Though I haven't enjoyed every reading we've done for class, I think it's good that I've gotten a chance to read about so many different approaches to teaching. Do I think the theories are useful? Sure. If nothing else, being familiar with an assortment of teaching approaches gives one a bigger bag of tricks to try on a class. Are they necessarily important? Ehhh...
Teaching style, like any form of self expression, should be a personal thing. I don't think you need to know a theory to find that style, it should come naturally, over time. That said, if you're having trouble finding your feet, a skeleton to work with certainly could help you get started...I think the fence is where I'll sit on this one.
Once you HAVE found a teaching style you like (which can certainly change from class to class), I don't think staying up to date on teaching theory is vital. If you know the material you're teaching, you should be able to convey it to your students in an effective manner, without the assistance of some new-fangled theory.
So, in sum- theories are important for new teachers to know, unless they have a naturally developed teaching style. They're unimportant for experienced teachers to know, unless they enjoy staying up to date. I do love the fence.
Golsan Out
2 comments:
I identify with your position on theory, James. I think it's kind of a personal decision, and although i am an official member of the anti-theory movement created by Matt, I would look to a theory if I felt lost in my teaching.
Your post actually made me feel better, like maybe I know what I'm doing more than I think because I don't feel the need to go back to the theories...yet.
While I agree (to a point) that teaching and writing are very personal things, I also want to challenge you: They are completely personal ONLY if your only audience is YOU.
That said, there are exceptions.....Kerouac, for example, had a very, very "personal" voice that found a larger audience (except when I read him as an adult, he just ticked me off, where as an adolescent, he intrigued me!). But for one Kerouac, there are a thousand kids trying to "make it" who don't. Why? I'm going to wager that it's because they've put on blinders, thinking "hey--it's MY voice. I have to go with it, and not learn anything new"....or something like that.
Same thing with teachers. Sure, there's that "To Sir With Love" teacher whose personality is SOOOO strong he inspires students to do their best. But for every one ot him, there are hundreds of others who flop, then blame their shortcomings on their students rather than learn anything new.
Perhaps these are bad examples. My point is that I think people who are experienced are the ones who realize that students are all different, and to reach them, the teacher has to constantly be learning new things, new ways to reach them. It's the INexperienced teacher or writer who, I fear, often thinks that students or readers should come to his way of thinking, because he has an established "style". Sounds a bit egocentric to me.
Most of the great musicians, artists, etc. never, ever stop learning--AND they continually change their style, rather than finding just one. They do that by constantly learning and reflecting on what they are learning in terms of how it can influence their music/art/etc.
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