Yes, we all have to memorize the multiplication tables, and we all have to learn the alphabet; but there are fun ways even to do that.
None of that is pedagogy; it is all politics.
I recently reconnected with an old student from SUNY. He told me that I was the only college teacher he ever had that treated students as if they "were human beings." Now, why, on god's earth, shouldn't all teachers treat students like they were human beings? That process seems much more promising and interesting pedagogically then treating them like the makings of sausage.
Joanna
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Grimes" <c123grimes at att.net> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Monday, September 6, 2010 2:44:31 PM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Bill Gates as "Tea Party" supporter? where?
Damn, Chuck beat me to it... Alan Rudy
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Always my pleasure. But I'd like to hear what you and other college level teachers have to say about scripted and reduced curriculum at your levels.
I assume there is a certain need to do that. For example, getting through the main principles of a science, or math topic, or a standard canon in art, literature, history, philosophy. On the other hand, there is also a need to evoke some level of creativity, interest, and insight in students. From my remembrances as a student the grading and exam system was a giant inhibitor to learning and exploration. There was going to be a paper and exams to get through where the grade was essential. Grades acted like a grand punishment scheme. Once I could liberate myself from caring much about grades, I really started to learn on my own and in my own interested directions.