Presentation The Disconnect Between Theory and Practice

8/14/2019 Presentation The Disconnect Between Theory and Practice

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Theory Practice


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The Disconnectbetween Theory &

PracticeShaun and BrittanyFebruary 22, 2010


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Intro Video


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Your Turn: DiscussionQuestion

In your internship, did younotice

a disconnect between theoryand

practice in teaching?

...Please discuss this with apartner beside you


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FOCUS:

Why are teachers so resistant tochange?


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What do Students Want?

Survey Video


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What do Students Want?:Highlights from Survey

Q: Do you feel as though your opinion is respected

in school? Why or why not?

I do not feel thoroughly respected, because ifyou are not involved, you are largely ignored...

50/50: they respect my opinion, but do notbelieve in my skills...

I dont normally express my opinion, butwhen I do, I feel its respected...


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Q: Do you see the relevance between what you are

learning in school with life?

Not in everything I do, but I think it may beimportant to someone else...

Not sure...I just dont know! [Really, only] 10 percent helps me in life, theother 90 percent is just information [that] I needto finish school...


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Q: What things do you enjoy most about your

educational experiences so far?

Teachers, people, and sports Sports and activities

The everyday atmosphere of coming toschool

...It gives you a new perspective on things and[an] appreciation for how life works...


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Q: What do you enjoy least most about your

educational experiences so far?

In classes, sometimes you are doings thingsfor [a more] elementary level...

School starting so early in the morning! Homework and exams!Time consumption...ever since we were littlewe have spent all day, every day, inside the

classroom... For some, the lack of communication betweenteachers and students...


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Q: What changes would have to occur to make schoolan even more enjoyable experience?

Change the starting time of school...you learnbetter if you are not tired

More interactive! More hands-on activities! More options Maybe a marking system [of] how a studentsmarks [is being] totalled...

I would like balance...if classes could beinteractive, with more choices...I think studentscould learn better...it might be enjoyable, evenfun...


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What do students want?

What students want video


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Why are teachers so resistant to change?(What the experts say...)

Progressive teachers also have to be comfortable

with uncertainty, not only to abandon apredictable march toward the right answer butto let students play an active role in the quest formeaning that replaces it. That means a willingness

to give up some control and let students takesome ownership, which requires guts as well astalent (Kohn, 2008, p.6)

Even if their children are obviously unhappy,parents may accept that as a fact of life. Instead ofwanting the next generation to get better than wegot, its as though their position was: Listen, if itwas bad enough for me, its bad enough for mykids. (Kohn, 2008, p.6)


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Why are teacher so resistant to change?(What the experts say...)

Schools with a toxic or negative culture are

places where teachers are unwilling to change andwhere the tone is oppositional and acerbic...Theshared ethos about reform among teachers inthese schools is this too shall pass and if it aintbroke, dont fix it. To these teachers, the way ithas always been done is the right way (Hinde, p.6)

Their [teachers] personal experiences, values,

norms, and prior education all influence theirviews of curriculum, pedagogy, and change evenbefore they step foot into a classroom. Any changethat is proposed that runs counter to the teachers

already- developed culture and philosophy will be


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Reasons why educational reforms of the pasthave failed (Hargreaves, 1997):

the change is poorly conceptualized or not clearly

demonstrated the change is too broad and ambitious so thatteachers have to work on too many fronts, or it is toolimited and specific so that little real change occursat all.

the change is too fast for people to cope with, ortoo slow so that they become impatient or bored andmove on to something else

the change is poorly resourced or resources arewithdrawn once the first flush of innovation is over. there is no long-term commitment to the changeto carry people through the anxiety, frustration, anddespair of early experimentation and unavoidable

setbacks.


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Reasons why educational reforms of the pasthave failed (Hargreaves, 1997):

key staff who can contribute to the change, ormight be affected by it, are not committed

parents oppose the change because they are keptat a distance from it

leaders are either too controlling, too ineffectual, orcash in on the earlysuccess of the innovation to move on to higherthings

the change is pursued in isolation and getsundermined by other unchanged structures


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Why are teacher so resistant to change?(What the experts say...)

If the general attitude about change is that it canbe challenging and invigorating, then it is morelikely that a reform will be initiated ... However, insome schools change is avoided because nothing

positive ever resulted from past reform initiatives,so the assumption is that nothing positive willresult from change now or in the future (Sarason,1996; Finnan, 2000)

Teachers tend to teach the way theyve beentaught (Sarason, 1996)

The problem of change is a problem of power(Sarason, 1996)


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Why are these new innovations not beingimplemented? (video)

So what can we do?


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So what can we do?Suggestions/Solutions...

have a support group

find a theory to back up what you are doing(whenparents or administrators question you, you canpoint to the research that show the effectiveness of

your practices)do not be afraid to ask for help. If you are tryingto implement engaging teaching strategies but arenot sure how, seek out someone who has practicedthem (ie. Sheelah Mclean)

Remember, everything we do should be in thebest interest of the students.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Failagain. Fail better Samuel Beckett

So what can we do?


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So what can we do?Suggestions/Solutions...

We may not be able to transform a whole school, or

even a classroom, along all of these dimensions, atleast not by the end of this year. But whateverprogress we can make is likely to benefit ourstudents. And doing whats best for them is the

reason all of us got into this line of work in the firstplace (Kohn, 2008, p. 7)


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Create a positive learning environmentA positive learning environment exists when...

staff have a shared sense of purpose, and pourtheir hearts into teachingthe underlying norms are of collegiality,improvement, and hard work

rituals and traditions celebrate student

accomplishment, teacher innovation, and parentalcommitment

the informal network of storytellers, heroes, andheroines provides a social web of information,

support, and history

success, joy, and humour abound

(Peterson & Deal, 1998)

The Dead Horse Analogy: If the horse youre riding dies get


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The Dead Horse Analogy: If the horse you re riding dies, getoff

Instead we often choose from alternatives such as...

Buying a stronger whip Moving the horse to a new location.

Switching riders Trying a new bit or bridle.

Riding the horse for longer periods oftime

Saying things like, This is the wayweve always ridden this horse.

Appointing a committee to study horsesArranging to visit other sites where theyride dead horses efficiently

Increasing the standards for ridingdead horses

Creating a test for measuring our ridingability

Comparing how were riding now withhow we did it 10 or 20 years ago

Complaining about the state of horsesthese days.

Blaming the horses parents. Theproblem is in the breeding.

Coming up with new styles of riding

Tightening the cinch


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Implications for the future (video)


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Bloopers

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Presentation The Disconnect Between Theory and Practice

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