My Father Was a Great Teacher. He Wouldn’t Last a Week in the Modern Classroom

https://quillette.com/2021/10/17/my-father-teacher/

by paulpauper • 5 years ago

37 9 5 years ago

quillette.com

bhhaskin• 5 years ago

This was a great read. Thanks for sharing.

z3rgl1ng• 5 years ago

Would love to see some data backing up the authors assertions, otherwise this reads a bit as a screed.

lukev• 5 years ago

This article seems to be mostly a eulogy of someone who seemed to be a good teacher and a good person. That's great, although a bit odd material for HN's front-page.

But he does this mostly by comparing and contrasting his father's teaching style with a straw man or caricature of "modern" pedagogy, which I find to be unwarranted.

There are still good teachers out there. The Socratic method is still used to great effect. Sure, there are poorly run classrooms out there (always have been), and norms around discipline have changed, but that by no means this entire generation is weak minded.

Some of it is downright untrue, too. My kids would LOVE to be informed they could re-take a test as many times as they wanted.

Unfortunately this mostly seems to be complaining about "kids these days" without any data to back up the assertions about what the kids these days actually are, and that isn't good content.

kwertyoowiyop• 5 years ago

Criticizing an entire generation with such generalities gives off that “OK Boomer” vibe in spades. And I’m probably halfway between the age of the author and his father.

tallies• 5 years ago

Honestly this article makes me happy to be young. So many useless practices and attitudes, once brought down on us and simply accepted, now in the trash heap of history. Hopefully next up is 'the pledge.' I'd love some "Socratic reasoning" on why that should be respected.

frosted-flakes• 5 years ago

What is "the pledge"?

nrr• 5 years ago

School children in the US are often required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance[0] as part of the routine to start the school day.

Rise, put your right hand over your heart, and repeat after the person on the public announcement system. Historically, the Bellamy salute was used.

0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance

pbak• 5 years ago

I am older, and school years are 20+ years past me.

What are the better practices and attitudes which replaced the "useless" ones mentioned in OP's article ?

unraveller• 5 years ago

Well, it's Thursday somewhere so why not learn a new word in his honour.

The article focused on education and its unrivalled ability to bring about human flourishing. Aristotle had a word for this aim: 'Eudaimonia' is the condition of human flourishing or of living well. Quite distinct from happiness as often translated, it implies a hard fought for contentment.

My Father Was a Great Teacher. He Wouldn’t Last a Week in the Modern Classroom

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