THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM with American education is that few teachers, administrators or board members know very much about effective teaching - most know nothing about Direct Instruction, Positive Discipline, teaching to mastery, or any other learning theory or set of classroom management skills. Where would they have gone to learn such skills? They can't have gone to our schools of education, since most of these teach absolutely nothing of practical value to the aspiring educator (see What's Wrong With our Schools of Education?). Without much in the way of useful instruction, most teachers enter the classroom with the mandate to make it up as they go. Most survive by employing the same methods and tones they learned from their teachers and parents. Unfortunately, most of these teachers and parents were bereft of significant training also.
As odd and incongruous as it sounds, very few teacher-training or continuing-education programs pay more than cursory lip service and cliches to the teaching of reading, writing, listening, speaking, information organization, study skills and math. Virtually none ever mention the fundamental academic behaviors: how to start on time, stay on task, complete assignments. Few ever teach the format required to turn any subject or lesson into an effective learning experience. Few ever teach more than a superficial survey (if even that) of Project Follow Through, Direct Instruction, Positive Discipline, Precision Teaching, Intervention, or Proximity Management.
THE NUMBER ONE SOLUTION: All prospective teachers and administrators, who aspire to create classrooms and schools where students really learn, must master their core teaching skills:
The problem of teachers and administrators not knowing how to teach or supervise permeates our entire educational system: public schools, private schools, pre-school through post-graduate university. Reflect upon your own educational experience if you doubt my statement. Walk the halls of virtually any school in America (from the ghetto to Harvard University). Stick your nose in a few classrooms. You will not see very much effective teaching or learning. Most of what you will see are classrooms filled with teachers lecturing to non-participating, bored-looking students. You will not be able to uncover much in the way of syllabi, even less in the way of explicitly stated curriculum.
To put it as simply as I'm able, our students have not mastered how to read, or any other of the fundamental academic skills. Am I exaggerating? To defend my case I point to the fact that American students consistently score in the bottom 20% when students from industrialized nations are tested on their basic skills.
What we allow our children to experience on a day-to-day basis is one of our nations's best-kept secrets. And who do we blame for this failure? We blame absolutely everything and everybody other than what we allow to continue in our classrooms. We blame television, the students, parents, attention deficit and other learning disorders, the before-school program, the after-school program, discipline policies, dysfunctional families, lack of money, drugs, bullying, special education... We look everywhere except directly and the teacher, the training he or she has had, and what is allowed to occur in the all-to-typical classroom, hallway and playground.
The solution is not more computers, better facilities, stronger unions, newer textbooks, more police (although all or some of these may be required). The solution must begin by teaching teachers how to teach.
Were I to consider attending a school (or take some classes) to learn how to become a better teacher, no matter what level or subject being taught, I would choose a school that had abandoned the general survey courses in favor of teaching specific skills, especially how to teach the most important of all academic skills, Reading. I would look for a school grounded in the most thoroughly researched and field-tested curriculum and methodology available, DIRECT INSTRUCTION. Anything less simply would not be acceptable. (I would begin my inquiry with the education department at the University of Oregon.) Unfortunately, the more you search the more discouraged you will become. I have done the research and have found very little. I have included some of what I have found at Other Resources / Ideas.
As indicated, the challenge is not only training teachers how to teach. The congruent challenge is training administrators in effective instruction, Positive Discipline, supervision and accountability. Administrators can begin immediately: POSITIVE DISCIPLINE - an approach and a definition.
Additionally, parents need to be brought into the loop. Parents can begin immediately: CONTRACTS THAT PUT YOUR CHILD IN CHARGE OF WINNING.
Bringing all these people together to forge effective schools, where students really master their basic skills, and more, is the mission of Brainsarefun. This is why I have spent so much time providing very specific solutions to so many of our problems: The complete Brainsarefun index.
Never, ever, ever give up. And, above all, Love!
