Quasi Dictum

A place for educational perspectives and opinions. Legalese: The statments at this site are of the writers only. Quasi Dictum has no control over the information you access via links, does not endorse that information and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.

Name:
Location: Vancouver, WA, United States

Teacher

Friday, August 08, 2008

Here is a posting from one of my new (to me anyway) favorite blogs:

I write this not as a skeptic of the value of thinking about pedagogy and of improving one’s teaching–but, and level with me, dear readers–isn’t that what we do all of the time, throughout the year, without going to workshops or special “colleges?” Isn’t this what we do, when we assign all or mostly new books to our classes each term, so that we can keep up with the current literature in our fields (and not incidentally, avoid boring ourselves with the same old readings)? Isn’t this what we do when reviewing previous drafts of lecture notes to see what’s outdated or less useful, and to add new material based on your current readings and research, or to speak to the specific themes we;re emphasizing in this or that semester? Aren’t we always adding new visual images, new ideas, and new slides to our PowerPoint lectures? Do any of us set out intentionally to bore our students to death? Do we enjoy being out-of-date and out-to-lunch in public?

I remember hearing about that legendary college professor who worked from yellowed note cards, or off of lecture notes on legal paper from the 1930s that hadn’t been revised since they were first drafted. Remember him? Me neither. I never met that guy or took his class–it was always someone’s brother’s roommate, or someone’s girlfriend’s sister who was in that class, and usually at another college or university. That professor is largely an urban legend, but “Centers for Teaching and Learning” are set up and funded to guard against him in universities across the country. (Do they also sponsor a “Center for Defense Against Unicorn Attack?”)


Yes she's writing about college but easily adaptable to any teacher's situation.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Yes...it's been a while but I'm responding to the nice folks (TW) over at Stories from School

Here are the Five Things Policymakers Ought to Know:

1 - Building a "community" should involve more than "ice breakers", advisory, and muffins on a Friday. What's wrong with good old-fashioned pep assemblies? Don't moan about lost class "time". If planned well and with more than adequate support from staff and faculty school wide assemblies can help build that "community".

2 - Please know the difference between a "faculty meeting" and an "informational meeting". I can count on one hand in an eleven year career when the faculty meeting actually was that and NOT one dispensing testing dates, tardy updates, and/or signing a card for a hernia surgery. Let's use e-mail for the info and our precious time to discuss ideas and issues of importance.

3 - Teachers should have a voice in the hiring (or firing) of colleagues. This would mean peer evaluation and would actually be more meaningful than the system (at least my employer) uses now.

4 - Please have follow through with your "grand" visions, mission statements, etc. Policymakers at all levels have problems with this. I hate dead ends or change for change sake.

5 - Please policymaker read this article for a wealth of knowledge.

Ciao,

TL

Labels: