This report focuses on improving mathematics
learning, but (like many of the articles I’ve read) I believe their claims and
conclusions have wider applicability in the community college setting.
The authors begin with the idea that educators (I
think we’re focused here on the community college level of education) need to
master not only the subject matter they teach but also master teaching and
learning. Their recommendation is for expanded networks of professional
relationships which would likewise expand educators’ pedagogical repertoires
(as well as expand their professional identities).
Individual and isolated
teaching, they argue, is artisanal and improvements occur only via individual
teacher improvements. Collaborative and collective teaching, on the other hand,
is professional and improvements occur via collective-institutional actions.
Furthermore,
individual and isolated teaching focuses too much on transferring and assessing
static knowledge. Collaborative and collective teaching, on the other hand,
focuses more on creating rich learning environments where student engage in
conceptual learning.
Early in the report, the authors note that most
teaching is conducted in isolation. Many educators like the autonomy that comes
with isolation, and many express concern that teaching within strong professional
networks may undermine their autonomy. In response, the authors note that
teachers who work within strong collaborations actually hold high expectations
for themselves, their students, and their colleagues. The isolation that some
teachers may prefer may actually be correlated to a sense of demoralization by
educators.
No comments:
Post a Comment