We don't need Homogeneity in Teaching!

One of the beautiful aspects of teaching is that each teacher brings his/her own personality to the classroom. Some are more serious than others, some more humorous than not, and some are simply more creative and reactive.

While some in the public sector may complain about the above while invoking that one teacher is tougher than another or that such and such a teacher didn't cover a certain unit while another one did, we all need to understand the fundamental point that everyone is different.

And those differences are refreshing! Who wants to have seven consecutive classes, per day, where there is a monotony of teacher interactions with students and the system of lesson delivery is exactly the same? Not me and, more importantly, not the kids.

Let me pose this...don't you think it is possible that seven different teachers, each with a different style, different goals, different personalities, and more can get students to learn? You bet they can!!!!

Having different teachers, with different backgrounds, offering different styles of teaching and learning is one of the most attractive aspects of public education. I, for one, don't want the teaching profession to be one that stresses the need for homogeneity.

One of the other attractive aspects of having differences within the school, pertaining to the teachers, is that the students have to engage in the lifelong lesson of learning how to get along, or not, with other people who are - as we all are - different than we are.

Yep, I am all for non cookie cutter schools and teachers!

Thanks,
Dick