How Teaching Matters

What interests me most?
In the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, there is a group of ultra intelligent beings that decides to build a super computer that gives them the meaning of life, the universe, and everything that it has to offer. After the computer called "Deep Thought" spends over 7 million years calculating the answer, the answer given is 42. However, the people are frustrated and unsure how to use and interpret the information.

After reading the article, I was left feeling like the ultra intellgient beings that built "Deep Thought." I am unsure as to what purpose or value the article serves. It is seeking to answer questions that are beyond social sciences. Fingering through the text again as I blog I am struck by an overwhelming number of statistics that offers no real information as to what I can do as a teacher to change my teaching. Furthermore, the statics are highly questionable as they leave several variables unaccounted for and rest on assumption after assumption after assumption. For example, it discuses various types of professional development. However, there are many professional development sessions that arguably would hurt teachers performance or have little to know effect. In addition, there is terminology within these professional developments that may be inconsistent. On page 16 the article comments on cooperative learning sessions and says, "seven out of ten [math teachers] receive such training in the last five years." However, there are highly effective hands on learning methods and ineffective thus the assumption is that all the professional development was effective and consistent. This is not true. As a result, several aspects of professional development are put on trial when in fact some sessions may be life changing for some teachers while others are damaging.

Aside from an overwhelming reliance on social sciences, the article offers no regional breakdown of statistics aside from a few stats such as the disproportoinal percentage of masters degree in the northeast. When hte founding fathers founded the nation, they were greatly concerned with states rights and local government power. Overtime the nation has gradual transitioned to a stronger federal government with some conservative backlash at various points throughout history. During this time several conservatives have voted against educational funding coming from federal dollars, while the public scrutinizes these individuals and calls them anti-education. This isn't true. In fact, the opposite is true. When money is spent in congress, people want accountability for money. As a result, federal dollars spent on education also means federal involvement in curriculum and standards. The result is a loss of regional or state power on educational issues.

When Jimmy Carter signed the department of education into existence in 1979, he certainly granted federal power, but he simutaneously robbed local government of power. This ties strongly into this particular article as all the statistics given, aside from the percentage breakdown of masters degrees, were national statistics. The reality is that the issues of Montana are different than Illinois. The issues of Florida are different than Alaska. The issues of Washington are even different than the issues of Oregon. As a result, Carter constructed his own "Deep Thought" and asked it to solve our nation's problems. Right now, "Deep Thought" is spitting out answers like crazy that mean nothing:

"..three out of four majored or minored in the subject they are teaching; abnd six out of 10 have at least 10 years experience" Page 6

"approximately half of all teachers have received mor ethan two days of professional development in teh last year." Page 6

"the most common topic for professional development is copperative learning" page 6

"Less than one out of four math teachers engages in hands-on learning activities with their students, wehreas two out of three science teachers repot engaging in student activities" Page 7

"Of those studies linking the number of years of teaching experience to student outcomes, 30%showed a beneficial effect. Of those linking the salaries to student outcomes, 20% showed a beneficial effect. And of those studies linking the education levels of teachers 10% showed a beneficial effect." Page 11

In the last quote, one is left wondering what does beneficial mean? Where is the line drawn? The critical thinker is left wondering, "is this true?" Carter robbed the nation of educational rights and has tied the hands of the American people behind their backs. Ronald Regan promised to destory the department of education but the democractic congress shut him down. In 1996 Republicans tried again to no avail, however, unfortuantely this last election the only candidate that even considered closing the department of education was Ron Paul. Paul was considered a joke by many for even suggestioning the notion. As a result, after reading the article I am left thinking of the many injustices, problems, and idiotic decisions in society and all I can do is mutter 42, 42, 42, 42, 42....

Define the Effectiveness of Teacher:
The effective teacher is a mature individual that models good character while helping students improve their thinking, reading, and communiation skills. These skills are used in all academic inquiries and methods. However, the effective teacher must know the specific content and vocabularly necessary in their discpiline. Assuming the effective teacher has sufficent mastery of their content area for their grade level, the effective teacher accomplishes the above description by relating the topic to their audience well, setting high standards, and teaching specifically to goals.

