One premise in education that gains steam each year is the notion that real-world context helps students understand the purpose of classroom activities. A simple Google search turned up thousands of articles emphasizing this connection, including a 2018 story in the Sydney Morning Herald that makes the case quite clearly:
"Incorporating real-world connections into a lesson plan helps students understand why what they're learning is useful beyond school and university. It's an approach that works for every curriculum to increase engagement in the learning process as students gain valuable insights into real-life applications of the skills they're being taught."
Providing these valuable insights was one of the driving ideas behind iTerm, our two-week interim which offers several classes highlighting real-world connections. For these two weeks, we welcome many area experts into our classrooms. In our social media feed, we try to bring these moments to life—moments when our students interact with radiologists and surgeons, linguists and craftsmen. iTerm has been around long enough for us to see that these moments sometimes sway our students to pursue summer study, seek internships, and choose college majors. Yet, inadvertently, the celebration of these moments may have led some people to draw an erroneous conclusion. It was never our intention to suggest we have to import local experts in order to make these connections. In fact, many of our classroom teachers worked in other professions before opting into education. We call them "teachers by choice"; the writers, scientists, ethicists, financial analysts, ceramicists and purchasing agents who made conscious decisions to leave private practice in order to work at Marshall.
I had this conversation just the other day with two instructors who teach our highest-level math classes. I asked how often they drew from their previous careers when introducing complex material, and both had examples at the ready. Then, on cue, they made mention of a third colleague, suggesting they had never met anyone quite as adept as he "when it comes down to connecting classroom science to the real world."
Our very status as an independent school allows us to build a faculty with a variety of skills and life experiences. In building our faculty, we value academic content and subject matter preparation; however, we also have the freedom to screen for professionals who fit our Mission, value the autonomy we provide, and above all else, enjoy mentoring students. In fact, while one teacher may have a more academic background and the other broader professional experience, it is that final attribute—a love of mentoring—which is our non-negotiable. A few weeks ago, I attended a meeting at UMD with other area principals. At the meeting, leaders from the School of Education asked us to list the qualities we seek in teaching candidates. One principal lamented the fact that she does not get to choose her teachers; some are assigned by the district and others exercise seniority and transfer in.
I thought about how fortunate we are to have true independence in the hiring process. We are fully able to vet candidates, seeking the best fit for our program. With our new emphasis of self-directed learning, we seek curious and flexible candidates, willing and able to cover the variety of topics that interest our students. That said, the two qualities we still rate most important are: alignment with our Mission and a demonstrated passion for teaching and mentoring. That is why all candidates must teach a class as part of the interview process.
The suggestion that all schools are alike presumes that all teachers are alike; I think we all know that is not true. The best schools, public or private, hire passionate practitioners who align with Mission. When I took this job, I assumed everyone understood that schools should be measured by the quality of the teaching faculty. Had I thought otherwise, I would have written this Community Conversation long before any of the others. Sometimes it's just that simple; even in the real world. |