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Re: improving textbooks -- some modest proposals



in re. to knowing their subjects, I can report about piano teachers (UK
'69). My friend had to audition for over an hour with movements from a wide
variety of sonatas (Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Bach, etc.), demonstrate
exercises (scales, etc.) etc. to obtain a certificate applicable to both
private teaching and in a state school, e.g. secondary modern. She ended up
teaching English for a time -- I suspect she has since passed it -- I thought
she was very good, but the test is notoriously rigorous.

bc

P.s. One may teach with out it, but it helps.

Michael Bowen wrote:

I wouldn't count on this. The Holt textbook whose problems I quoted in the
initial post of the thread [Bad textbooks (an example for the skeptical)]
claims to have been adapted from another book published for use in the U.K.
(although of course there is no guarantee that the particular problems
quoted came from that book). Unfortunately I don't have access to the
U.K.-published text from which it supposedly took root, and can't provide
its title to the mailing list at present (I won't have access to the book
again until Saturday).

Is it possible that foreign science teachers actually have to be
knowledgeable of their subject, and that this compensates (when necessary)
for the quality of textbooks? I have read (sorry, I forget where) that
teachers in Japan have specific non-teaching times set aside on a regular
basis during the workday to meet and discuss pedagogy issues among
themselves, and so experienced teachers can share ideas with newer
teachers. If true, this would be a luxury that American teachers in the
public schools simply do not have.

Also, are textbooks in foreign countries selected nationally or locally? I
don't know the answer to this.

--MB

===============

At 12:01 2002/02/18, Roger Haar wrote:
HI,
If the desired results of education reform is to seek equality
for US students with students in other countries, why do we not just use
their methods and translate (if necessary) their text books?