Problem-Based-Learning network
Teaching for Tomorrow
Teaching for Tomorrow
Teaching for Tomorrow by Ted McCain is an excellent book. Chapter 1 is titled, "How I discovered I was a highly educated useless person." In his first job after university he discovered that he lacked "real-world" skills and that all his schooling had only given him "school skills." In the following chapters McCain outlines six proposals to help teachers create graduates who will have real-world skills. These are: 1) resist the tempatation to "tell" 2) provide context to content, 3) foster independent thinking, 4) move to problem solving, 5) withdraw from helping students, & 6) reevaluate evaluation. He advocates for authentic problem-based and project-based learning that incorporates the curricular goals. He also touches on the importance of "failing" and how we learn more from mistakes than from success. McCain is a technology coordinator and he provides several examples for the kinds of role-playing problem-solving that he is advocating, but this is not a book about technology- It is about pedagogy. I really enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it!
The ideas that McCain talks about for improving instruction (problem-based learning, teacher as facilitator, etc.) are typically included in degree programs that prepare teachers, but the reality I see in many classrooms is that these approaches are rarely used (if at all.) It seems like our curriculum is driven more by text books and preparation for the AP, ACT, and SAT exams, which are our version of "high-stakes testing." McCain recognizes the importance of testing and accountability, but suggests that there is much more value in a pedagogical approach that creates real-world skills. He argues that a problem-based approach can deliver much of the same content as a lecture-based approach, but in a way that creates longer-lasting and much deeper learning. His examples of role-playing scenarios where students must solve problems framed by the teacher do a good job of showing how this type of instruction could work.
My only criticism of the book is it doesn't go into the dynamics of a classroom of 20+ students. He has some good examples of role-playing and problem-solving scenarios that you can easily imagine a group of 3-4 students excelling at, but classroom management and accountability with this approach for 20 students becomes more complex. This could use more explication. If anyone has experience with this, I'd love to hear about it.
What are your thoughts on this book, and McCain's ideas? Do you know of schools or classrooms where this approach is the dominant one, instead of the minority?
The ideas that McCain talks about for improving instruction (problem-based learning, teacher as facilitator, etc.) are typically included in degree programs that prepare teachers, but the reality I see in many classrooms is that these approaches are rarely used (if at all.) It seems like our curriculum is driven more by text books and preparation for the AP, ACT, and SAT exams, which are our version of "high-stakes testing." McCain recognizes the importance of testing and accountability, but suggests that there is much more value in a pedagogical approach that creates real-world skills. He argues that a problem-based approach can deliver much of the same content as a lecture-based approach, but in a way that creates longer-lasting and much deeper learning. His examples of role-playing scenarios where students must solve problems framed by the teacher do a good job of showing how this type of instruction could work.
My only criticism of the book is it doesn't go into the dynamics of a classroom of 20+ students. He has some good examples of role-playing and problem-solving scenarios that you can easily imagine a group of 3-4 students excelling at, but classroom management and accountability with this approach for 20 students becomes more complex. This could use more explication. If anyone has experience with this, I'd love to hear about it.
What are your thoughts on this book, and McCain's ideas? Do you know of schools or classrooms where this approach is the dominant one, instead of the minority?
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© 2009 Created by Demetri Orlando on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
