Primary Education: Suggestions for the consideration of teachers

The only uniformity of practice that the Board of Education desire to see in the teaching of Public Elementary Schools is that each teacher shall think for himself, and work out for himself such methods of teaching as may use his powers to the best advantage and be best suited to the particular needs and conditions of the school.

• The only uniformity of practice that the Board of Education desire to see in the teaching of Public Elementary Schools is that each teacher shall think for himself, and work out for himself such methods of teaching as may use his powers to the best advantage and be best suited to the particular needs and conditions of the school.

• -- Primary Education: Suggestions for the consideration of teachers (1918)

Between 1997 and 2001, the government led from the centre and on key issues – literacy, numeracy or school failure for example – was unapologetically prescriptive… Until the mid-1980s what happened in schools and classrooms was left almost entirely to the teachers to decide. However, at the time no means were in place to ensure effective practice was identified, disseminated and universally adopted.

• Between 1997 and 2001, the government led from the centre and on key issues – literacy, numeracy or school failure for example – was unapologetically prescriptive… Until the mid-1980s what happened in schools and classrooms was left almost entirely to the teachers to decide. However, at the time no means were in place to ensure effective practice was identified, disseminated and universally adopted.

• -- Michael Barber, “The Next Stage for Large Scale Reform in England: From Good to Great” (2002)

they bind together…

• they bind together…

• a way of thinking,

• a way of looking at the world,

• a way of speaking,

• a way of imagining the world, and

• a way of acting.

“good” or “best practice”

• “good” or “best practice”

• evidence-based practice – “what works”

• centrally mandated, standardized testing

• accountability regimes

• highly prescriptive curricular materials

certainty

• certainty

• objectivity

• method

• calculability

• efficiency

• control

At the dawn of the 21st century, education is finally being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. The scientific revolution that utterly transformed medicine, agriculture, transportation, technology, and other fields early in the 20th century almost completely bypassed the field of education…

• At the dawn of the 21st century, education is finally being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. The scientific revolution that utterly transformed medicine, agriculture, transportation, technology, and other fields early in the 20th century almost completely bypassed the field of education…

• Applications of the findings of educational research remain haphazard, and that evidence is respected only occasionally, and only if it happens to correspond to current educational or political fashions.

• -- Robert Slavin, AERA Presidential address (2002)

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[T]he most important rule in education [is that] a great teacher is more important than anything else… Think about what a great teacher can do with outdated teaching methods, that a mediocre teacher cannot do with the best brain-engineered methods fresh from the research laboratory. Teaching, after all, is an interaction between people, between teachers and learners.

• [T]he most important rule in education [is that] a great teacher is more important than anything else… Think about what a great teacher can do with outdated teaching methods, that a mediocre teacher cannot do with the best brain-engineered methods fresh from the research laboratory. Teaching, after all, is an interaction between people, between teachers and learners.

• -- Peter Temes, Against school reform (and in praise of great teaching), 2002

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thank you

• thank you

• adam lefstein

• [e-mail]

competing visions of teaching and its regulation

• competing visions of teaching and its regulation

• a) methodism: “good practice”

• b) subjectivism: “reflective practice”

• 2) beyond the methodism / subjectivism dichotomy