As stated in the first entry, planning backwards presents several difficulties for the teacher to overcome. One, and the most important I think, is to work in order to fulfil the objectives set before we start the journey. Having long and short-term goals defined with clarity is a really difficult task to achieve, specially if teachers do not have time enough to sit back and reflect on the goals their are seeking to obatain.
Most of teachers work without the clear knowledge of the national curriculum but only the goals of their institutions. However, I think that to have clear objective even within the classroom, we need to look back to the national goals, then institutional, and finally goals set for classes. Only if we follow such reflection teachers can have clear objectives set, thus they are ready to start planning.
Altough this idea sounds perfect for improving our performance as teachers and the education of our students, we must acknowledge the fact that some of this ideas are very difficult to be carried out. Why? I believe teachers spend a lot of time preparing materials and tests and planning for each class and that has lead to forget the bases for teaching English in Chile: the curriculum. There is awarness of its existence and also about its flaws, but how much do teachers know about the goals that have been stablished? Only have such goals in mind first, we can set the content standards for our institutions and classes. However, that is a lot of work to do and if we add teaching classes it becomes imposible to be carried out.
I do believe is an important work to do, I also believe there should be specialists on the subject, designers, doing such work, though. Designers should only destine their time to study and set goals clearly in order to have teachers planning their classes. Some institutions have such system, but it would be a great benefit for education if it is mass spread.
GOOOOOOD. Knowking the National Curriculum is the starting point in order to get some clarity in relation to the desired learnings in chilean schools.
ResponderEliminarI agree with you, we waste time on preparing materials or planning tests and sometimes we leave aside some relevant issues like: knowing and understanding the national framework
teacher do not have enough time to plan or set goals, and they work without a clear knowledge of the national curriculum,I totaly agree. We should have the necesarry time to set goals and design the class according to these ones.
ResponderEliminarWhat you have described is what we should do if we consider ourselves professionals. The problem is that we also need society, especially schools, to consider us professionals. We have to do many other things apart from being in the classrooms with students all day to improve education in Chile. What I mean is that I do TOO many things at home for free.
ResponderEliminarI must say that people believe that teachers are parent's maids, secretaries, and educators. We are to educate children; to give them values to make them good citizens; and even to be responsible for their mistakes (most for head teachers). In the end, parents make our work more difficult because they are not responsible for their children anymore. Of course we can complain about it, but things are not going to change tomorrow! It’s too sad, but true.
ResponderEliminarI think I am absolutely clear about the specification and lineament of the national curriculum as well as about ALL MY ROLES in the classroom. However, I must confess that after lots of years experience still do not know exactly what students want.
ResponderEliminarI agree with you, as teachers, we have to know the national curriculum,but it is also true that we don't have enough time to do all our duties.
ResponderEliminar