Get Schooled

By For real

May 31, 2006 10:30 AM | Link to this

My daughter is going to first grade, and she understands that school is not meant to be fun. You go there to learn. If you have fun, that’s a bonus not a requirement.

My high school students complain all the time that school isn’t fun. I tell them I am not an entertainer; I am a teacher.

As teachers we should put our collective foot down and let our students know that we are not edutainers. We are educators.

By HStchr

May 31, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

We get pressure from two sides. Definitely the pressure is on us to get the kids through all the “hoops” and make the test scores. While admins debate curricula and teaching style, the kids pressure us to entertain them. School isn’t television, and you can’t sit and watch and get fat while you’re doing it. I wish we could have couches, snacks, and edutainment all day. Real world rules tell us being a grown up isn’t that way any more than school should be. At some point we have to balance fun and work, but ultimately we’re here to impart skills and knowledge to prepare kids for life, not to indulge their need for passive entertainment.

By Laurie Bachelor

May 31, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

How sad to the mom who thinks school does not need to be fun. I agree my job as a teacher is not to entertain the kids but it is to help produce lifelong learners. In order to accomplish this goal my classroom is a place where kids feel free to take risks, learn and have fun at the same time. If learning is not enjoyable they will be apt to count down the days until they graduate and don’t have to do it anymore.

By Kyle

May 31, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

It depends. Many teachers still choose the profession primarily to have summer off and/or to provide health insurance and other benefits for his/her family.

Being a master teacher, whether or not an entertaining one, is not a priority for these “paycheck drawers.”

Incorporating edutainment would naturally be a drain on this type of teacher, sending them into a tailspin and into the “moan and groan” room (aka, teacher’s lounge). There is a word for that - LAZY.

By Rik

May 31, 2006 12:04 PM | Link to this

Kyle, I hardly think that “many” teachers are there just for the paycheck. And even if they are, it does not, necessarily, make them poor educators. And I do not think most schools even have teachers lounges any more. A teacher should not have to be “on stage” all day, every day to effectively educate. The goal is to reach all of the students even if they have different modes of learning.

By bigsherm

May 31, 2006 12:21 PM | Link to this

Yes, I’m a high school Spanish teacher in Gwinnett County and have been teaching in Georgia for 20 years. It’s hard teaching anything substantive to the MTV-VH1 generation !

By Mr.C

May 31, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this

I teach literature and composition. If the kids aren’t reading, then I’m not teaching literature, and if they’re not writing, then I’m not teaching composition. I won’t sacrifice either one of those things so that students will be entertained. If I did, I wouldn’t be doing my job and I’d be short-changing my students.

They won’t read or write at home, so we do it in class. I try to pick out essay topics that all of my students can relate to on a personal level. When picking literature, I choose the works that I feel are most interesting and the kids can most relate to or I pick the works that seem the most necessary (the Declaration of Independence, Resistance to Civil Government, the Lowest Animal, etc.).

Most of my students do end up enjoying the class because they’ve actually read and come to understand the material, and they write about issues that concern them on some level. Many still complain it’s boring to just read and write and discuss so much. But when they fill out an end-of-course survey at the end of the semester, what suggestions do they have to improve the course? They would prefer if they were able to sleep in class, or watch movies, or play cards or games. In other words, they would prefer to do things that give them little to no intellectual benefit and no academic challenges. Sorry, it’s not going to happen.

If a teacher can create ways to entertain students and get them really excited about literature and still can produce empirical evidence that his students are reading and writing and learning what they need to, then he is doing an excellent job. I strive to do the same thing, but I will not compromise the essential aspects and allow my students not to develop basic skills in order to “engage” them and get them “excited” about school, especially considering their chosen alternatives.

By A student teacher

May 31, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

Yes, I chose teaching because my family needs the benefits, and the summer off with my kids, but I also chose this field after lots of thinking, what do I want to do with my life, and teaching is what I’m good at and enjoy. The most important thing to me as an educator is not to have blank stares or unengaged learners. My goal is to encourage a love of learning, and this is accomplished by using more materials besides constant worksheets or reading textbooks all day every day. I used manipulatives and puzzles to teach multiplication to 2nd graders, which was very effective. I didn’t “edutain”, but simply made it more hands on, which is a great motivator in itself. A variety of learning styles need to be addressed, and students should be allowed to discover some things for themselves, without the teacher controlling everything all the time. I believe the GOOD teachers care about what helps their students learn the best, and adjusts teaching methods for students. If that means a game, puzzle, or hands on activites to motivate, that’s great.

