I personally have never cared too much about fashion, so I thought I would have trouble relating this module to education. However, after watching the one episode of "What Not to Wear," I realized that there are many connections. In the episode, they were teasing Pam, saying that she would never get a second date with the clothing she was choosing. This made me think of how important first impressions are. They were trying to dress Pam in a way that was flattering and appealing.
In the same way, we need our classes to be flattering and appealing so that kids want a "second date" with the experience they have in a classroom. We want kids to want to come back. As a math teacher, I know this is hard to accomplish all the time, but it is something we can all work on. I think the old clothes Pam was wearing could be like old ways of teaching. In our discussions, I thought primarily of all of the math teachers I have worked with who sit at an overhead with notes every day, and then assign the even math problems out of the book every night. While I think there can be a place for this, there is so much new and exciting technology that can be used these days to teach. The more flattering "fashions" for teachers would be to involve these technologies.
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4 comments:
I agree with you about teachers that do the same thing every year. There is a teacher at our school that has so much stuff in her room it is uncomfortable. She is teaching the same things she has been teaching for years. She resists any change. New books or materials are bought but she still uses the same things year after year. She is out of touch, like Pam, she thinks she is a good teacher.
What a great point you made!
I had that teacher who propped her glasses on her nose, flipped on the projector, assigned the even math problems - while, in the meantime, the entire class checked out and paid zero attention. And I had this teacher for three years! Needless to say, I never really enjoyed math after that. What a shame!
First impressions are truly important. In another class, I had a teacher who was completely engaging every single day, and I couldn't wait to go to her class. I wanted that "second date" as you put it.
It is really interesting to think about how important first impressions are - but the important thing to remember as teachers is that there is not one right way to do things. Just like in fashion, there's not one right outfit to help you get that "second date."
Isn't the first step to realize that we are not so in or, as teachers, resist any change?
Do you think the other end of the spectrum would be seeking changes without asking what the changes for and what good the changes may bring to learners?
Gaoming
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