The current state of our American educational system is substandard, at best, and antiquated and dysfunctional at its worst when compared to other first world nations. As a public educator for almost 20 years, I have come to this conclusion based on my personal educational experiences both as a students and now as a teacher. My personal insights into the American educational system are further enhanced since I teach in an inner city school district, but my daughter attends one of the very best public school systems in our state. Therefore, I have first hand experience as how schools function, what types of teacher training, curriculum, and educational philosophies different districts use.
Before becoming a teacher I, like most Americans, believed that the way I was taught 30 years ago was the best way because -- look at me, I turned out all right! However, as Bob Dylan sang (also many years ago), "The times, they are a changing," and unfortunately our American educational system is/has not. We, as educators, have all heard the old adage: "If you are still teaching the way you did 10 years ago, then you better find a new profession." Why then is it so difficult for most teachers to embrace new ways of instruction, based on research? Why do most still teach the way their teachers taught them 30 years ago?
I suspect much of it has to do with the fact that the everything revolves around standardized test scores. That, coupled with the fact that most teachers are uncomfortable when they feel like they don not have complete control over their class at all times. The authoritarian teaching model that has been in place in American schools sicne the very beginning does not allow for divergent (outside the box thinking. The authoritarian teaching style is one that not only insists on everyone arriving at the same answer (convergent teaching style), but in many instances, it dissuades students from the opposite -- divergent thinking, i.e. to come up with a different, usually very creative answer, based on one's own findings and perspective. The authoritarian teaching style also doesn't allow for much student interaction. It prefers the straight rows, limited student participation, more teacher talk, and less cooperative group work.
The more effective teaching styles allow for much more student interaction and less teacher talk. In the teacher as facilitator model, after initially explaining the material, teachers merely guide students as they discover answers for themselves and move up Bloom's Taxonomy and develop higher critical thinking skills.
Another reason why most teachers are reluctant to let go of the reins a little and allow their students to work cooperatively in class instead of just sitting their and listen to a lecture is because of the noise factor. My first year teaching I was like most first year teachers in that I thought that a classroom should always be silent. It was an obvious sign that I was in charge, lecturing up front. The students should never have a chance to talk unless i called on them. Those were the rules. After all, that's how I was taught, so it must be right, right? Wrong! How VERY wrong!
Once I felt comfortable with the normal noise level of my cooperative groups enthusiastically discussing the plot and characters of a book we were reading in class, my whole outlook on education changed forever. Of course, i had to be trained on how to effectively use cooperative learning groups. Once you have established student roles and accountability, the groups work well. The teacher can ten act as a facilitator and walk around the classroom, checking to make sure the groups were on task, and helping to clarify any points or questions students might have.
So how can we save our schools from their status quo, i.e. clinging to antiquated teaching methods? First, we must convince the public and the school governing boards that the old way of rote memory of facts is no longer necessary nor effective today. With the advent of the Internet, why would anyone waste time merely memorizing facts like state capitals, long vocabulary lists or dates of certain events in a social studies text when you can instantly find all of that information online? It is much more important to be teaching students how to find the information and what to do with it, i.e. analyzing it and applying it, than merely memorizing it!
Please read my other blog The American Education System, especially the part about Tennis and Testing for further information.
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