After reading and thinking through Ch. 3 & 4 for the third time, it occurs to me that as teachers we often make two critical mistakes:
1. We teach the way we were taught.
2. We teach the way we learn best.
How do we avoid these critical mistakes in our own classrooms?
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I think we always have to be willing to learn and try new things in our teaching practice. Alfred Tatum stresses that professional development is critical. That's why I'm still going to workshops and classes and implementing new techniques in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering about this issue, especially after reading what Tatum says: that young black men want relevant instruction. He says they want to learn about how to be black and how to be a man. I am neither of those things.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that we have to remember though is that the gathering of these ideas does help. Because even if we don't implement right away they are in our heads, moving around and working into a shape that can fit into our classrooms, hopefully. In response to what Inga said about not being black or male. I remember what Jacqueline Woodson said in a video interview. She was not male but she was African American or she was not a white girl but she new what it meant to be a girl. No, I am not black or male but I have been young, I am human and so I need to relate on that and then keep looking for more ways to connect. Not sure if that makes sense outside of my head... :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Laura that gathering and reflecting on these ideas does impact one's teaching decisions. When I went through the Writing Project's summer institute, we were all told that experiencing the full impact of what we were learning would take 3-5 years of teaching experience. That's because you can't do it all at once. Implementing things into my teaching practice one at a time and tweaking them so that they are most effective is the best way to do this. I must make myself do this constantly, or there is a danger that I will rest on my laurels. I am a good teacher already, but I must guard against relying on strategies that worked 10 years ago, even 5 years ago. Students change because our modern culture changes, so I must change with them.
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