Best Field for Classrooms

I have been building on a list for years called the Utopian School. It derived from several frustrations along the lines where the obvious, best choice was completely overlooked by those in charge. (I know you have never witnessed that in your own educational careers.)

Then along comes this post from David Warlick on his 2 Cents Worth blog. Ahhh, a new challenge and chance for inspiration from others. Why, you ask? Remember one thing. You are in control of what happens in your classroom (largely). And when the Texas legislature meets in January, it will be another chance for us to step up and have our voices heard in a profound way.

So ponder the challenge placed before you by Dave and add your own 2 cents worth to the conversation. I will let you folks get started and then chime in a few of my own as we go. Feel free to throw in some policy as well as curriculum ideas.

I guess that my concern is with a belief that teaching and learning happens in a laboratory, where factors can be controlled. Learning is messy, and the belief that it can be accomplished exclusively by scientifically tested and institutionally approved techniques is naive at best, and at worst, it is arrogant. Certainly there is an important place for research. However, as I said earlier, I believe that teaching is a calling, not a practice.

2 Cents Worth » Best Practice and Best Field (again)