Do you see anything in any of the clips shown in this video, promoting Doug Lemoy's book, Teach Like a Champion, that:
- Are Learner-Centered?
- Engage Kids in Real-World Problem Solving?
- Model Individualized Instruction?
- Assess Student Understanding?
- Integrate Technology in the Classroom?
...Neither did I.
4 comments:
The problem here is that it looks "right" to parents and educators who use or were taught using behaviourist based pedagogy. The "chaotic" "messy" constructivist (really just different) classrooms that seem anti-education and anti-control are easy targets.
Humans like to see and feel order and control, it is part of our pattern recognition system. When things are all the same (like students all doing the exact same thing) we feel like we have control. Unfortunately controlling a class is not leading a class and will bring about very different outcomes.
I was disappointed with the premies of the video from the start...did you notice the perfectly straight rows of students, the teacher at the front and the seemingly choreographed way they move to work? What it looked like to me was a factory. Hall is right though, many will buy into this book because it is familiar and it is the way school looked when we were there.
I actually bought this book after reading a raving review of it on another blog. I watched the whole DVD that came with it and skim read the book. I have to say I was disappointed.
I agree with Kelly. The rows of students with the teacher up the front was off putting. Certainly not student centered and very factory like. The constant drilling of facts was also very off putting. No communicating, collaborating and creating there.
On a positive note, I have adopted one strategy out of the book. Cold call - calling on all students, not just those with their hands up. It works well although of course isn't anything new. I could have thought to do it myself.
It was disappointing that out of so many "strategies" in the book I only found one I want to adopt!
You've actually inspired me to write my own post about this book.
http://primarytech.globalteacher.org.au/2010/05/10/teach-like-a-champion-a-guide-for-the-21st-century/
thanks!
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