"No Child Left Behind," while a major, bureaucratic pain in the rear, has possibly one good consequence that I can think of. It may be driving teacher education programs to move away from content knowledge and into preparing teachers to teach more effectively. "Teacher preperation has not been immune to this pressure, as teacher effectiveness has been targeted as a direct route to increasing student performance. As a result, the teacher preperation communty is working harder than ever to prepare teachers who can affect learning in all students (Gibson 207).
I wonder about the validity of the above statement. Well, not really the validity, but whether or not it is true. I can't speak for all content areas and all universities, but I know that my teacher training program was less content and more these are the things you should do and why. I was under the assumption that that is how they all were. It made sense.
I actually was confused when first reading the Teacher Work Sample Methodolgy (TWSM) my brain made the following statement, "Isn't that what you should be looking to develop in teacher candidates?" It is not as if this is a new and grand revelation, right? Upon continuing reading, however, I discoved something new. The idea of using a simulated setting in which students can practice "the skills necessary in the design and implementation of a teacher work sample" (Gibson 209).
The "Cook School District" is a facinating creation. I had no idea such things existed. While it is limited in its lack of behaviors ( I am guessing the simulated child is unlikely to refuse to do something), it seems to be as realistic an experience as possible. I am curious how this really affects teacher development.
Anyone know? Or had experiences with such "professional developmen?
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4 comments:
Teacher education programs are good for giving teachers a foundation of knowledge to build upon. I have been teaching high school for 13 years now, and most of what I know about teaching comes from experience. I learned a lot those first couple of years, and I keep learning more every year. It's an ongoing process. Simulations are good for practice, but I don't think they can ever replace real-world experience. All teachers and students are unique individuals with unique personalities which makes for unique daily experiences. I can have problems with one student while his other teacher experience no problems. I have attended discipline meetings to discuss a student that five of his teachers are having problems with, while I had no problems whatsoever.
Good teachers are always striving to "improve connections between teacher actions and student learning."
Regarding your question about the classroom simluation training programs such as Cook School, and whether they have uncooperative students in their programs, just go to SimSchool at http://simschool.org and if you get "lucky" like I did, you may get a student like "Everly", who didn't do a single thing that I asked him to. I spent 2 hours with him and got nowhere. I was so frustrated with him, but it sure was a good lesson in patience and perseverance.
I haven't had much experience with Sim School or other similar products but they seem like a good idea. Looking at it reminded of what my undergrad teacher would do to us. We would take turn teaching lessons and each student had an behavior they would do durring class (talking, writing notes, swearing, etc.)
If the teacher would respond in the correct manner of the discipline she taught us how to make then they would receive a ood grade.
It was not but very unrealistic. A think something like simschool could take the place of this unrealistic activity.
Great point about the NCLB Katie. I don't know about all the teacher training programs, but my guess is that they have all had to re-evaluate their goals and how to achieve them. I can't imagine that being all bad.
Based on your experience, reading and the imput from other students, do you think simulations are a good place to start, a good place to hone your skills, a good place to experiment? Do you foresee yourself using a sim type environment?
Good post, thank you!
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