Overview
I. Introduction
Since the Education Department authored A Nation
at Risk in 1983, various groups have proffered solutions to address some of
the perceived problems in education. Recommendations for changes in the teaching
field came from many sectors during this period. Despite the flurry of activity,
the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) found continuing
problems in the development and performance of teachers in their September 1986 report,
"What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future." The authors suggested
significant governmental reforms to solve these problems. Alongside these regulatory
changes, educational scholars have accumulated a great deal of information on teaching
and learning styles to aid the modern teacher.
II. Teacher Development (Jamie Toner)
Reformers believe teachers receive insufficient training, and are licensed based
on inadequate criteria. Once teachers begin their careers, they have little opportunity
or incentive for improvement through collaboration with their peers or by seeking
advanced certification. Fortunately, there are many suggestions for rectifying these
problems. This section presents a more detailed look at the criticisms of the teaching
field and proposed solutions in some of the more prominent reforms.
III. Tenure (Geoff Millar)
The practice of tenure has come under much scrutiny in recent years. Many reformers
believe that tenure is a practice that protects and promotes the continuation of
poor teachers in the classroom. The current system of tenure requires that a tenured
teacher be proven guilty of grossly insubordinate, incompetent, or felonious behavior
before being fired. Reformers argue that this system is too strict, and prevents
schools from removing bad teachers. Those on the other side of the issue believe
that tenure is necessary to protect teachers from being arbitrarily dismissed for
fiscal or political reasons. This section will explore and define both sides of this
debate, as well as look at possibilities for reform.
IV. Teaching styles (David Haley)
The section on teaching styles looks at one way that education can be reformed within
the classroom. The teaching styles that are discussed are the command style, the
practical style, the reciprocal style, the self-check style, the inclusion style,
and the guided style. These styles emphasize how teacher and student interact and
work together to help the student excel. These styles are based on the integration
of teaching principles, learning styles, and the idea of multiple intelligence. Innovators
in this area stress working with students and creating a balanced classroom that
helps the largest number of students achieve the greatest amount of success. Policymakers
have yet to address the idea of different teaching/learning styles. The education
field, on the other hand, is placing more of an emphasis on teachers staying aware
of advances in the study of teaching styles and incorporating these advances into
their work.
V. Group Summary
The teaching field presents an opportunity for the education reform movement
to make significant headway. The current state of affairs has caused a great deal
of controversy. Reformers have devised some very well thought proposals that may
significantly improve things. Unfortunately, there are more problems than solutions
at the moment. Also, the room for growth expands considerably when one considers
the possibilities for improving teaching through scholarly advances in the science
of pedagogy. This section of the site looks at our thoughts on some of the more viable
governmental reforms, and areas that still need addressing. We also offer our thoughts
on the use of teaching style advances to assist teachers within the classroom.