I am troubled any time we reject experience:
I am very impressed by your ability to reflect and see what appears to be something missing within your own teaching practice. I am somewhat worried, however, about the way in which we dismiss “experience” and start to see it as a liability.
It seems as though we are fetishizing “the new” and innovative, even when we know (from research and personal experience) that the most effective teaching comes from experienced teachers.
Now, I am not calling for a return to a traditional approach to teaching. Rather, I want to stop looking at our classrooms and veteran teachers as the barrier to change. So many are, like yourself, looking to improve each and every year. So many see that more traditional methods are not producing the same results as they once did.
I see an “us vs. them” being created when we vilify experience and talk about an entire generation of teachers who are unwilling (or unable) to change. I don’t think this gets us any closer to supporting all kids.
Nocking The Arrow: School Improvement, Is Teacher Cognition A Speed Bump Or A Roadblock?.
