CAT Tracks for May 21, 2013 STUDENT-CENTERED CLASSROOMS

You already know where I stand on the "sage on the stage" versus "guide on the side" debate.

But...

I keep reading the propaganda.

It sounds soooooo good...

...and I am sure that some teachers can pull it off, in some years, with some students.

But...

From my own personal experience and the comments of my colleagues, having it work was the exception more than the rule. On most days, turning the classroom over to small groups of students and trying to flit to and fro often turned into a classroom management nightmare.

If I can be politically incorrect, it felt like the proverbial case of turning the asylum over to the inmates.

But...

Another realization (admission?), it is impossible to "command the attention" of today's generation of students, with their tiny little attention spans. (ADHD?)

So...

When I sat down in the spring of 2008, did the math, and realized that I could pay my bills on my projected teacher's pension...

...well, the decision was a no-brainer:

"It's time for me to go!"

It's definitely time for a new approach and/or a new breed of teacher.

Good luck to you...

...in my experience, you'll need it!

See you on the other side...