Beyond the core

Are pre made programs a help or more of a hindrance?

Over the last couple of years I have seen the rise and rise of pre made units of work that not only outline what the teacher should be saying but also what each child in the classroom should be doing at the exact same time.

With time poor teaching, too many teachers pick these up and just teach - not taking the time to personalise it to the needs of not only the students in their classrooms but also themselves.

I saw a quote the other day by Dr Ari Pindar which said ‘We teacher who we are, and who are are shapes what we do.’

Isn’t this what teaching is about, and isn’t this what makes an education system great? When we have individual takes on curriculum alongside well develop pedagogy we can not only get the results we are after for our students, we also have happier teachers.

So I ask, when are teachers going to step away from the pre-made lesson plans and move towards taking ideas from various places, combining them together with their own wonderful ideas with the students they are teaching in mind?

Is it because we are bogged down with compliance, risk assessments and behaviour issues? Or is it because the profession has been narrowed down into this?

I’m not too sure, I think it’s a little bit of both. I also think that for many the quick route is the path of choice rather than the creative thought filled route.

I’ve spoken about Guided Inquiry Design before & Gifted education, and will bring them up again in future posts. I believe that both of these fields of thought can help with change, but the educators & those above them need to see that a wider view on curriculum and pedagogy is needed - not just evidence based strategies that end up being a one-size fits all.

I’m on the lookout for ways to support teachers so that they can believe in their own ability to create lessons that they own, and that their students love.

Feel free to comment & say hi.

Vanessa