[etni] Fw: Coming of age

From: "Ask_Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "ETNI" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:53:35 +0200
----- Original Message ----- 
From: sbshai - sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Coming of age


Dear ETNI community,
It may have taken us a long time, but it seems (from my reading of ETNI 
Digest V8 # 38)  we're finally awakening to the idea that the real authority 
in the English classroom is the English teacher!  Sure, our curriculum is 
set by the Inspectorate (not the unions; more on this below), but we can --  
and should -- amend any policy to suit the needs of our students.

That's why, for example, teachers who find doing projects to be the essence 
of ESL teaching should continue to do so until they retire, even if the MOE 
sees fit to remove this obligation from our required workload.  In the 
interest of fairness, however, if most teachers find this to be a burden 
rather than a benefit, then what does it matter that they're speaking up 
only after a decade of doing project work?

BTW, it isn't quite accurate to say so as I distinctly recall considerable 
discussion on ETNI about the questionable value of doing projects in view of 
the time spent on them.  The sporadic debates on the pros and cons was 
usually cut short with an acerbic comment from a veteran teacher or two who 
called the  work ethics of the challengers (who might well be just as 
experienced, qualified and dedicated) into question.  Therefore, those who 
don't enjoy wrangling and/or resent having to defend their honor usually 
step away from the fray -- but this does NOT prove the others right! 
(Anyway, if the challengers were to speak up too soon, someone would be sure 
to pound on them for that!)

To return to the question that was posed about why the subject of projects 
is being brought up (again) now, the answer should be obvious as the issue 
has NOT been resolved to most teachers' satisfaction -- be it a pedagogical 
or fiscal concern, or both.  This explains the Irgun's sanctions against 
projects, but I don't want to open that can of worms anew.  Suffice it to 
say that I personally know of more than a few Irgun members who felt they 
could not abide by the union's sanctions because they thought the whole 
issue was being mishandled to the detriment of their students.  So I hope 
that eases the minds of teachers who worry that their colleagues are blindly 
marching to the beat of their union's drums rather than the MOE's.  The fact 
is that if the drummer -- whoever he might be -- is out of tune, it's rather 
difficult (not to mention self-defeating) to follow his beat!

To summarize, an effective teacher must do more than just draw up good 
lesson plans, as important as those are to successful classroom management: 
He/she must also be able to assess how much time should be spent on each 
activity and decide which activities are the most worthwhile, according to 
the specific needs of each class.  For weaker learners, even in a 5 point 
class, for example, it makes little sense to spend much time on some of the 
finer details of project writing; they obviously first need to learn how to 
write!

From my vantage point, having been in the system here for 18 years, I think 
it's fair to say that (overall) we've strayed too far away from teaching the 
basics.  One simply can't build a tower without a solid foundation.  Before 
we can require project writing, we've got to teach our students to 
communicate effectively in English; otherwise, we're just inviting a Tower 
of Babel/Babble!  (So I agree that there should be no problem in letting 
students speak about any literary venture -- a book/books they've read or a 
piece/pieces of literature they've studied in class -- for their oral 
Bagrut.)

Oh, I almost forgot the most important part of this message: 
Congratulations, dear colleagues on coming of age!
 


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[etni] Fw: Coming of age

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