SPARK U Graduates
Mineral County Schools Nevada
I have the greatest job in the world. I get to watch teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade talk passionately about their profession almost everyday.
You cannot tell me that anyone can teach. Teaching is hard work. And all of the stories I hear, the pleas for more teachers, that we can do more with less, quite frankly sickens me.
I think of the self contained MD classroom I was in last week. This is where real teaching occurs. Each student has his or her own set of cognitive and physical challenges. Most of them in wheelchairs, most of them unable to articulate the answersverbally, most of them physically incapable of walking unassisted.
And what was the teacher doing?
Teaching her socks off!
There she was “checking the understanding” of ALL her students, whether that meant an electronic device that was activated by the student’s cheek, or a pointer that had to be physically wrapped around the child’s hand.
She checked and inspected at 100%!
The next day I listened to a College Algebra teacher talk about how her students have a tough time working together in a group due to the discomfort they feel “getting the notes, solving a set of problems, and taking the test.”
The teacher’s answer? Make them do more teamwork!
It was the “Broccoli Theory” in action.
Remember the Broccoli Theory? If they don’t like it, it’s probably good for them!
Even though these two examples vary wildly in their approach to learning, and in how the classrooms look and sound like, there are certain key principles that ALL teachers should adhere to.
That is why SPARK U works. It is grounded in solid Foundations of Instruction. And those concepts that are experienced can be played out in every classroom, it is just the strategies that differ.
So,whether it is a MD self contained classroom or a college algebra classroom…
Teachers and teaching make a difference!
Let’s hear from you! How has SPARK U changed your teaching? What are you doing differently? What have you noticed about the students or your classroom as a result?