During one frosty Canberra Winter, my husband and I developed an addiction to instant chocolate self-saucing puddings. You know the ones I mean, you stick them in the microwave for a minute or so, and they come out warm with a rich fudgy sauce. One day after work, I rushed into the shop to purchase my pudding fix. I grabbed one off the shelf and bought it without looking at it closely. It was only after heating it up and sitting down to tuck in that I realised it tasted odd. Only then did I look at the packet and realise I had bought (shock, horror!) a gluten-free version!
Now, I don’t want to be a negative ninny, but I’m not gluten intolerant. I needed my gluten back in, please! Extra gluten in my pud! The more gluten, the better.
I share this story of pudding perils because I think it can work as a metaphor for education programs/resources…stick with me here… *insert sticky date pudding pun*
I recall a unit on educational theories early on in my undergrad degree. We were asked during the unit about which theory aligned with our beliefs. Because it was so early-on in my study, I remember thinking that I wasn’t sure what my beliefs were. I didn’t feel like a “real” teacher yet. So, I probably went with the theory that I felt could fence-sit the best. I finished the course, and then I filed educational theories away in my brain in an “undergrad stuff” memory vault, never to be thought about again.
Years later, when I started teaching, I connected with other teachers. We planned together, and sometimes, I planned separately. Sometimes, I found ideas in books and on websites. When I was given a program, I would run with it. I was able to choose PL to do, and when I found things I loved, I incorporated them into my teaching. I made most of my pedagogical decisions from my gut. If it felt right, then I was doing it.
It wasn’t until my research degree that I reconsidered how ingrained learning theories were in every choice I was making as a teacher. Turns out all those gut choices came from learning theories. Each decision I made about whether to incorporate or leave out of my classroom sat in one field or another. Let me explain what I mean.
One of the first things researchers are asked to define before they begin their research is if they are qualitative or quantitative researchers. When you begin research, lectuers get you think about what you value in terms of research data. Are you a qualitative researcher? You look for a naturalized setting, you want to ask why? Or how? You want to question and observe. You want data that can be subjective. Or are you a quatative researcher, you want to know how much or how many, you want to measure and test. You want data that can be universal.
Initially, as I was used to the testing protocols that come with classroom teaching, I thought that quantitative data was the only type I could use. But as I looked more closely at studies similar to what I wanted to do, I realised that I wanted to question, be curious, and explore. And so, I began a journey to align my values with a research design.
Only when I became keenly aware of what I believed about research did I become more aware of how very different approaches to teaching could be. In fact, they can be in vast conflict. There are theories of teaching in every subject and part of the classroom from writing, reading, and maths to how to set up a classroom, talk to parents, and work with students. As an early career teacher, I often found this confusing. Why were different people telling me to teach the same thing in different ways? Who to listen to?
During my research journey, I realised that opposing views exist because of fundamental beliefs about education that underpin these theories. Now, it was up to me to decide which theories and, therefore, teaching methods fit with my beliefs and values about education and which didn’t.
Previously, I’d found that when I used some ideas or programs, they left a weird taste, just like the pudding. Now, I know the reason why. They didn’t fit with my beliefs and values, and they lacked the education “gluten” I desired.
This post is not to say that one theory is better than another, far from it. My aim in this post is to urge teachers to be keenly aware of their values. Especially in a landscape of purchasable programs. Teacher, don’t make the same mistakes as me. Take time to consider if what you are buying fits with your beliefs about education. In essence, this post is a buyer beware post. It is easy to be sold on pretty units or lesson plans and programs, only to realise that they do not fit with what you want education to be.
Basically, always check the label…in teaching and dessert.
