In the beginning of Chapter 6, Strong illustrates a scenario
narrated by Darth Vadar. The teachers are called “instructional managers,”
which implies that the administrative tasks that teachers are responsible for
make up the majority of their identity. It is true that they must manage
attendance records, core standards, work trackers, homework, a grade book,
assignments, and much more, but Strong suggests that this has become our
general image of teachers. Writing assignments have become meaningless and bland.
Students are not encouraged to think critically or creatively. Although this is
not always the case, I can understand how easier it could be to assign a
writing topic or administer a multiple-choice test that is quicker to grade.
I think what makes a good writing assignment for students to
write also makes a good one for teachers to read. For example, by letting
students choose their topic, allowing drawings to support their writing, or
having them write for an audience beyond their teacher, the assignments will be
fun and interesting to read. The writing would be more colorful. A mixture of
the 10 design principles would certainly elicit critical thinking as well as
critical enjoyment.
The Table of Raft Assignments on page 100-101 are so
inventive. They actually sound like assignments I would enjoy as a student. If
I’m being honest though, it is daunting to think about making every assignment
that creative. Of course that is the kind of teacher I want to be, like every
other teacher (candidate), and with the resources out there, I should be able
to. So why do we end up with teachers who assign disappointing work? I’m sure
they did not strive to become that kind of teacher on purpose.
I think there is an overwhelming amount of information out there. It almost seems like a crazy amount to sort through. I agree that teachers don't set out to assign disappointing homework, but I think with all the changes and sometimes restrictions placed on the teacher it makes it complicated. My sister in law works at an inner city school where the principal doles out the curriculum to the teachers. I'm guessing this leaves few little room to be creative, but she tries and she has to stay on task with what she was given. Is it possible to be creative for every single lesson? Or is it sometimes necessary to assign the "boring" work? I don't know. I'm hoping to find out from my teacher observations.
ReplyDeleteThat's the scary part - I'm sure we all plan on being passionate and motivating teachers but there are other forces that control what we actually teach and how. We only get so much time in the classroom with the students so we can't do it all. Something has got to give. Also, I think we both have the same question, which is, is it possible to be this creative for every single assignment?
DeleteHey, Casandra!
ReplyDeleteSo, first of all: I really liked your visual for this blog! I don't know why I didn't think of putting a picture of Darth Vader on my blog post considering how much I talked about him. I particularly found it very disturbing as to how often we, as teachers, embody the Darth Vader scenario/metaphor in our assessment prompts. I talked a lot in my blog about how this was kind of very George Orwell 1984ish in regards to how these prompts do not allow any kind of creativity or thought process whatsoever, and I was deeply saddened by this. I'm glad that you talk about this truth that is in our classrooms today. I think that is one of the most important things to take from this reading.
It is definitely one of the more important lessons that I hope we all take with us now and keep for our entire careers as teachers. I'm sure it's not just the teachers that lost interest in teaching that become this way. Instead, I can imagine frustration, anxiety, and standards driving teachers to feel helpless and make them think there is no other way.
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