By b. white

May 31, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this

I teach Technology Education to 6th, 7th and 8th graders. I am a facilitator that aids the students. They must do the reading, following the instructions in order to complete projects or learn new information. Many are poor readers and won’t or can’t read and understand the material given to them in the module manual. Chaos insues. Some make it through with flying colors - others would rather throw paper and pencils, go visiting in other modules, talk to other kids, etc. Indeed I can not do edutainment when 16 different modules are going on at the same time. A lovely teaching environment because “hell”.

By justme

May 31, 2006 12:56 PM | Link to this

The objective of science should not be for “fun.” It is to learn the science that a citizen needs to survive in the world (and for some to go on to college). It angers me when a students says that a class is “boring” because who said that any class was to be “fun” or “entertaining?”

This is the dangerous trend of trying to alter things to suit the child rather than the child learning to cope with adults and the real world. The CRCT is not “fun.” The SAT is not “fun.” The GHSGT is not “fun.” Get real people!

For science, specifically, the State has put us in jeopardy by basically saying that science does not matter. The CRCT scores only really include English and math. Science takes a back seat all of the way through school until high school (EOCT and GHSGT) where it is too late.

Most elementary teachers readily admit that they lack the knowledge or skills to teach science. Most middle school science teachers rarely teach substantive content (of course, some are really good). Then when the students get to high school, the proverbial sh#@ hits the fan and the high school science teacher is supposed to teach the students all of the science needed.

If science is part of the GHSGT, then it most certainly should count in all CRCT scores and throughout the 12 years of education.

By Teacher_Guy

May 31, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this

Edutainment is the norm for day-to-day operations and I do think that the amount probably decreases as a student progresses toward high school and beyond. The fact of the matter, though, is to begin linking the bridge between edutainment and the ever-present standardized tests that students must complete.

I believe that there is a very fine line between teaching students and merely entertaining them.

As far as Kyle’s comments go, the ever-present teacher as paycheck drawer, you are obviously uninformed. Next August, I hope you find yourself volunteering in a school, preferably placed with a LAZY teacher. I guess you will be able to help them out. Please visit the Georgia Performance Standards website and prepare hands-on lessons that incorporate critical thinking and analysis skills.

(P.S. How can you have a hands-on reading lesson. I don’t know about some of the comments on here, but I kind of need it quiet to read. Isn’t that a skill? I mean, we aren’t teaching firefighters or marines that need to be able to work surrounded by chaos and commotion. Why can’t people be taught to work quietly?)

By teach overseas

May 31, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this

Kyle-

Did’t you choose your profession in part because of the benefits it could give you and your family? Is health insurance not important to you? I bet it is. Would you do your job for free? Don’t think so… does that make you lazy? As you go along in your career, will you not perhaps get more vacation time to spend with your family?

You have a skill, one that you are (hopefully) paid well for. I also have a skill, one that I do well, and yes, I expect to get paid for my skill. It’s how I take care of my family.

By frank

May 31, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this

Agree with “justme” and disagree with “Kyle”. Whether the teacher is fun or not the kids need to adapt and learn the material. The students need to apply themselves and the parents need to push them to comply with what the teacher wants. I tell my kids to adapt to the teacher. When I visit the teacher, I ask what I can do to reinforce what they are doing in class.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

May 31, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this

No one wants to be bored all day. I like the Magic School bus and use to watch it with my daughter. My daughter loves Bill Nye the science guy. I would not know about Bill Nye, if it wasn’t for her talking about it.

Whenever, I enter a meeting and it gets boring - that person will NEVER get any response from the audience. Every body rushes out of the room as soon as possible. I have started “declining”, due to other priorities, rather than sit through those meetings.

I can’t be tortured and I don’t want my child to feel tortured.

By the way, my daughter get’s all A’s - I think Bill Nye has something to do with it.

