Reflection # 9 --Teacher Effectiveness

Compared to the first schools of in Sumerian and then the education in Egypt students of today are very fortunate. As far as teach effectiveness goes, I do not believe that present day teachers have become more effective in their educational roles. If anything they have become less effective. Students would study from sun up to sun down seven days a week without rest. Some would argue that there are harsh conditions unfit for today’s children. However, with so much free idol time whatever is learned is soon forgotten in favor of the latest video game or television show. Repetition may not be the most entertaining way to remember school work but it does leave a lasting impression in the mind. Whereas children in ancient Egypt would start their education as soon as they could imitate an adult, the children of today are coddled and taught to behave as children as long as possible. Formal education was not obtainable for everyone in Sumerian and Egypt, children who were lucky enough to be educated took their lesson seriously. The penalty for not doing well in your lesson could be very stiff. Today students see education as something they don’t really need and actually hate to do most of the time. Teachers try so many different methods to reach the children so that they can learn the “standards” of education. When only the wealthy members of the society could afford to educate their children the poor would relish the chance for their child to better themselves for a brighter future. Yes there are more children being educated but are they learning at the same rate and level as these ancient civilizations? If you were to measure teacher effectiveness based on the number of students who finish formal education then yes, today’s teachers are more effective. However if you were to judge students strength of the knowledge over a period of time I believe today’s teachers would not be as high as those in ancient Sumerian and Egypt. My final argument on teacher effectiveness is ended on a quote I learned many years ago in primary school. If you give a man a fish then you have fed him for today, but if you teach a man to fish you have fed him for a lifetime.” Today’s teachers could live up to this quote given enough freedom to educate, instead of just testing students.