Authenticity
How much of what goes on in the classroom today could be considered “authentic” and not contrived, prescribed, manipulated and not “real”?
Authentic = directly from Medieval Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos “original, genuine, principal,” from authentēs “one acting on one’s own authority,” from autos “self” (see auto-) + hentēs “doer, being” (etymonline.com)
First of all, how many lessons and learning experiences in the classroom are on the computer, not relative to the student’s life, not created by the teacher nor delivered in a genuine way?
So many lessons are created by the district and mandated for teacher use in the classroom.
Teachers who don’t have time nor the desire to create their own lessons got to TPT.
Too many teachers are also just “page turners” and just go page-by-page from a textbook.
No creativity. No personalization nor customization nor meaningful connection to the context and real world of the students.
Why?
Too much work?
Too afraid given the current “witch hunt” that is going on in schools?
Don’t know how?
Don’t care?
Don’t have the resources?
Have no choice but to follow the prescribed and mandated curriculum?
Secondly, how many educators can “act on one’s own authority”?
In other words, how many teachers can actually be creative and add their own personal “spices” to the lesson “recipe” they are given by a textbook or the district?
How many authentic learning experiences are students having in the classroom that are going to engage, inspire and prepare them for their real world experiences outside of the classroom? (more…)