HAPPY SUMMER!!!! My child starts Middle School in August. I hope to get some useful information from Middle School teachers this summer.

By RF

May 31, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this

Amazed- your daughter gets A’s because you have prepared her for learning I’m sure. Bill Nye helps, no doubt, but most children who are A students are that way because of involved, caring parents who have worked long and hard to prepare their kids for excellence. It’s nice when we have time to plan and implement the entertaining lessons, but there are many things to learn in middle/high school that aren’t about song and dance and fun. I try, but some days we just have to do some challenging, frustrating work. Fun has its place, but as we know from our adult jobs, the fun days aren’t always as frequent as we want, and we don’t expect them very often. Good luck in MS, it’s a tough age socially and physically (for the child and parent).

By Susan

May 31, 2006 03:47 PM | Link to this

To Kyle: I take offense to your comment about being a “paycheck drawer”. I wonder if you ever need some time away from your job for a mental break. I use my summers to be with my family, prepare lessons for the next year, and to do some educational travel so I can expose my students to more than what many of these children get in their homes. I’m speaking of the poor children of the State of Georgia who live in the rural areas of Georgia. Hey buddy—I’ll bet you could never walk in the shoes of a teacher. If you did, you’d eat those words in your post!!

By Jeff

May 31, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

To my fellow teachers:

Is it as sad as I think it is that LITERALLY ON MY WAY HOME right after leaving work and officially starting my summer vacation, I stopped by BN to buy some fiction and wound up with a worksheet book for next year as well???

By OldSchool

May 31, 2006 05:01 PM | Link to this

Jeff, I feel your pain. I’ve spent most days back at school getting ready for next year. Today I was there updating the campus map for inclusion in next year’s student handbook. I brought home several new AutoCAD books and a sample copy of an engineering book I hope gets ordered for my classes.

I just don’t know how to “do” summer without some kind of school work involved. That’s kind of pathetic for a 32 year veteran, isn’t it?

By specialedteach

May 31, 2006 05:12 PM | Link to this

I teach Special Ed. and all I hear is how boring something is or “How come we cannot do something fun?” I try to make it as fun as possible for the kids (elementary school) but there are certain guidelines that have to be met and you cannot always make everything fun (e.g. visiting the dentist). I try to tell the students that not everything in life is fun and they need to realize this. I also hear “This is boring, why do we have to do this?” My response is usually “Because the state of Georgia says you do, I have rules to live by just like you do.” I have noticed that the students complain the most about math, science and reading. Any suggestions from elementary teachers on how to spice it up??? I teach all different grade levels in elementary school.

By Michael

May 31, 2006 06:00 PM | Link to this

Learning is best when it is rewarding. “Fun” is rewarding to a child. I believe it is an educators role to make learning “fun” and rewarding. “Fun” means different things to different age groups. For small children (4-9) fun is about games, music, etc. In my opinion activities that embrace interactivity are most effective with this age group. I remember in my elementary years singing songs and playing games to reinforce lessons. In other words, my best teachers were entertainers (and to this day I thank them for the impact they had on my life). They helped foster a desire to learn by demonstrating that learning can be extremely fun. The older one gets, it is likely that the source of “fun” will change. For example, as I got older I was always thrilled when a teacher was able to apply a lesson to real life, or provide details that made the lesson seem “real”. To illustrate this point, I had a middle school math teacher once explain briefly the life of Pythogoras as a lead in to the famous theorem. It is a challenge to make learning fun, but I beleive this is one of the areas that is plaguing our education system today. It is my impression that most teachers don’t have the time to make lessons “fun” and rewarding anymore.

By A student teacher

May 31, 2006 06:32 PM | Link to this

One teacher I worked with turned into “evil old teacher” who used a toy wand to pretend to turn a kid into a toad if he didn’t get the correct answer, and was just really funny. Her voice sounded like a witch and she was very dramatic. She played into the children’s sense of imagination to teach parts of speech. The kids loved it and actually learned something. This required little to no planning or extra work. Not that hard. One teacher I had a long time ago used chief and squaw for the day. Boys were chiefs and girls were squaws. They got to wear headdresses,sit in special seats beside the teacher’s desk, and be special helpers for the day. This added an element of excitement to the classroom.

