The Atlantic looks at research Teach for America has just released on the characteristics that allow teachers to move their students up by multiple grade levels per year. A persistent focus on outcomes was more important than charisma. The article got me reflecting on my teaching in a global way that I hope is doing me good!
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/good-teaching
3 comments:
Thanks for sharing this article, Anna. Definitely food for thought here.
I really love The Atlantic's attention to education, and I like that this program encourages teachers to really revise their strategies, but the competitive "Race to the Top" makes me very uncomfortable. Does this really improve learning? How is learning being defined? In 92 I'm teaching Alfie Kohn's _What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated?_ (see Google Books). Here's an interview in which he commments on Race to the Top: http://www.educationnews.org/mobile/michael-f-shaughnessy/32471.html
I found the article helpful in sparking reflection and practical consideration, but the fact that one model instructor has reached a stalling point in the classroom and is thinking of moving to a higher level training position says something significant that runs counter to the main flow of the piece and of the program.
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