The most common approach used by teachers with a classroom of 25-40 students. Many homeschoolers also use this approach.
What is education? In this approach, the student takes in information, usually through a textbook or lecture. The student then gives the information back to the teacher through a project or test. Often, the textbooks will teach the same material year after year, adding a bit of new information each year. For example, American History may be taught for six consecutive years, adding new information each year. This approach sees the student as a learner who is able to take in bits and pieces of information, and put them together to form the big picture. Short term retention, via making a good test score, is stressed and rewarded.
What are the roles of teacher and student? The teacher's main job is to follow the curriculum. These teachers believe that the curriculum creators know more about the students than the teacher does. If the student has difficulty, most proponents of this approach will recommend that the teacher force the student to conform to the curriculum. In that sense, it is a "one size fits all" approach.
What is the role of curriculum? In The Classroom Approach, curriculum is the most important part of education.
Pros & Cons of the Classroom Approach:
Let's look at the study of ducks from the Classroom approach. The study will begin because it is the next chapter in the science book. The student will read the section about ducks in the textbook, answer the questions at the end of the chapter, and perhaps create a project on ducks. The teacher will give the student a test to complete, which will determine if the student remembers certain facts about ducks. It is probable that the student will never see an actual duck.
What is education? In this approach, the student takes in information, usually through a textbook or lecture. The student then gives the information back to the teacher through a project or test. Often, the textbooks will teach the same material year after year, adding a bit of new information each year. For example, American History may be taught for six consecutive years, adding new information each year. This approach sees the student as a learner who is able to take in bits and pieces of information, and put them together to form the big picture. Short term retention, via making a good test score, is stressed and rewarded.
What are the roles of teacher and student? The teacher's main job is to follow the curriculum. These teachers believe that the curriculum creators know more about the students than the teacher does. If the student has difficulty, most proponents of this approach will recommend that the teacher force the student to conform to the curriculum. In that sense, it is a "one size fits all" approach.
What is the role of curriculum? In The Classroom Approach, curriculum is the most important part of education.
Pros & Cons of the Classroom Approach:
- Possible high standardized test scores in early years.
- Teacher has little input in curriculum.
- Students may simply master the tests, rather than the material.
- Students often become bored.
- Students who do not fit the curriculum will feel inferior.
- Students learn "factoids" rather than the big picture.
Let's look at the study of ducks from the Classroom approach. The study will begin because it is the next chapter in the science book. The student will read the section about ducks in the textbook, answer the questions at the end of the chapter, and perhaps create a project on ducks. The teacher will give the student a test to complete, which will determine if the student remembers certain facts about ducks. It is probable that the student will never see an actual duck.
