<p>Unfortunately, being able to cater to multiple learning styles/learning speeds is one thing which doesn’t scale well to ever larger class sizes*…especially when school districts/educational budgets mandate having classes filled with students of wide ranging academic abilities/learning styles. </p>
<p>And we’re not including the often unacknowledged fact that it takes only a tiny handful or even one highly disruptive and/or violent student to destroy the learning environment for the teacher…no matter how able and the rest of the class. </p>
<ul>
<li>Some reasons why Japan’s public schools can get away with large class sizes with far less disruption include parental/community/student peer pressure against disruptive/disrespectful/violent students**, teachers have the power to refuse to teach the lesson of the day if some students/class misbehaved during or in previous class until students with parental prodding issue public apologies for such misbehavior, and academic laggards aren’t allowed by peer/community pressure to hold the rest of the class back…they are expected to get tutoring in/outside of school or sink.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>** Japanese schools also have no compunctions about permanently expelling students for serious disciplinary infractions even in elementary/middle school. Happened to one older friend who was expelled in 7th grade for a mild schoolfight with no other public school willing to take him and family disowning him. Ended up having to work odd/unskilled factory jobs for several years before a lucky break with a benefactor meant he was sent to the US to finish his education here in the states. When I met him, he was a 26 year old senior about to graduate college with flying colors.</p>
<p>While passing out worksheets like that isn’t something I’d do or agree with, there are teachers who did exactly that or similarly uninspired forms of teaching such as literally reading out of the book/text for most/entire period. Heh, that was mom’s experience when she compared Chinese/ROC(Taiwan) teaching styles in middle/high school versus what she observed here in the US. </p>
<p>Students were expected to attentively take notes and otherwise deal or face severe discipline from school authorities and their parents. Not to mention culturally, the first assumption when a given student did poorly in school was that it was his/her fault as it would be unconscionable to blame teachers/educational system. The latter was viewed by most as a sign the parents were trying to run away from their own/their child’s culpability for their poor performance. Granted, this was the 1950’s and many US parents of that era had the same mentality from what I’ve heard from older friends, colleagues, teachers/Profs, etc.</p>
OTOH, in any class, particularly contentious ones like math/science, some of the students will dislike the teacher/professor regardless of what he/she does. This tends to be more of a reflection of the student than of the teacher.</p>
<p>First, we have only heard Jeff Bliss’ account and not those of the teacher nor the context which led up to that video. We don’t know if 1. He’s blaming the right source for the teaching issue when the true culprits are admins or the state educational mandates and/or 2. He’s had a past history for grandstanding for its own sake.* </p>
<p>Secondly, while many have said he remained respectful because he didn’t yell or curse, his tone of voice and gestures can reasonably be interpreted as disrespectful even in many US subcultures. </p>
<p>When an older friend tried speaking to me in a similar manner several months ago, I only need to mention how his behavior reminded me of an adolescent teenybopper to get him to realize that’s not the way to get me to seriously consider what he had to say. </p>
<ul>
<li>Am getting a bit of this sense as I used to pull almost the exact same stunts when I was in HS. However, I did this when I was 13-14…not 18. Then again, at his age I was already starting my second year in college. By then, I was also aware enough that I was lucky to be in the US and not in the ROC(Taiwan) during the 1950’s when my parents came of age as pulling such stunts would have landed me in hot water with parents and school where high school discipline was under the purview of the high school’s** military/civil defense training staff who’ll ensure I’ll get “PTed to death” and receive “special attention” from the drill sergeants when I arrive at basic to complete my required 2 years of military service upon reaching 18 years of age.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>** This was present in every HS/votech in the ROC(Taiwan) due to the imminent threat of invasion from Communist China during the '50s.</p>
<p>I agree with Cobrat. We don’t know the full story here. (And regardless, his behavior was atrocious.)</p>
<p>What we do know though, is that this is a kid who is disrespectful and his mother is proud of it! He made a show of himself, interupted a class and cursed at a teacher and this is something to applaud? What has happened to our society? </p>
<p>Yes, children should be encouraged to talk about their school problems… with their parents, teachers and counselors in a calm manner. His actions are not to be applauded. </p>
<p>With all of the violence that is going on in schools these days, if I were a teacher in that situation, I would be fearful. </p>
<p>All I can say is that if my sons acted in such a manner, proud would be the last word I would use to describe my feelings.</p>
<p>I agree about the packets and teachers who tell kids to figure it out. I am sure if teachers were actually replaced with teaching packets, unions would be all over this. If kids can teach themselves everything, then why are we paying salaries? As far as the “getting kids ready for college” theory, why would anyone pay college tuition and not expect teaching to occur? On CC we are looking for good student teacher ratios, classes taught by professors and not TAs or grad students. We all hope tuition will be worth the cost and expect quality. Why should it be any different in k-12 schools? Computer based trainings would be more interesting and intetactive than these packets. I do think teachers have a challenging job, but this teacher has given up and doesn’t care. Many people go into teaching for the wrong reasons and do not have a passion for it and many do not even like children. If you have a good teacher(s), appreciate them. Not everyone is cut out for teaching, but tenure keeps many who should be doing something else, in the classroom, just passing time until retirement.</p>
<p>Whenever one of my kids has reported a teacher who has “checked out” and relies solely on worksheets and packets, I ask how old they are. Inevitably, they are a couple of years shy of their retirement benefits and have to hold on a little longer. I admit that I probably couldn’t stand 3 years of teaching middle schoolers, much less 30, but I wish there was somewhere to place the almost-retired teachers so they could be productive without shorting our kids on instruction. </p>
<p>Teachers, please don’t get up in arms about my comments. I’m talking about “checked out” teachers because this thread is about teachers. I readily acknowledge there are some who are burned out or who check out of every profession. The difference with some professions and not others is job security. I am a lawyer. If I “check out,” my clients fire me.</p>