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All
methods I use as a teacher spring from my principles of instruction.
I don't use methods--or theories, for that matter—simply
because someone else says they're terrific, or because someone
is parading them on a bandwagon through professional development
days or staff meetings. Some in The Quesnel School District (Quesnel,
British Columbia, Canada) have frequently paraded William Glasser's
Choice Theory through such days and meetings over the last 15
years. I don't blindly follow trends. I use methods according
to what I perceive as the educational and socio-emotional needs
of my students: methods that my principles of instruction, which
are based on my experience, tell me will work. I am suspicious
of bandwagon approaches because they don't often address individual
needs of all students, although Choice Theory often does
address such needs, and where it does I adopt Glasser's ideas.
I am,
I'd like to add, suspicious of the term learning disabled.
"This student is learning disabled," a teacher will say. Not necessarily.
Perhaps the student needs a particular method of instruction that
teachers haven't provided. From that point of view, the student
isn't learning disabled, but rather his or her teachers are teaching
disabled by not using appropriate methods of instruction.
My focus,
then, is student-centred. A world of great stresses due to technology
shock (accelerating technological advance), family dysfunction,
uncertain futures due to the threat of global annihilation, the
threat of never obtaining employment beyond minimum wage, the threat
of illness due to a witches' brew of toxins that mankind has ingeniously
designed, and problems with peers, teachers, and assignments create,
at times, mind-numbing turmoil for students. Teachers need to be
aware of that, and need to apply principles of instruction which
help students feel worthy and be productive in spite of their stresses
and problems. Here are some principles of instruction I apply to
help me help my students:
1. Work
with each student on an individual basis according to educational
and socio-emotional needs.
2. Show
respect and concern for each student. Reinforce the fact that individuality
and learning style are important (providing they don't encroach
on the rights of others).
3. Prepare
a student for his or her career path. If that means providing a
rigorous learning experience which enables a student to score high
on government exams so that he or she may enter a prestigious university,
then I provide such.
4. Allow
for negotiation between myself and the student, keeping the dignity
of both intact.
5. Enable
the student to acquire skills as a lifelong learner.
Every
so often, I re-look at my principles and tinker with them. I make
changes as society changes, the needs of students change, and my
knowledge increases. I do that to present myself with the best direction
as a teacher that I can muster. The list could look different in
2001.
Copyright
© 2000 Dan Lukiv. All Rights Reserved
Dan
Lukiv is a teacher living and teaching in Quesnel, British Columbia.
If you have any suggestions that will improve his list, feel free
to e-mail him at lukivdan@hotmail.com.
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