As a student
going through the concurrent education program, one of the most recurring
themes that I have seen has been the models of education as they stand now
versus the potentially superior models of education as presented by educational
theorists and researchers. Within this debate, one of the most common
subsections being brought up is that of the regulations that the educational
system places on teachers with regards to both what they teach and how they
teach it.
While these
debates had always seemed to dwell in the realm of eventuality and even theory
for me, the completion of the front matter assignment really brought this point
to life. In this assignment, we were tasked to examine the front matter of two
different curriculum documents, in my case Ontario and British Columbia, and
see what each promoted as the most important things for students to know, do,
and be. This assignment really highlighted the differences in education
systems, even those in the same country. Both of these provinces had various
differences in the know, do, and be, but the largest difference was the overall
philosophy presented within each. Ontario was definitely in favour of
regulations, centralization, and equal education, whereas British Columbia
leant far more towards options for teachers, decentralization, and equity in
education. While the answer may seem obvious as to which is better for
students, we will examine the positives and negatives of both.
You can view
my assignment here for more detail.
With the
positions established, what then are the positives and negatives of each side?
The centralized side has the advantage of minimizing the negative effects that an inactive teacher could have as teachers are given step-by-step instructions on what and how to teach. The Guardian conducted
a study in which 29% of 2000 English teachers stated that they would consider
leaving their profession for a career elsewhere. That is as near as makes no
difference a full third of teachers who are not fully committed to the teaching
process. The centralized system ensures that, although these teachers are not
necessarily as interested in their jobs, students will still receive a
comparable education as the disinterested teachers will be following a very
clearly defined set of instructions. However, the flip side of that argument is
that one of the largest reasons that these teachers wanted to leave in the
first place is that schools were not making the experience interesting and
stimulating enough for them to continue enjoying their work. Following a
step-by-step process is neither interesting nor stimulating. Perhaps if the
curriculum provided more freedom to teachers, the third who wished to leave
would not feel so disinterested and the original advantage of the centralized
system would be a moot point. There is also the aforementioned issue that this
type of system does not address diversity and is not as accommodating to
individual needs.
(A third of teachers would consider an alternative career, 2014)
The
advantages of the decentralized system are evident: the students themselves are
actually considered in the educational process and are much more likely to
study material that is relevant and important to them. This will keep the
students more engaged, more willing to learn, and increase their overall
chances of succeeding while in school. However, one of the pitfalls of this
type of system, as outlined by Emma Drury, is that teachers must stay
dedicated to their profession and continue to work with a high degree of
dedication and energy. She created an article detailing several teachers' experiences at the
beginning of their careers compared to their current experience. The teachers often had definite five-year plans and
goals set out for their professional lives, but once theyachieved these goals their five-year plans started to become less important and they were more comfortable
and settled in their work. This process cannot happen under the decentralized
system, which depends on all teachers ensuring that they are staying motivated
enough to address the individual needs of their students each year. If teachers
under a decentralized system simply choose resources and methods and reuse them
every year while the needs of their students are changing, they are wasting a
sizeable portion of the freedom given to them by that system. While considering
the issue of dedication and motivation: a teacher in a decentralized system
that loses even a small percent of their motivation every year of teaching does
not take too long to reach the same level of effectiveness as an inactive
teacher in a centralized system as illustrated below.
(Five year career plans - do teachers need one?, 2013)
Source: Evan Arseneau
The video
below outlines the correlation between motivation and self-regulation in education,
albeit from a student’s point of view. In brief, he states that self-regulation
is strongly correlated to motivation, and for our example of a teacher in a
decentralized system, self-regulation is crucial to continue addressing the
needs of the students. You can skip to 5:43 where he discusses the findings of the study and his research.
Source: Paul House
With all of
this in mind, I believe that the degree of success of students is as strongly
influenced by teachers as it is by the system. The system dictates the
potential success that students could have but the way their education is delivered is ultimately the
responsibility of the teacher themselves. The most ideal situation is an active
teacher in a decentralized system and the least desirable is an inactive
teacher in a centralized system, yet a dedicated, active teacher in a
centralized system can still be more effective than an inactive, settled teacher
in a decentralized system. I made up a chart (below) which illustrates this.
I would say
that the most important thing to take out of this discussion is to be the most
motivated teacher that you can be, regardless of the system in which you are
placed. With respect to the original question, the decentralized model does
show the most potential, but it needs to be filled with motivated,
self-regulating teachers.
Resources:
Emma Drury. (2019,
May 9). Five year career plans - do teachers need one?: Career Advice, Teachers Blog [Web Log
Comment]. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/may/09/teaching-career-five-year-plan
Rebecca Ratcliffe . (2014, April 29). A third of teachers would consider an alternate career: Career Advice, Teachers Blog [Web Log
Comment]. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/apr/29/teachers-alternative-careers-school-recruitment
Paul House. (2013, March 31) . Effects of Motivation on Self-Regulation3. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoFUepmYitY
Decentralized Teachers Over Time [image] Created by Evan Arseneau.
Success Levels of Various Teachers [image] Created by Evan Arseneau.
