Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id hAAEmwV09161; Mon, 10 Nov 2003 09:48:58 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 09:48:58 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1003818696russell@literacy.upenn.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Mary Russell <russell@literacy.upenn.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:808] Re: It's not PD it's what you teach X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 3.1 (Mac) Status: O Content-Length: 3907 Lines: 106 I certainly agree with your last statement, Mary. However, what Tom might have meant is that we cannot rely on PD alone to help us be better teachers, we must take an active role--and sometimes take risks--to put in to practice what we learn. -- Mary Russell National Center on Adult Literacy University of Pennsylvania 3910 Chestnut St Philadelphia, PA 19104 Phone: 215-746-6742 Fax: 215-898-9804 http://literacy.org On Saturday, November 8, 2003 12:58 PM, Mary Dunn Siedow <MDSiedow@bpir.duke.edu> wrote: >Colleagues, > >I read Tom's posting with interest. And, like Mary and Lucy who >commented on it, I agree with the content of the message. It really is >critically important that what happens in classrooms is the very best >possible teaching based on the very best possible methodology. > >However, I am wondering about the subject line Tom used for this >posting: "It's not PD, it's what you teach." How are we as teachers to >stay abreast of the best methodology if not by actively engaging in our >own professional development? > >Mary Dunn Siedow > > > >tom zurinskas wrote: > >>THE NEW HEROES OF TEACHING >>Identifying a few excellent teachers and hoping others >>will copy their methods has not improved teaching in >>the average American classroom. Teaching, as most >>students experience it, has not changed for decades. >>Why? Because the average classroom is not affected >>much by what the few celebrity teachers do. To make a >>dent in the learning experiences for most students, >>educators must find a way to improve the quality of >>instruction in the average classroom. Even slight >>improvements in the average classroom, accumulated >>over time, would have a more profound effect on >>students around the country than recruiting a hundred >>more Escalantes into the classroom, according to a >>commentary by James Hiebert, Ronald Gallimore, and >>James W. Stigler. In their thinking, to achieve small >>and continuing improvements in the average classroom >>requires a major shift in educators' thinking -- from >>teachers to teaching. Rather than focusing only on >>evaluating the quality of teachers, the educational >>community must begin examining the quality of >>teaching. What kinds of methods are teachers using now >>and how could these methods be improved? Tackling >>this deep-seated problem begins with opening the >>classroom door. The process starts by learning to >>analyze the details of ordinary classroom instruction, >>with all its warts and foibles, and then learning to >>see more effective ways of teaching. But to do this, >>to even begin down this path, teachers must be >>willing to open their doors. They must be willing to >>allow others to use their lessons as data that can be >>examined and discussed over and over. >>http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=10hiebert.h23 >> >> >> >> >>--- Eileen Eckert <eileeneckert@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>>I don't know if this got lost in the volume of >>>discussion the other day or >>>if the authors don't have a response, but especially >>>for Dennis and >>>Charissa: >>> >>>How do you perceive the relationship between >>>involvement in curriculum >>>development and growth as a teacher? In other words, >>>how has the process of >>>developing curriculum contributed to your >>>understanding of teaching and >>>learning, and to your proficiency as a teacher? >>> >>> >>>Thanks, >>>Eileen >>> >>> >> >>===== >>Read all about truespel at truespel.com. >>Read "Truespel Book One: Analysis of the Sounds (Phonemes) of USA English >>http://www.1stbooks.com/cgi-bin/1st?partner~1st|type~6|Data1~16593 >>Convert text to truespel USA accent by copy/pasting it at: >http://www.foreignword.com/dictionary/truespel/transpel.htm >> >> >>__________________________________ >>Do you Yahoo!? >>Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard >>http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree >> > > >
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