High standards will motivate students more and motivate teachers more. Relating to the audience is essential as it is impossible teach without communicating effectively. The good teacher speaks the language of the student and pulls them into the language of the academic field gradually. One high school teacher at Eishenhower high school in yakima says, "The good teacher takes complex concepts and puts them in simple terms." The teacher also needs to teach around goals. Goals ensure the teacher is accomplishing their task within the overal curriculum and helps the teacher and student know the purpose of class.

In addition to these characteristics, as a Christian and a teacher at a private Christian school, the purpose of education is ultimately the glorification of Jesus Christ. As the student becomes more aware of what is true, they become increasinly immersed in the vastness of the universe and the continunity to which we find in life. The continuity reeks of a creator and as students encouter creation they begin to know their creator and ask questions about their creator. As result, speaking from my Christian worldview, the good teacher is one that can carefully lead and guide the student down inquiry that ultimately leads to questions of worldview such as what is the nature of man? Who is God? What is God's relationship to man? In my mind, questions of reality and creation are the ultimate questions of inquiry that man can ask after he understands the basics of his or her respective discipline.

Why do Teahers Matter Most and How do I expect to Fulfill this Role:
Teachers matter most becuase they are guiding students towards conclusions about reality and they spend a lot of time with students. As the teacher decides what to teach and how to teach it, they necessarily communicate to the student what is important and what is the purpose of inquiry. As result, there is no such thing as objectivity from a teacher.

In addition, the teacher demonstrates thinking or inquiry to the student. While they engage the student, the student learns to reason and think by the teachers modeling. The student will reach conclusions as they interact with the teacher. While some conclusions may differ, the method of inquiry is typically the same between the student and the teacher unless another teacher/parent has intercepted the teacher's modeling and taught a different method of inquiry. If a student is taught poor inquiry and misguided in thinking, they will reach conclusions that are far from truth. Ideas have consequences. As a result, bad thinking gives brith to bad conclusions and leads to unfilling life and disasters in society. Governments fall and crumble from bad thinking. Buidings collapse from bad thinking.

However, there is a character and faith component that the teacher must also teach in conjunction with good thinking. The nazis were efficent and certainly intelligent. They understood much, but they constructed horrible acts. As a result, the teacher also must reach the conclusions of the higher level questions as to purpose, God, Man, and values. This also ties into questions of the self. "Who am I?" "What is my purpose?" "Why am I important?"

These questions of the self lead to the second component of why teachers matter most. Namely, teachers spend a lot of time with students. The school year is approiximately 180 days. The teacher may be the most influential person in the students life. As a result, the teacher has an opportunity to have a tremendously positive effect on the students life. As higher level questions emerge from the various disciplines, the teacher enters a dialogue with the student that discusses who the student is. This means the teacher is no longer just a responsible for the students mind, but they now enter the business of souls. The teacher is one who must always consider the souls of the minds they meld. The mind is intimately connected to the soul. As a result, if the teacher can change the students mind about the reality of who they are, who is God, who is man, and what is their purpose, then they literally can affect eternity. This means everday that the teacher goes to work they do not work for progress, for enlightenment, self-actualization, but rather in the motto of Wheaton College, "For Christ and His Kingdom". The Christian teacher is in the business of eternity.

When one frames the task in the context of affecting eternity, the task becomes monumental and it is impossible to accomplish. As a result, the Christian teacher can only accomplish the task if they are on their knees and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of the wisdom and/or knowledge of the teacher, they are not capable of accomplishing the task. This leads me to conclude the only manner of entering the business souls and leaving the world of head knowledge is to ask God for wisdom. That being said, the teacher still must have a plan. As a result, I would hope that I could accomplish this through knowing my content, being prepared for class, using the best teaching strategies I am aware of, and focusing on a healthy relationship with the students. However, it is only by the Grace of God that one might have the privledge of affecting a soul.