| News
& Views
- Nov, 1989 Issue |
Teacher Magazine
Sept/Oct 1989, Vol. 1, No. 1
Premier Issue
Reviewed by Lon Woodbury
At last, an education magazine
that looks at teachers as educated professionals rather than just as
technicians. It seems especially strong in covering some of the attempts
at reforming education from around the country. All points of view seem
to be accepted as legitimate topics for discussion in this magazine.
Special purpose schools and
programs, such as the ones talked about in this newsletter, have one
assumption in common. That is, nothing can really happen in the education
of a child until he or she has the emotional maturity to make positive
choices. Mainstream education could learn much from looking at special
purpose schools and programs. Instead of "reinventing the wheel," the
mainstream educator could find many successful schools which have already
solved the problems of how to deal with the "at-risk" student. It is
much easier to borrow from a successful program than to invent from
scratch.
Actually, educators do seem
to realize the importance of character and emotional growth to successful
education, at least so far as individual cases. But, this seems to be
placed in the background when "important" issues are discussed such
as physical plant, educational philosophy, curriculum development, etc.
What impressed me about the
Premier issue of TEACHER was the number of times reference was made
to something related to character, in the context of education.
"School should be a place
where close relationships with adults and peers create a climate for
personal growth and intellectual development" In evaluating a program
using computers. "It was successful in areas you really cannot measure
on paper--like motivation self-concepts...."
"Before I can teach a child
how to read, write, and think I must help the child create within himself
a feeling of self-confidence and purpose, and I must be an all-around
emotional support."
"When someone pays you a little
personal attention, you have more of a reason to participate." "I find
the most effective teachers are the ones who establish rapport with
the kids, the ones the kids like...."
Copyright
© 1990, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced without
prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author
attribution accompanies the copy.) |
