I've read so much over the six months that I've been a Meredith student. Much of what I've read has been about what's wrong with education and how to fix it. The more I read, the more frustrated I seem to get. I really am a crotchety old man deep down inside.
Why do we have to change anything? I know that the times they are a'changin, but why do we have to overhaul education? It's worked for over 100 years, so why now do we suddenly have to think about things like 4 point grading scales and IEPs? I guess it's a personal issue that I need to work on, but I always think that if something's worked in the past, it will work forever. I think more about what teachers need to keep doing and what parents should be doing than what is actually happening and how to counteract it, and I guess that's where the problems come in.
If I did everything that the articles I've read suggest, I would literally have no time to teach. I would spend so much time evaluating, reflecting, assessing, planning, rethinking, monitoring, calling, writing up, and responding that there would be no time for me to stand with some kids and tell them a thing or two about what I've learned.
I love to teach. I can't imagine doing anything else ever again. However, I do not want to spend every waking hour of my life wondering if I did the right thing in the classroom today or whether or not my assessment was balanced. I want to enjoy a cocktail or a belly dancing class. I want to spend my day talking about literature and watching my kids get excited about it, not second-guessing the plans that I've worked on for weeks.
So, yes, almost all of the ideas I've read about seem to be really good ones. They look great on paper and the authors bring up some really good points about how to best serve my students. I'm less than half way through my degree, however, and I think that by the time I'm finished I might feel less effective than I do today. When taken collectively, articles on education seem to say, "Here's what all of the MASTER teachers are doing...why aren't YOU doing them? They WORK and your method DOESN'T!" Oy.
YIKES! STOP READING THOSE ARTICLES! even if I assigned them. I feel your frustration, but you have to return to the Heady we know and love. No one is asking you to give up who you are and your passions...just asking you to evaluate them. If your method works, then by all means stick with it! Tell the authors to jump in a lake or come stand in your shoes for a week.
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