I enjoy poetry, card sayings, and quotes from others. Some are very interesting, some are funny, and some are very clever. Recently I came across a quote that caught my attention and greatly touched me.
The quote was made by John Dewey and said the following:
?if we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow
This quote is so true. Everything in our world is continuously changing. We cannot expect the methods and topics of the past to meet the needs of our children today and prepare them for the future.
However, there are some teachers who never change. They have been in the same grade level for years upon years. They teach the same units in the same way each year. They put up the same bulletin boards and use the same lesson plans. They have no interest in searching or looking for new ideas.
I will agree that a benefit of being a veteran teacher is accumulating ideas and materials. There is no need to begin new each year. However, at some point in time you must stop and evaluate your methods and materials. Just because something worked last year does not mean that it will this year.
It is a good idea to keep a copy of all of the activities that you use. Pull them out when they are needed. Yet keep in mind that it is not a requirement to do them. Always stay alert for new ideas and be open for change.
Technology is a huge change that education has seen and will continue to see over the next years. Teachers, as doctors and other professionals, must be continuous learners of new methods, new materials, and the new needs of students. We must be open to new ideas and learn from others.
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