During this long, hot summer of 2011 the voices of classroom teachers have been heard through Twitter and a march on Washington. Teachers are ready for a revolution. As a group they don’t seem to have the stomach for a guns and bombs type of revolution. And revolutions don’t have to be about anger, as good a motivator as that is.
I see the teaching revolution occurring in individual classrooms, one teacher at a time, living out the ideals that drew him or her to the profession in the first place. The people of Czechoslovakia overthrew oppressors with a Velvet Revolution. A Singing Revolution thwarted the ruling party in Estonia. Isn’t it time for an Imagination Revolution in our schools?
Teachers are yearning for change. They are fed up with being blamed for poor student achievement. Their hands are tied by:
· unnecessary regulations,
· a work load unrelated to teaching,
· lack of administrative support,
· lack of parental support,
· excessive testing, and
· insufficient funds.
The list is not inclusive, but neither is it universally true. The bulk of parents and administrators, in particular, share the goals of the classroom teacher and want learning to be meaningful for students.
This forum is for all teachers (although students, parents and administrators are welcome) in all types of schools relating to all types of learners. What about you? You know what it is like when you walk into your classroom and close the door. Isn’t your classroom different? Don’t you carry out plans that engage students’ minds? Tell other teachers what works for you and your students.
The purpose of this blog is to offer a discussion forum for teachers who want to make a positive impact on their students by nurturing imagination as well as knowledge mastery.
Flannery O’Connor, American author, said, “I write to discover what I know.” And business guru Ken Blanchard says, “None of us is as smart as all of us.” Let’s journey together. Each of our classrooms can be a model for the best of education. Write what you know and bring it to the discussion.
