Fred wrote (in part): In my opinion teaching is: (1)deciding on what students should learn in a concrete way. (Example, this week children will be shown the differences between an apostrophe and a comma. Not the children will learn about the value of punctuation.) (2) Teaching the differences in some interesting way. (3) Testing the differences using a baseline of acceptability (Did I succeed as a teacher?)
In the teacher centered program described here there is a significant problem with step (2): getting the children interested.
There is another way, a child centered way, in which the adult fills in the child’s needs as they appear. F’rinstance, the child wants to write something and needs a comma or an apostrophe. You give them what they need. You make the comparison. The child is interested and learns it readily. No repetitive exercises needed although the explanation may need to be give again before it sticks.
From time to time the teacher can compare what the child has mastered with a curriculum and engage the child in activities to fill in the gaps. Children who know the teacher will help them pursue their own interests are willing to follow the teacher’s interest from time to time.
Learning happens best when the learner is interested. As our classrooms are now, we will always lose some students at step (2) and step (3) becomes a measure not just of the success of the teacher but of the level of interest of the students. Some children may be considered not quite bright when their only failing was not being engaged.
