tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395477629258665306.post7176509798046377406..comments2023-10-04T06:24:03.734-04:00Comments on Education and Its Discontents - Observations from A Retired High School Teacher: Critical Thinking - Considering Alternate ViewsLornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741324981120408977noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395477629258665306.post-12890938789091516532007-08-15T12:34:00.000-04:002007-08-15T12:34:00.000-04:00" The kind of passivity you describe is pretty com..." The kind of passivity you describe is pretty common, and I guess the only thing teachers can do is to keep challenging them to emerge from their complacence."<BR/><BR/>Very true, and one of the reasons I am so privileged to have had a mother in education as well. She often helps me find new ways to challenge them.<BR/><BR/>You are so right about the composition of the class as well.Redkuduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756085609311571044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395477629258665306.post-84011027822055659652007-08-15T11:10:00.000-04:002007-08-15T11:10:00.000-04:00Reduku, thank you for your comments. The kind of ...Reduku, thank you for your comments. The kind of passivity you describe is pretty common, and I guess the only thing teachers can do is to keep challenging them to emerge from their complacence. There were times in my career when I was delightfully surprised by the insights and perspectives that some students were willing to offer. <BR/><BR/>A lot, of course, depends upon the composition of the class. I'm sure that you have had the experience of teaching the same thing to two different classes and perhaps getting a rousing response from one class and nothing from another. <BR/><BR/>One of the pleasures of my own years in the classroom was feeling that I was actually learning new things from a student, be it from a perspective I had never considered or a fresh insight.<BR/><BR/>Keep up the good fight, and thanks again for your comments.Lornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15741324981120408977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395477629258665306.post-42264069518085530982007-08-15T10:02:00.000-04:002007-08-15T10:02:00.000-04:00"...those who want to go beyond media rhetoric..."..."...those who want to go beyond media rhetoric..."<BR/><BR/>This simple phrase, I thought, ties nicely into your previous posts, and is something I was talking about with my mother (a retired teacher) the other day. We were talking about various observations on how difficult it is to get students to ask questions. Not just the usual "Is this for a grade" type questions, but they rarely, if ever, ask any questions about the authors or the reading they do.<BR/><BR/>It's as if they are perfectly satisfied that the information they are being given is all they need to know - or all there is to know. A little frightening, when we consider how they are inundated with media rhetoric daily - even more than most of us from previous generations realize. Getting to the point of even considering alternate views is difficult for me, as a teacher, because often times students don't seem to think there might be one, or that it might, in fact, come from them!<BR/><BR/>Sorry this wasn't about the book review. I just discovered your blog, and am catching up on your thoughts. Very interesting.Redkuduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756085609311571044noreply@blogger.com