Theories of teaching

Ron Schwartz (Feb. 26, 2002)
Theme: English Education: Present and Future


" What are the standard or traditional or accepted theories of teaching. What does the books say about teaching? What do the professors say about teaching? But you know thats not important. The important thing is what you think about teaching so this is no good until you take it and we want to say now what is your theory about teaching? So until you make it yours it is no good to anybody.

Now thats very difficult concept for some cultures and some educational system. What I tell my students is the first day class is dont believe anything I say or that you read. so what do you think when you hear that? Why do I say that? Do you have an idea? its the start having my own thinking.. does this mean that I am wrong, does this mean that the books wrong? no,

what we are saying is until you put it into practice.. until you practice it it has no value. one thing that we need, i need, your professor need you need is the understand theories of teaching for standard theories, traditional theories, accepted theories and then you take you make your own theory based on your own experience. Thats very important.
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Heres somthing you wanna remember. I'm a Spanish teacher. My Spanish is not perfect. You are an English teacher. Your English is not perfect. Thats ok. Thats ok. Your students will learn a lot of English from you. My students learn a lot of Spanish from me.
And I'm not embarrassed of my Spanish. You shouldn't be embarrassed of your English. we just do the best job possible. They learn English from you. thats good to remember.

what you do here is that you do the best possible, you have responsibility to your students to continually practice. Continually practice ..so that you give them the best product?? possible.."