The deconstruction of the Teacher

Interesting enough I have had a few discussions around this over the last few months. I am already seeing the ways I can facilitate learning in my class. Roles of the learner and the teacher are changing.

 http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/03/the-deconstruction-of-the-k-12-teacher/388631/ 

Further redaing http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends/ten-trends-2010/changing-role-teachers-and-learners 

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jun/18/technology-transform-teaching-students-schools http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/03/the-deconstruction-of-the-k-12-teacher/388631/


 Supporting future-oriented learning & teaching — a New Zealand perspective Report to the Ministry of Education R Bolstad & J Gilbert with S McDowall, A Bull, S Boyd & R Hipkins


 Theme 4: “Changing the script”: Rethinking learners’ and teachers’ roles Twenty-first century ideas about knowledge and learning demand shifts in the traditional roles or “scripts” followed by learners and teachers. If the purpose of schools is not to transmit knowledge, then teachers’ roles must be reconceived. Similarly, if the learner’s main job is no longer to absorb and store up knowledge to use in the future, then learners’ roles and responsibilities also need to be reconceived. This calls for a greater focus on recognising and working with learners’ strengths, and thinking about what role teachers can play in supporting the development of every learner’s potential. 9 Ministry of Education (2007b) Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective 5 The idea of changing the scripts for learners and teachers is often shorthanded with phrases such as “student-centred pedagogies” or “student voice”, alluding to the need to engage learners (and their interests, experiences and knowledge) in many decisions about their learning. However, the idea of sharing power with learners can be met with resistance, particularly if this is interpreted as an “anything goes” approach in which learners are given complete freedom to set the direction for their learning. The challenge is to move past seeing learning in terms of being “student-centred” or “teacher-driven”, and instead to think about how learners and teachers would work together in a “knowledge-building” learning environment. This is not about teachers ceding all the power and responsibility to students, or students and teachers being “equal” as learners. Rather, it is about structuring roles and relationships in ways that draw on the strengths and knowledge of each in order to best support learning.