By C.R.H.

May 31, 2006 06:37 PM | Link to this

I get paid to teach (science), if I have to be an “entertainer” I want to be paid like one. Being an adult has turned out to be rather over rated as far as I am concerned. Reminds me of a funny bunny magnet I have…”School prepares you for real life, which also sucks!” Have a restful summer everyone.

By Competitive

May 31, 2006 07:01 PM | Link to this

As with alcohol, moderation is the key. You can’t have all fun and games, nor can you have all worksheets and lecture. We all know that good teachers use a variety of techniques (both fun and boring)to teach and assess learning. Also, some students have less self-discipline than others, making some activities less appropriate for that group. Any lesson should first be highly educational. If it is also fun, even better! Boring and/or difficult (to the student) does not equal bad.

By Matt

May 31, 2006 07:05 PM | Link to this

What is this, a trick question? We have been trying to figure out the “best” way to teach since the beginning of time. Heck, we are now told to fold “hot dogs” and “hamburgers” to get their attention (teachers, you know what I’m talking about don’t ya). Truth is, some days you work hard, some days you have fun and some days you don’t becuase you got to do what you got to do. As teachers, we look for balance. We don’t always get it right, but we keep going, matching our personality, subject being taught, level and maturity of students to the curricula - which usually sucks itself.

The system needs to be changed, not the teachers or the students. Which by the way isn’t going to happen anytime soon. We keep sending kids to an 8 hour institution where the are fed, nurtured, and babysat with a little teaching in between. We do what we can within the system within which we (students, parents, teachers, admin, etc..) are stuck in day in and day out.

I’ve been teaching for almost 10 years. I get my student’s attention and they get mine. We work as a team to raise their achievement. Teacher-student trust and relationships (legal mind you) are the keys to success. Not NCLB or learning focused or any other drop a dime for your time educational strategy. Bottom line!

By justme

June 1, 2006 09:09 AM | Link to this

Again, we need to teach the student to adapt to the teacher and not the other way around….

After all, in the real world, can you imagine telling your boss to adapt to you? Or in college, telling the Professor that he/she must change their method of teaching to suit you?

Give me a break!

By jim d

June 1, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this

Not to harp on this subject. BUT, again I beleive that matching students and teachers according to learning and teaching styles would make evryones job easier and provide the results we are all so desperately looking for.(jmho)

By OldSchool

June 1, 2006 10:19 AM | Link to this

I am more concerned about students who think learning just the material in front of them is enough. My problem is that I must convince them to think beyond of the textbook and to apply the basic skills (of drafting) to other problems. I liken it to learning the basics with a driving simulator and then adapting what they’ve learned to the road. There are a number of routes one can take from Point A to Point B and no two trips will ever be exactly the same. Their job is to take the basic skills they have learned (mastered?) and put them to good use in new situations. If they enjoy the trip, that’s a bonus not a requirement.

My biggest headache is that they want only to learn the skills in a vacuum and not connect or adapt or get creative in the application. Maybe they will be comfortable never driving anything but the simulator or just “Christmas Tree-ing” tests because that’s easy. It’s a very scary and sad thought.

By withheld

June 1, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this

To the teachers who stopped enroute home for the summer and bought books for next year….you are not alone. Most teachers I know personally really never take the summer off as many outsiders portray you as doing. I know how late you are up going over the days hand-ins and test grades..etc and how early you get up to prepare for a day of HELL with kids who have learned their manners from MTV, VH1 and silly shows where the kids are smart alec to adults(suppposed to be funny). I also know many of you spend part of your weekend writing your teaching schedule for the coming week. So many people are quick to point out how you get paid for 9 months work and have 3 months off…etc

To them, I say, if you think it is such a glamor life “go for it”. It is real easy to do, the college courses are easy and the training is a piece of cake. The pay is unbelievable, the kids are wonderful and their parents think you are the greatest. You have no worries of being fired or accused of wrong doing or being a failure because kids WONT learn.

