Facilitator Teacher?

As I continue my journey of discovery on the teaching approaches I now find the facilitator approach. When I think facilitator I think someone that just lets it happen and observes, in a way that is this style. The facilitator approach is an approach to teaching were the teacher focuses on the students as people, and encourages growth. It works to connect what the student knows to what is being taught. This approach is dependent on the teacher knowing the students and working to help them grow. It is base on respect and working with students. It sounds like a great idea, know your students, help them grow, sounds great. But to me when I here this I think more of a friend than a teacher and I cannot see that working. I see a classroom focused on individuals not specific content that is a little on the hectic side because the authority is more in a friend view. But respect is a big part so I may be wrong. I think reaching standard when in this style has to be incredibly difficult. How do you reach measured marks when the concern is only on individual student growth? I cannot see this idea. I do like that it focuses on the individual. If you take the time to get to know someone there is a good chance they will be more comfortable working hard and talking to you. If a teacher can get a student to do those things I do see great growth happening. This approach is a mystery to me, how can it be used in a standard driven education system, how can this be used to reach all student students? Maybe I like structure a little too much to see this as being good. But if I have a chance to give this a try in the correct classroom environment I just might give it a shot.

The Executive Approach

The executive approach to teaching is quite an interesting thing. I have had many encounters with this beast of an approach. I remember sitting in many classrooms with the teacher at the front reading notes directly off of the handout, or verbatim off of the overhead projection as it is used in many schools. It was not fun to be a part of. Class went on for what seemed to be forever but there was an incredible amount of important information communicated during that time. If I would have given in to the temptation of sleeping I would have been lost in the lesson. The executive approach is great because it stresses the information and makes sure the knowledge that the students will need is told to them in an orderly effective way. Because this approach allows effective transfer of knowledge to the students and leads and presents all required knowledge to the students I see it always having a place in schools. Some teachers love the structure and effectiveness and that is great. The promotion of an environment that gives students a quiet and controlled setting for learning is great and very beneficial. Although it is a great structured approach I do not like how it tends to be impersonal. It focuses on structure and transferring knowledge more than the individual student. I have also been in classes were the use of this approach was so impersonal I felt like the teacher did not care about the students. I strongly feel that in order to get the most out of a student they need to know you care. The executive approach is a great idea and can be very effective. But it is important to remember to work with the students not just tell them information, make the learning a great experience not a sleepy one.

Approaches?

         In education there are many approaches. You can be an executive, a liberator, or even a facilitator in your classroom. All of which can have a very effective outcome. But trying to figure out which one is the best, that is one thing that I cannot find. To be an executive in the classroom sounds great, the teacher has total control, the students follow explicit directions and they are lead directly to the desired learning outcome. Then we go to the facilitator approach. With this style we go away from the direct learning and only that and we begin to look at more of the students individual needs and knowledge. That is a really good thing it is incredibly rare to have two students with the exact same backgrounds, likes and dislikes, and social skills so this approach could be great to reach more students. Then the liberationist comes into play. Some students learn better when you give the information to them and they learn it how they want, a great idea. We all learn different and that cannot be changed, some learn from listing, some from watching, and some by doing. This approach is great for those students who learn best by experimenting and finding the knowledge on their own or with a small amount of help. To be a liberationist you are giving the students the key to there education.

I would like to say there is one approach that is the best, but I don’t think I can. All three have great pieces and will work better at reaching different students.

      There are any things that make being a teacher a crazy thing. The amount of work that needs done, the high expectations for all students, and the fact that we could make more money doing a number of other professions, but if you are doing something for nothing but money there is a good chance you will never be happy in what you are doing. When teaching we have the unique opportunity to help form the minds of the next generation of workers, leaders, and great people. We have the opportunity and duty to help all of our students grow and become great. I want to become an educator for many reasons, but most of all it is to help students. I want to be a positive factor in the lives of my students. I want to help them realize that all are destined for greatness and all can achieve that goal. I have had a good number of teachers that were burned out and I believe did not have the drive to help students be great. In those classes I struggled and came to the realization that a strong supportive teacher s important in education. I hope to be that figure in the lives of my students. I want to make a difference.

       In the field of education there are many different thing that can be very interesting. The curriculum changes that e seem to make on a yearly basis, the ever-changing ideas on how students learn best, and many other topics are very interesting. The one thing that I find the most interesting and challenging is how we work with students that have disabilities either learning or physical. I am very interested in the challenges that are in making learning best for all. But there are many things that could satisfy this question, as it is a very complex profession.