Monday, July 17, 2006

What is a teacher?

Last week, Konrad Glogowski posted an entry titled Unending Conversation in which he shares his ideas on how his notion of being a teacher has evolved.

Traditionally, “teachers convey information. Teachers are content experts who dispense that content to those who need to acquire it.” Through his use of blogging, he now views a teacher as, “a facilitator who co-constructs knowledge within and with a community of learners.” The teacher is part of a community (either face-to-face or virtual) and is also actively learning along side the students. Konrad goes on to clarify his understanding through several points:

  • The classroom is a community of conversation.
  • “Do these social spaces need to be located online? Of course not. What they do need is personal investment on the part of the instructor to participate and grow along with the community and not assume that the community of learners needs to grow on its own to catch up to its facilitator.”
  • Student work (text) is not conclusive or definative. Knowledge building has no end.The teacher encourages this continuous learning beyond the final exam.
  • Instead of correcting attempts at understanding, teachers read, interact, and assist students to construct knowledge.
  • Learning and teaching are participatory. As a community, their interaction creates understanding and knowledge.

How will teachers acquire these values of the classroom as a community where dialogue and exploration of ideas are encouraged? I think that Konrad, and others like him, are extending the definition of what it is to become a teacher, not totally turning it upside down. Those who resist the new definition might ask the question, “What marks the difference between the teacher and the students?” They see the teacher as an authority, a pool of defined knowledge in their content area. Yes, the teacher probably has a greater understanding than those he/she is charged with instructing. However, knowledge is not static, and the teacher, provided they engage in conversation with others, including their students, will further their own knowledge! Teachers as learners. Teachers as part of a community of learners. In this new definition, teachers have more than content knowledge to offer their students. They have the opportunity to model life long learning and the power of community. Teachers have to want to be students once again.

Posted by Randy on 07/17 at 05:26 PM
Reading • Leadership • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
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