Grant+Research...

Scuch, K. (2004). Learner-centered principles in teacher-centered practices?. Teaching and Teacher Education. Volume 20, Issue 8. 833-846. Retrieved from []
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This article shows both the benefits for teacher-centered and learner-centered learning. The article seems to favor the learner-centered approach considering there is far more information than that of teacher-centered. Included in the learner-centered section is an example, a tacher named Mr. Jackson who gives his students a lot of leeway. There is one part that includes dialogue between he and his students in which they give him suggestions for how he should teach. His classroom seems more student-oriented, but student suggestions can still be offered in a teacher-oriented classroom.

This article goes into great detail, and apparently is very reliable. Sources are sighted throughout the article in almost every sentence. This article definitely applies more to a student-oriented approach, but I liked the phrasing in the section for teacher-oriented. Drill and practice is the easiest way to get good grades, and that's what the teacher-centered approach is all about. I wish more teachers listened to what their students say like Mr. Jackson does, however.

Cohen, R.M. (2002).Schools Our Teachers Deserve: A Proposal for Teacher-Centered Reform. Phi Delta Kappan. Vol. 83 Issue 7, p532. 6p. 1 Color Photograph, 2 Illustrations. Retrieved from [|http://web.b.ebscohost.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=545141f5-4106-4f62-a32e-fd4b64b0fca0%40sessionmgr112&vid=0&hid=106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=6278964&db=afh]

This article talks about how a teacher-centered environment would help to "reform" schools today. The arguments that this bring up are how we should "focus on the teacher" and how a teacher-centered environment is inexpensive. The article says how the most successful schools go by "embedded norms," which definitely refers to a classroom where a teacher dominated the classroom. An example of how student-oriented learning can be costly is exemplified at Cumberland High school where all of the students have been given laptops, which can only widen the gap between teachers and the level of control they have over the classroom.

The article also says that there is not a school in the whole country with the motto "the teacher comes first." While I agree with this and it is true that students are important, teacher are there to lead. Not all students can thrive in a student-centered classroom due to shyness and whatnot. In a classroom where the teacher feeds information to the students who absorb it, this, I feel, is the easiest way for students to learn and be able to perform well on tests.

Rickards, D., & Hawes, S. (2004). Raising Writers: The Teacher's Role. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. pp. 68-71. Retrieved from: [|http://web.a.ebscohost.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=faaafed9-e228-4f8b-9c5b-7f0f11996768%40sessionmgr4002&vid=0&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=14635599&db=afh]

While this article is about the process of elementary students learning how to write, I feel as though it can apply to kids at any age. The authors refer to the room in which the teacher gives the instructions as a "supportive environment." The teacher does not have to absolutely dominate, and they really can't when it comes to writing, which comes from the students imagination. Instead it is important for them to provide instruction but not do the student's paper for them. Being "supportive is especially important when dealing with children at a young age. The article refers to teachers as "models," and says, "Students gain valuable insight into the writing process as they watch their teacher select a topic, plan, write, revise, and edit." This is where I drew the conclusion that teacher-centered environments are much better than a class in which you peer edit, where we do not get good enough feedback from our peers most times.

I wouldn't really compare my beliefs in this article to my high-school experience. In high school I would rather just peer edit since, to be honest, most teachers I had for a writing class didn't really know what they were talking about (sorry, guys.) For my journalism class, which is entirely writing, we have not peer edited once and it is definitely a classroom dominated by the teacher. I love this, though, because I would rather have my experienced teacher absolutely trash my article than have a friend look at it, not care, give it back, and have me get a crummy grade.

Garden A. How to…teach. BJOG 2009;116 (Suppl. 1):86–87. Retrieved from []

My favorite quote from this one is "We need to enable our students to be life-long learners, teaching them how to find information and how to know if it is information they can trust." If students are controlling the conversation in class, they can come up with a whole bunch of nonsense. Teachers often are getting their information straight out of a book or another credible source (if not they should be.) The article included a graph saying that only 5% of students retain information from a lecture, and 80 percent retain info best from teaching others. Lectures were at the very bottom of the list, suggesting that the teacher-oriented approach may not necessarily be the way to go. However, most of these other methods on the list (demonstrations, doing, discussion groups, visual, and reading can all be orchestrated through the teacher, who is to be the head-honcho, if you will, of the classroom.

I'll admit, I have had some pretty bad teachers who used a lecture-style classroom. My Art History teacher who has a 2.2/5 rating with a whole bunch of reviews on ratemyprofessor.com, did nothing but talk the entire time and her style of teaching was completely ineffective. I do agree with the chart in this sense. However it all does depend on the teacher. If a good teacher teaches a class where they dominate the conversation, it will be a good class. If a bad teacher does it, it will be a bad class. It all depends on the teacher.

Willingham, D. (2015, September 8). Teachers Aren't Dumb //. The New York Times.// Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/08/opinion/teachers-arent-dumb.html?_r=0

For my big-shot newspaper article I selected one from the New York Times. This one talks about how teachers while did not necessarily get the best grades when they had teachers. It says that teh average SAT score of those who wanted to become teachers is below the average of all students. It also said that 42 percent of teachers could not define "phonology awaerness." It says that teacher's effectiveness is often hard to judge, but some teachers are not trained properly. It says that teachers who are not good at teaching are not stupid but that thay have been "left in the dark."

I find it weird that teachers are not getting the best grades when they are in high school. If they did not get higher grades than average, how do they have any expectations from their students. I've always wondered while I'm sitting in class "I wonder how this teacher did while they were in school." This article answers that in saying that many did not do as well as we might expect. I do think that it is a bit harsh, though, to say that these teachers who are not good at their job are "left in the dark." Maybe they shouldn't be teaching, but they can be bright in other fields.

Borg, L. (2015, September 15). Rocky Hill School teacher wins RI art educator award. //The Providence Journal.// Retrieved from http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150914/NEWS/150919643

My Providence Journal article is about a teacher who won an award for teacher of the year as an art teacher. While I would rather just have a teacher just tell me what to do and have me do it, her subject is a little bit different. While teachers in an art class do provide instruction for how the student is supposed to do their project, i feel like a class like this forces the teacher to be much less in control since it comes from the student's imagination. In an advanced art class however, it is possible for the teacher to play a bigger role.

My experience with art teachers was not exactly the best during school. In elementary school we had a teacher who insisted on keeping an entirely quiet atmosphere and would send any kids who talked into a room where they would stand for the rest of the class which she called "Alaska." Talking definitely is a big problem in art classes, though, since it requires the least though and work for any class. My high school art teacher definitely took the classroom over, too, contrary to my belief that art teachers are very relaxed. I recieved lower grades than average on artwork that I was able to sell. This article included just fact and did not really require an opposing stance.