21st Century Teaching

To assure all of those who are in the profession of teaching and learning  that teaching is, in fact, a science as well as an art would be to compare the discipline to a glass half full or half empty. If the glass was half empty then the science of the pedagogy for teaching would rely on the shoot- from- the- hip approach to learning and thus not be conclusive to a true profession. It is with this idea that I would argue that the glass is filled to the brim with supporting factors that teaching is a profession. Those myths that ponder from long lost myopic stigmatism of past practices are assured that the new science of teaching has emerged over the sunrise of the 21st Century.

Yes, it is important that teachers and school leaders become masters of child psychology, and that learning theories become integrated into essential practice.  To know the students meta-cognitive process is to know how specific instructional strategies are applied. To create learning environments where students mental abilities are challenged at the correct level of complexity and difficulty means that teachers must apply professional standards of classroom practices. After all is that not what Marzano does, translates Merlin Whittrock and redefines it into meaningful practice, those practices that have been proven over time and substantiated through research?

For example, when we look at future growth models for education, what we want to obtain is the ability to stretch the learning curve every time the teacher sets foot into the classroom. In order to accomplish this task we must bring the fundamentals of professional pedagogy to the forefront of how instructional interaction supports leaning. To accomplish this task, teachers must know with crystal clarity, the effects they have on student learning through questioning, checking for student understanding, providing meaningful feedback and designing high engaging lessons; and definitely knowing and understanding the principles of constructivism through the Zone of Proximal Development.

The key to a successful learning experience is not at the stand alone knowledge level which in many cases classrooms of today formulate through mastery of concepts and to a lesser degree on the idea of scaffolding for reasoning. To ensure that students are prepared for the 21st Century we must continue to revisit theses practices and grow with experience. The professionalism is in the language, and in the language we define practice and in practice we experience tipping points of growth in pedagogy. The science is clear.