When I was a kid I always wanted to be on the big screen, but now I’m not so sure.
Sure, private screenings with a colleague could net me one of those rather large buttered popcorn bags and a Big Gulp, but I’m not sure the rest of the process would be all that much fun.
The latest call to videotape teachers at work so that their approach and style can be scrutinised by a mentor or peer may not be as effective as it sounds. Sure, I would learn a great deal from watching my lessons back on tape and perhaps my examiner may come up with useful insights, but more realistically it would lead to tension.
If teaching was all about one style fits all then this idea is a winner, but it isn’t. The way I teach would not necessarily impress teachers who have a very different style and vice versa. At the end of the day, I am more interested in developing ways to improve student outcomes than following the herd. This process would involve trying to get teachers to teach in a singular style rather than their own natural style.
But having said that, I believe that classrooms should be videotaped.
Not for the cinematic pressure of being dissected by a peer, but for the legal protection of both teacher and student. By using CCTV cameras, there will be less cases of false teacher accusations and teachers who have committed serious breaches of their duty of care will be caught and dealt with more expediently.
But what about reflecting on your teaching? What about being assessed?
I am assessed all the time. Formally, informally, through questions without notice, bi-annual Principal/teacher conferences, surveys that are filled out by parents and students alike and who can forget about the fallout from standardised testing results.
Still, if you recreate the Gold Class cinema experience, I may join you for at least a few minutes in the screening room. Let’s hope my production isn’t a comedy, or worse, a horror!
Click on the link to read Guess What Percentage of Teachers Considered Quitting this Year
Click on the link to read The Classroom Shouldn’t be a War Zone for Our Teachers
Click on the link to read Remember When Teachers Were Shown Respect? (Video)
Click on the link to read If You Think Teaching is so Easy You Should Try it for Yourself
Click on the link to read Teachers are Extremely Vulnerable to False Accusations
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