and all theories are based on little information; they are conjectures and assertions based on empirical research, and all scientists, including learning scientists- are constantly interrogating their theories."
On Tuesday we wrote a definition and created a graphic representation of "theory." I'm wondering what changes or revisions you would make after reading this article?

3- In "Theories of Teaching & Learning", Wilson and Peterson discuss at great length the responsibilities of the teacher within the learning environment. Some of them that I highlighted include:

• focus not only on individual students but also on the development of "communities of learners"
• assume that students start in sensible places and build bridges between prior experiences and new understandings
• learn, understand, and adapt their instruction based on relevant differences among their students
• mediate resources
• think hard about what they want their students to learn and contemplate things such as 
• what is interesting about this for my students?
• what ideas and concepts are particularly difficult and why?
• what means can I use to help my students grapple with these ideas?
• what do my students already know that might help?
• how can I use my students' diverse backgrounds to enhance the curriculum?
• how can I create a community of learners who can support the individual and social construction of knowledge?
• develop foundational knowledge and skills
• provide opportunities for practice
• facilitate classroom discourse
• systematically consider the learning goals and their students
• thoughtfully select varied pedagogical strategies that will enable student learning
• refine teaching practice over time 
• engage in the inquiry process as a professional

Looking at that list I realize that after 15 years in the classroom I still struggle to do these things consistently and effectively, regardless of my education and experience. These expectations are really, really difficult to reach for any teacher, and yet they are absolutely necessary to actively plan for and strive to attain on a daily basis.

Now imagine being responsible for these things and having absolutely no education or teacher training, no classroom experience, and (most likely) very little support. The majority of these teachers do not even have the common language we use within education. This is the reality for over 600 classroom teachers in the state of Oklahoma this year alone. If we were to pretend that all 600 taught at the Elementary level, had an ideal class size of 20 students, and only saw that group of students each day, that would result in a minimum of 12,000 students being taught this year by a teacher that likely has very little, if any, training, resources, and support in trying to accomplish the above responsibilities. 

I'm just wondering how that resonates with you and what you feel we, as educators and potential instructional leaders, can do to address this? Do you think that we will see a change in curriculum design as a result? Thoughts?