'CRITICAL RESPONSE'

A 'Critical Response' to a Text Representing Teaching

A 'Critical Response' to a Text Representing Teaching

Introduction

As you proceed with your professional education, you will continually be confronted with numerous choices about the kind of teacher to become. Recent literature in education has clearly shown that teachers differ substantially according to their goals and priorities and to the instructional and classroom management strategies that they employ. These differences among teachers have usually been portrayed as contrasting "types." (Seymour, 1971: 81)

For example, much has been written in recent years about the differences between teachers who are "open or traditional," "child-centered or subject-centered," "direct or indirect," and "humanistic or custodial."These dichotomies attempt to differentiate teachers who hold different views about what is important for children to learn, preferred instructional and management strategies, and types of curricular materials, and about the kinds of school and classroom organizational structures within which they want to work. The kind of teacher you wish to become, the stands you take on educational issues, and the knowledge and skills you need for putting your beliefs into action all represent decisions you as a prospective teacher need to make.

Discussion and Critical Response

Over a hundred years of educational research has yet to discover the most effective instructional methods and school and classroom organizational structures for all students. This, together with the fact that "rules for practice" cannot now and probably never will be easily derived from either college coursework or practical school experience, makes your choices regarding these issues and the manner in which you determine them of great importance.

With regard to instructional strategies and methods, you will literally be bombarded in your courses and practicums with suggestions and advice regarding the numerous techniques and strategies that ate now available for the instruction of children in the various content areas. For example, you will be taught various strategies for leading discussions, managing small groups, designing learning centers, administering diagnostic and evaluative procedures, and teaching concepts and skills (Robert & Thomas, 1979: 12).

Furthermore, in each of the content areas there are choices to be made about a general approach or orientation to instruction over and above the choice of specific instructional techniques and procedures. You, ultimately, must make decisions about which approach or combination of approaches to employ amid competing claims by advocates that their approach offers the best solution to problems of instruction.

Undoubtedly, there is a great deal of debate in education today over how to go about teaching agreed upon content and skills and about the ways to manage classrooms and children. However, the question of what to teach, and to whom, precedes the question of how to teach. The selection of content to be taught to a particular group of children and of the types of instructional materials and resources to support this process are issues of great importance despite the fact that any school in which you are likely to work will have some set of ...