Third week of class

In this week of class I read out of Interdisciplinary Inquiry on a chapter that focused on Models, Teachers Roles, and the Starting points for theme studies.

I was really struck by the different roles that teacher has when teaching an ITU course. I realize the though out my education i had different teachers employ these differnt ways of control the curriculum that was taught to us. Especially considering the behavior dynamic in the classroom. In remember one teacher in particular who, at the beginning of the year, was so strict to the class, disciplining every little minor infraction in the classroom, that the class was extremely well behaved during the first month of the school year. Come October, I remember his teaching style completely changed. In the beginning of the year he was using a Director style approach to the classroom, have the students take notes and mainly teach with a didactic method and then moving to more of a Guide method as he arranged the chairs in the classroom in a circle and had a more open discussion with a free flow of ideas coming conversations that he led.

Looking back I understand why that taecher did what he had to do. In order from him to get the class to a point in which he could be a "teacher as a guide" he needed to direct the class, basically into his submission. As a behaviorist, I find that I switch methods of "teaching" when I'm trying to get my client to inquire. Some times I have to be that director that tells him every step that he needs to make. And sometimes I need to be a "guide," letting him find out things on his own but being along side of him to lend help when he needs it. I know that this not exactly what the book is explaining as it refers to teaching in the classroom, but it helps me appropriate the techniques the book is talking about to my own vocation as of right now.

I'm also think about the difficulty of a new teacher implementing the curriculum as a guide or a mentor. It seems to me that being a "teacher as a guide" or a "teacher as a mentor" would be much easier as a seasoned teacher than a new one. Those teachers who have some years of teaching under their belts and who have more experience predicting a students level of inquiry could do a better job guiding and especially mentoring students.