Something that I have noticed quite a bit when listening to professionals within the field of education is the limitations that teachers have. We are able to teach our classrooms in a variety of ways that we feel is best, however that seems to be where the freedom ends. As my inquiry project has unfolded, I have been moved even further to the side of creative, hands on, project based learning and hope to implement these methods into my classroom wherever I can. But what about the rest of the school? the rest of the district? the rest of the provence or country? The expectation has remained the same for decades – teach reading, writing and math. Yes, these are important skills that all students need to learn, but how can we make this learning exciting for our students and how can we motivate them to maintain a growth mindset?
Being a spokesperson or promoter against an institution as great as the system of education is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I don’t know if I am a voice that could be loud enough to be heard. I know that there needs to be changes and adjustments to the institution, but how should I proceed? Am I going to make enough of an impact within my classroom in one year with any given set of students? I hope I will be able to foster change for some of them, I am not so naive as to think I will change the life of every single student I encounter in making them more creative and innovative. I do not have a particular answer for these questions I pose, time will tell, I hope that one day we do see teachers and districts fostering inquiry and creativity. I see it in select districts, but not enough, we need to move away from the focus on worksheets, textbooks and essays, we need to give meaning to learning. It is my hope to be able to do this and refine my skill as a teacher as time goes on.
Some valuable (and I think achievable!) goals Madeleine. Lucky for you, you have chosen to teach in an elementary school setting where the limitations are far less. YOU are the child’s primary teacher and you are in ‘charge’ of the day. You can organize it in a flexible way and do not need to rely on a subject area organization. The ‘revised’ BC Curriculum is said to allow the flexibility for teachers to integrate curriculum as they see fit. The ‘core subjects’ are seen to rest atop core competencies that move well beyond subject content… You have referred broadly to limitations and I am definitely not saying there aren’t limitations and I’m not asking you for answers, but I am curious and would like to inquire as to what, specifically, you see as the limitations in your context? What needs changing? What are the barriers to creativity and hands on learning?
This post was a way that I could let out my thoughts, I think that what I mean by ‘the system’ and the changes that need to be made refer primarily to the idea that has been tossed around of teaching for the industrial age. We are no longer in a time of industry creation, but in a time in need of innovation and exploration. I don’t mean this to sound as if there is no need for industry, of course there is, but the approach is more towards refinement and expansion, and for that, we need creative, collaborative and innovative thinkers. After some discussions we have had in class, I personally think that one of the barriers is that teachers are afraid of these changes, it sounds like more work and more difficult to manage or assess. Which, in all fairness, it might be, I am not yet in a place to say, but it takes teachers who are willing to foster learning to make the changes. Everyone has different approaches and views to teaching, this is a good thing, if everyone did it the same way, education would be boring. I think things are beginning to change, slowly, and only in certain areas, and a variety of teachers and teaching styles will always be needed.