

The Lesson of Grace in Teaching - npisenti
http://mathyawp.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-lesson-of-grace-in-teaching.html

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keithpeter
" _[...]since my performance doesn’t define me, I don’t have to be the center
of attention in my classroom. I can do experimental things, and fail. I can
get out of the way of my students... I can open up the classroom for things
like inquiry-based learning. I don’t have to be in control of everything. I
don’t have to worry about what people will think of me._ "

Useful quote. This is a big issue in teaching. The increase in
monitoring/criticism of the _teacher's_ performance (at least in UK where I
teach) leads to risk avoidance and increased conformity, at least in UK.

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ky3
_... leads to risk avoidance and increased conformity, at least in UK._

Isn't that the intention all along? Who stands to lose most were the boat
rocked?

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keithpeter
In the UK, the intention is to _raise standards_ (italicised as this is a
phrase used by politicians in different ways on different days and to
different audiences). However, the 'normalisation' process is having exactly
the opposite effect!

Our current government does like to show that the public sector has failed
whenever they can. They have a small state/private enterprise agenda.

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npisenti
Some really thoughtful and enlightening words about teaching from an old math
professor. Makes me realize the nuance great teachers bring to the classroom,
which is something we too easily and too often overlook.

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timinman
This attitude will go a long way toward healing our schools' deficiencies. My
own school experience (in the USA) was pretty painful at times. Since
graduation I've realized that I actually love learning - it's probably my
greatest drive. School never failed me academically, but I picked up some
unhealthy attitudes about trying and learning and succeeding which I've been
trying to unlearn since. Lessons like:

    
    
      1. It is NOT ok to fail.
      2. Pointless exercises ARE ok - live with it.
      3. Don't ask why; just memorize the facts you'll be tested on. 
      4. Your uniqueness is a liability not an asset.
    

I need to add that I did have lots of fantastic teachers, many of whom
expressed the grace the OAP articulated. I also realize that many young people
have a fantastic experience in the current system.

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barry-cotter
Insufficient cynicism detected. Those lessons are more the point of school
than the promotion of human flourishing that philosophers, sociologists or
economists talk about when discussing what it's all for or The Good Life. All
of those lessons are very useful ones nfor the majority, the overwhelming
majority of people to have learned if you want industrial civilisation to keep
going. You might be able to remove industrial from that last sentence.

The two best links, on the functions of school you'd guess from looking at how
it works rather than how it's talked about, and on the real lessons school
teaches, are directly below.

[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/08/functions-of-
school.ht...](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/08/functions-of-school.html)

 _READ THIS IF NOTHING ELSE_ <http://www.cantrip.org/gatto.html>

School is not about learning what they purport to teach, it is certainly not
optimised for learning.

[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/07/sleepy-kids-learn-
less...](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/07/sleepy-kids-learn-less.html)

[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/06/only-do-math-
homework....](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/06/only-do-math-
homework.html)

School is great at socialising people to accept ranking, judgement and being
told what to do.

[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/08/teachers-as-
dictators....](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/08/teachers-as-
dictators.html)

There are no large school systems, anywhere, that are not lineal descendants,
ideologically or organisationally of ones designed for turning out soldiers.

[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2012/05/schools-are-for-
war.ht...](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2012/05/schools-are-for-war.html)

