I was unimpressed with aspects of my university education. It seems that the old 'lecture and tute' model is unshakeable, even as educational psychology comes ahead in leaps and bounds.

When I was doing my education degree, it always amused me that we studied the 'constructivist' theories of Piaget and Vygotsky - theories that had been around for longer than my university - in a 'transmissive' way. That is, we sat in lecture theatres and took notes as lecturers explained the need for interactive, hands-on learning. We completed multiple choice exams whose very questions condemned 'black and white' answers and favoured assessment that allowed students multiple pathways to express their learning. We were filled with facts and theories, but the experts 'teaching' us those facts and theories didn't take the time out to demonstrate them.

I think I have since become a pretty good teacher, but it took considerable trial and error - paid for by the students I was teaching - before I got there. All of which could have been avoided if we had been taught to teach in the manner in which we were being taught to teach.

Otokonoko,
You amuse me.
How do you teach those who don't want to learn?
There is not a soul on the planet that can do that.
Therefore teaching begins by having empathy with the student and facilitating his environment and befriending him whereby he begins to realise that it is to his advantage that he needs to learn.
Now is that a teacher? Do teachers do that?
No, they would be tossed out of school fro getting too close to students and may be even sexual harrassment.
The person who empathises is someone who cares for the wholistic person.
And you won't find anyone who cares in teaching.

Glen,

I'm not sure how your post relates in any way at all to what I have written - apart from the statement that I think I have become a pretty good teacher. And I stand by that. Most of my students would, too.

As for the claim that nobody in teaching cares, I am a bit confused. If I don't care, I am not sure why I put in countless unpaid hours helping students to improve their work. I'm not sure why I am often still in the staffroom at midnight preparing lessons to engage my more disenchanted students. And I'm not sure why, when I am at work at midnight, I am seldom alone. Apparently all of us selfish teachers are doing this for our own benefit?

Maybe you have never seen it, but I have seen a whole class - lumped together because they are 'challenging' - turn around over the course of a year and get involved in their lessons, complete their assessment and turn their Es into Cs or better. I'm not sure that anyone but the selfish, uncaring classroom teacher can take the credit for that.