Theory and Practice

I thought that the Levstik and Barton article that we read was very interesting and was very relevant to my experience in the MAC program so far. For much of the summer, I found myself struggling to wrap my head around the theoretical work that we were doing because I didn’t see how it would apply to the classroom. I kept telling myself that things would be better in the fall when we finally got into the schools and were able to see how the theory informed practice. Though I haven’t done a great deal of lesson planning yet, I can already see how the theory is becoming relevant.

This article was even more interesting because it dealt specifically with the way that students learn history. It is important to tailor lesson plans to the way that students understand the material that is being presented. We must also be aware of the socio-cultural situations in which we teach. Because history is often considered to be subjective, it can be controversial at times. Each student who enters our classrooms will bring with him or her a unique live experience and history of their own that will shape the way that they view the subject matter. Finding a way to connect with each of these students is essential to ensuring that students are able to formulate the knowledge that they need to be successful.

The Wiggins and McTighe article about backwards design was also very useful. It makes sense to begin with a fixed goal in mind and then plan to work toward that goal with daily lessons. Not only does it make for more effective instruction, but it facilitates planning and pacing. Because we as teachers have already created an assessment, we are able to tailor our instruction so that it enables students to be successful on that assessment. Setting clear goals that provoke higher-order thinking is an extremely important component of effective lesson planning.

It's Just the Facts, or Is It?

The two very different teaching styles presented in "It's Just the Facts, or Is It?" by S.G. Grant were interesting to think about. The first example reminds me of most of the classes that I had in middle and high school, as well as college. George Blair’s style raised questions in my mind about the extent to which history is a narrative. I think that it is important to give the presentation of historical events at least some element of storytelling in order to engage the students, but at times the discussion seemed almost scattered. From the description provided of the following days, it also seemed like he backtracked a lot.

In contrast to this, the description of Linda Strait’s lesson stood out as much more hands-on and had a great deal of student involvement. Because she focused extensively on one topic, her students were more likely to have a deeper understanding of the causes and effects of the Civil Rights movement.

The biggest difference that stood out to me was the different types of knowledge that students in each classroom ended up with. Students in Blair’s classroom may have ended up with a larger collection of facts that they were able to recite, but because the Civil Rights movement was treated so superficially, it is unlikely that they would have gotten a grasp of the underlying causes. The type of knowledge they gained would seem to be more suited to passing standardized tests or winning Trivial Pursuit games. In contrast to this, Strait’s teaching seemed to be focused on teaching the students to think critically and analyze the facts and events of the era. This ability is invaluable, and I believe that it is what we should strive to impart in our students.

The reading addresses the problems of lesson structure and teaching style. One of the challenges of history teaching is deciding how to organize all of the information into coherent units that students can comprehend. The two teachers studied used different methods of organizing their lessons, and this influenced the type and depth of knowledge that their students gained. Their teaching styles and classroom management techniques also played a role in determining the extent to which their students learned. I think that it is very important to assess what type of knowledge I want my future students to gain and tailor my teaching and organizational methods to ensure that that goal is accomplished.