Topic: Poor Teaching

K-12

10-second review: The author, Peter Sanders, gives quotes from teachers and excerpts from student writing that reveal questionable teaching practices. He asserts that reading problems are sometimes caused by poor teaching practices.

Title: “Some Things Worth Pondering.” Peter Sanders. English Journal (February 1975), 18-20. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “Poor reading may reflect psychological, physiological or intellectual limitations; and it may to some degree reflect an inadequacy of materials. At least as much, we believe, it reflects teachers’ methods and attitudes.”

Comment: This article is a ready-made in-service program. The K-12 quotes and excerpts exemplify what the author thinks are poor teaching practices. Teachers could have an interesting time identifying the implications of the practices represented by the quotes and excerpts. Quite a few teachers could think there is nothing wrong with some of these teaching practices.

And speaking of poor teaching practices. I encountered with my daughter the absolutely worst teaching practice regarding vocabulary. The teacher gave 100 vocabulary words. The assignment: write a story in which my daughter had to use the 100 vocabulary words—in order. That’ll make kids love words. RayS.