STUDENT CENTERED EDUCATION 02-16-08
Student Centered Education is a classic example of “Client Centered” that I wrote about in the item about medical people and their personal relationship with people they served in a Doctor’s office or any other medical type setting. The Teacher is in charge of the classroom regardless of the number of students and must maintain a student first or student centered environment. By first I mean the student comes first when teaching. Not first regarding what the student wants but instead it must be what is best.
When a coach
is coaching a team that is successful each player is taught to play a certain
position. The coach has the final
decision as to the position and teaches the player to play that position. The coach teaches to the player’s strengths
and many times the player’s wishes are for a particular position. Classroom teacher’s regardless of the number
of students in the class and the subject being taught does the same. In elementary grades classes should be placed
in groups according to ability. Each six
weeks or at other times the groups might be arranged in groups again but the
better students would be grouped together.
As the students move up to higher grad levels students would get
interested in various vocational areas.
These students would be allowed to do special projects in those interest
areas. Should a girl wish to become a
nurse while taking biology the teacher should work with the child on an
individual basis at times to steer the student or students in that
direction. Maybe even a part time or
full time job at a local hospital or Doctors office during summer months or
weekends. A young male student might become interested in something in the
social studies field, maybe Geology or some area
related to the welfare of others. This type of teaching is known as the best
type yet it does not lend its self to a politician’s plan of testing and other
areas that can be shown to the voter.
Many of our trained teachers in this type teaching are retiring and or
leaving the State or the profession. A
real child centered Governor or group of parents, Politician’s, or any group
could call someone for an explanation of how this method works with parents and
various groups and or business. Most of
us are about gone that understand how both the Educational part functions and
the funds are allocated so the same amount of money is spent on each child in
the State. This part is often referred
to as the “Equalization Fund”. I am sure
some of us would be happy to explain it to any group of parents or teachers but
not try to explain it to “ big shot” educators or
politicians. They do not care if their
child marries a student from a poor
Parents are going to have to get involved in their children’s education. I don’t just mean join the “quarter back” and mothers clubs. If they do not, local public education
is a lost cause in many parts of this nation, regardless of promises made by smooth talking politicians.