Practicality, the new revolution for teachers?
It seems as though, with the aid of accountability and the advent of standardized testing, we have reached a point of disconnect between what is happening in our public schools and what should be happening.
We spend all of our time and education dollars focused on meeting the desired numbers; however, in a world that is constantly changing, how can these structured, rarely changing standards, be a true measure of how students will succeed in the years to come? How can standard teaching methods possibly be preparing students to challenge the world and invent a better tomorrow? Well, many of the leading education researchers would argue that they do not.
In the UK, some teachers are taking a step or two back from the narrow interpretations of proper education and have begun introducing more practical options to students.
“One of the most intriguing courses is on the art of refereeing. The men in black have to start somewhere, so why not at school? Other schools have taken the same problem – how to enrich education in a practical way – and tackled the issue, albeit from different angles. At St Paul’s School in London, recent non-examined subjects have included Tigers, the Diaghilev Ballet, and the American Wild West.”
-The Telegraph, March 30th, 2009
Perhaps the real issue here is the reemergence of logic. What is our real goal as educators? After careful contemplation, most would say to supply students with the basic educational tools necessary to incorporate themselves into the workforce, and secondly, to prepare students with the desire to continue learning. As we have seen and will continue to see, the ability to adapt and learn throughout their lives will likely be the greatest asset any of our current youth can take from public education.
If you are a prospective teacher, contact schools and learn how you can earn your teaching degree, or current teachers, learn how you can increase your pay and knowledge level with a Master’s degree in education.