OK..back to rality Through teacher friends I have learned just how dedicated they are and how hard they work! The bad ones, whether it is attitude or lack of ability, eventually grow weary and leave… To all teachers….. THANK YOU!! ENJOY YOUR HARD EARNED WEEKS OFF…

By Valerie

June 1, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this

For the paycheck - I don’t think so; too many teachers have to work 2 jobs (I did)

For the summer’s off - Really? I was too busy working on my advanced degree and taking courses to maintain my certification

By Laf

June 1, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

I realize that school can’t be entertaining, interesting, and fun all the time. Some subject matter is just can’t be made interesting. What may be entertaining and interesting to Johnny may be boring to Mary. Little Joey may want to provide the entertainment by being the class clown. Your bad back is not helping the situation any. Its raining outside so we can’t go out for recess. Teaching can be such a challenge.

Billions of dollars are spent every year to provide resources for teachers to make the curriculum interesting and entertaining. Please be a little creative. Be innovative. Show some excitement. Try something different. Tell a joke. Play a game. Be enthusiastic. You are dealing with children not adults. Many students don’t have parents that are capable of helping these students understand the importance and purpose of schools. Like it are not you are competing with computers, MTV, sports, peers, the class clown and the cute female that sits in the back row in your classroom. I find it difficult to understand why some of you can’t understand that children and adults are going to pay more attention to something that is entertaining and interesting.

I noticed that many of us read and respond to this blog every day. We must find it entertaining or interesting. As long as it holds our interest we will keep on coming back. Is Johnny going to come back to your world tomorrow or is he going to be visiting the cute girl on the back row?

PS: A gold star to a student teacher and Amazed. Very good post.

By Jeff

June 1, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this

I’m all for fun and games. Heck, my summer plans other than getting ready for next year and moving down to South GA revolve around the XBox that I’ll be leaving behind!

HOWEVER, and I learned this lesson the hard way: The kids can’t handle it, for the most part. I had certain kids in every class that I could joke around with, but I only had one class out of five that as a whole could handle a more relaxed, casual, “fun” type atmosphere. I told them going in that I wanted to be as casual and chill as possible, and they wouldn’t let me. They walked right over me. Then I went to Marine Corps Drill Instructor level, and they hated me, but they did what I told them to do.

I know VERY few teachers that are actually out to give every single kid a hard time. I myself am known to give certain kids a hard time, but only when I become convinced that NOTHING ELSE is working. (To the point that I isolated one kid and every time he made an ATTEMPT to leave his seat I was on the phone calling his momma. Very supportive parents though. He still tried to push, but he knew what would happen when I called home and it got to the point that all I had to do was MENTION that I would call home.)

For the most part, teachers WANT to be casual and relaxed… better for the blood pressure! :) But we also MUST have the discipline in the classroom.

By Laf

June 1, 2006 04:22 PM | Link to this

I understand what you are saying Jeff. It’s difficult to determine what is a happy medium between being a Marine Corps Drill Instructor and poviding a positive and interesting experience for these students. This will vary from student to student and class to class. Mayby we should say just try to make the class as interesting as possible but leave off the The Price Is Right Stuff. It is a shame that so many of our students lack self-control. We really need more and better support systems for students and teachers.

By OldSchool

June 1, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this

If we are “on stage” all the time, that too will lose its appeal. Far better is to do the very best we can to present the material; allow ample time for practice; give frequent feedback; and be on our toes to take advantage of those all too rare “teachable moments.” Those moments can add a touch of spice (or fun) if students will dive in along with us.

By GAPeachTeacher

June 1, 2006 10:13 PM | Link to this

Creativity is something that many teachers are born with, or either have acquired (for a fee) at one of the plethora of required workshops we’ve attended throughout our careers. Communication is an art - some of us are great at it, while others leave much to be desired.

Teachers who are both creative and effective communicators are heros in my eyes. I don’t feel that I need to edutain my students, but instead be creative in my instructional delivery. I’m not walking tightropes and juggling base ten blocks to capture my students’ attention. I simply present the material in a way that makes them anticipate what is to come ~ Posing challenging questions and allowing them an opportunity to engage in content-related dialogue with their peers helps ~ When my students can process new information, make connections to real-world situations and regurgitate it for assessments, I’ve done my job & earned my Oscar!

I’m not “drawing a paycheck” to entertain. I’m working very hard, 12 months a year, to prepare my students for the real world that does not always provide extrinsic motivators.