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Re: [OM] Economics

Subject: Re: [OM] Economics
From: "Wayne Harridge" <wayneharridge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2010 10:16:15 +1100
>From my experience as a student (a few years ago now), the classes where I
learned the most and actually enjoyed the experience were where the teacher
knew the subject matter inside out and actually showed some passion in
presenting it.  Unfortunately I can only think of a handful of teachers who
were in this category.

...Wayne

Wayne Harridge
http://lrh.structuregraphs.com/


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Fildes [mailto:afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Saturday, 25 December 2010 9:45 AM
> To: Olympus Camera Discussion
> Subject: Re: [OM] Economics
> 
> I'm tempted to add two questions here, and answer them.
> 
> 1. What makes a good student? One who shows up to class prepared to
> work. Do you know how rare that can be in some circumstances? You
> simply cannot teach anything to a student who declines to learn. You
> can keep them quiet, possibly. But hat's about it. I cite the brilliant
> Monty Python sketch about sex education. If a student has concluded
> that anything that happens in a schoolroom is boring and irrelevant
> BECAUSE it is happening in a schoolroom then it's very difficult to to
> overcome that - in fact, usually impossible because you have 25 or so
> other students to deal with. Reach a tipping point of a certain
> proportion of such students in a class and nothing you can do will
> change things. You may as well just have a chat with them about the
> weather and the football.
> 
> I used to refuse to refer to some kids as 'students' on the grounds
> that students are people who study - and they didn't
> 
> 2. What makes a good parent, as far as a school is concerned? Well, one
> who shows up to parent teacher nights and meetings and doesn't make
> knee-jerk excuses for the fact that their offspring are surly, unkempt,
> uncooperative, indolent, rude, offensive, racist, late, ill-equipped,
> missing, devious, mendacious, unwashed, unfed, stoned, unengaged, ill-
> prepared or dressed like a cheap sex worker. (tick one box or more).
> The broad majority of parents in the lower middle class suburbs where
> I've worked for many years treat the school like any other service that
> they use - they send the kids to us to get educated or worse, babysat,
> and beyond that, it's nothing much to do with them. You see them when
> they show up to object that little Johnny (six foot, thug) got injured
> because he picked a fight with the wrong opponent and lost; got kept in
> and missed the bus so they had to drive half-a-mile to get him; told
> Chantelle or Taylah to dress a little more appropriately (less make up,
> d
>  o your shirt up, skirt a little lower than the gluteal fold); failed
> because they did no work at all but it's because the teacher is picking
> on her. Then they're cross and demand you do something about it because
> it has interfered  with their plans for the day.
> A teacher cannot 'do its job' in isolation. You don't think the local
> school is much good so what do you do? You pull your child out of it
> and compound the problem. Better to actually get involved, find out
> what the problem is and first of all, make sure that your assessment is
> warranted. I've seen excellent schools with poor reputations generated
> by the most ridiculous and bizarre community rumours and
> misconceptions. If the school doesn't want to discuss it or welcome
> your measured, calm and concerned input, then you have a fair
> complaint.
> 
> Yes there are lazy and hopeless teachers - I can tell you stories that
> would make you shake and twitch. But most are conscientious individuals
> who want to teach - it's easier than riot control anyway! Some are the
> lazy ones are those who've given up, beaten by the clientele and the
> system which is making increasingly unrealistic demands.
> The latest and most disturbing trend reflects your demand that the
> emphasis is on delivery, not content. Teachers are being styled as
> 'classroom managers' and told that a good teacher can teach just about
> anything ('We're teachers of children, not subjects Andrew'). This is
> very convenient for the administration of course as then they don't
> have to match teachers and disciplines too carefully. It does mean that
> the new crop of teachers may be astonishingly ignorant of their subject
> but that's OK because hey you've got a textbook and you know how to
> teach, right? No point being brilliant at delivery if you don't
> understand it and you've got it wrong.
> 
> If I leave a class confident that one third of the class willfully
> ignored the material, one third got' it and one third actually
> understood it, does that make me a bad teacher or one that simply
> recognises what is possible?
> Andrew Fildes
> afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> 
> 
> On 25/12/2010, at 3:42 AM, Willie Wonka wrote:
> 
> > I would disagree with this statement, Chuck.
> >
> > If it were up to me, I would say the ratio is more like 30/70%, yes
> 70% is the teachers' contribution.  There is nothing like a teacher
> that does its job.
> >
> > My son is now enrolled in an expensive private school, just for the
> same reason:  The teachers at his school were plain bad.  Portsmouth,
> RI used to have the second best school system in the state, but
> financial problem led to having good teachers taking job in Mass and
> bad teachers coming to RI...I was spending two hours at night teaching
> him what he was not able to get in class, but the results were
> mediocre, since I couldnt go through all the material.  BTW, had Carl
> Seagan seen me in action, he would have been proud of me as I borrowed
> his methods.
> >
> > Which brings me to the point:  What constitutes a good teacher?
> Someone who does its job.  See, a teacher isnt someone who knows the
> material...they arent trained in that.  They are supposed to be trained
> in approaches how to deliver the material to the students.  So, a good
> teacher is the one who leaves the classroom at the end of the class
> period confident that each of his students got the material.  A great
> teacher is the one who inspires students to venture further into the
> material.
> >
> > Best
> >
> > Boris
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
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> >
> 
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