Teachers, Learning, Action

I could not agree more that continued learning for teachers is imperative and a challenge. Action research has to be one of the greatest ideas/approaches I have ever read. Teachers have the opportunity to observe learning over years and compile valuable data. You cannot find this data from a better source than the classroom itself. If more teachers would take part in action research techniques, the amount of knowledge acquired for the teaching body would completely change the learning landscape. If what the author says is true, that many teachers crave learning from colleagues, this would be the perfect platform.
But then, what do schools expect of new teachers fresh out of college? They obviously can't expect new teachers to have the same teaching knowledge as a veteran. Inservices are good if they are run properly, but studies are finding that 4 years is not enough to gain this knowledge? I argue a lifetime may not be enough. But I'm sure there is a way to change this just a little. General Education requirements are important; however, now I believe we are at a crossroads. Which is more important, learning about teaching and spending more time student teaching or observing in order to gain crucial teaching knowledge, or taking more general education requirements - most of which are the same courses taken in high school - in order to graduate? I would absolutely argue, replace unimportant general education requirements with more student teaching or observation time. Give the students a chance to get immersed in as many different educational settings as possible so that these future teachers can experience different pedagogies in action, educational environments, teaching styles, etc. Continuing education is a great idea and a great requirement most schools now enforce, but the makings of a good teacher can start right in freshman year of college.

On a side note, it is phenomenal to see a chapter devoted on how teachers learn and the importance of teacher interaction with each other and taking an active part in observing their own classrooms in order to become better teachers. Learning never ends for anyone, but if we are to enter this new age of education teaching these more complex issues and concepts than have ever been taught before, teacher interaction and learning is exactly what needs to continue to happen