The Pedagogy-Public Opinion Gap | Connected Principals

The Pedagogy-Public Opinion Gap | Connected Principals:

The Pedagogy-Public Opinion Gap

by Johnny Bevacqua

This post was originally published by J. Bevacqua on Figuring It Out
I contend that there is a Pedagogy-Public Opinion Gap in education.  For the sake of this post, I would define this Pedagogy-Public Opinion “gap” as:
The gap in understanding between what professional educators and researchers, who work with students on a daily basis, see as “best practice” in education (teaching, learning and schooling) and those “outside” the world of professional education – whose ideas, understanding and opinions about teaching (pedagogy), learning and school are formed, primarily, from their own personal experiences and memories.
I also wonder if this “gap” is widening.
I invite you to read some of these examples and draw your own conclusions:

• The “No Zeros” Debate – check out these articles and comments –  here and here

• Check out these public opinion comments on the Homework Debate?

• Should we stop giving grades to students when reporting learning?  Check this on-line “vote” and comments on the CBC website

• Awards in School?  Check out the hundreds of comments related to the story of a high school principal