Grad School Blues (insert appropriate harmonica music here)

Last night, Ryan and I were discussing our graduate classes. He's frustrated that his prof uses the phrase "elbow partners" and much of his sessions consist of "round-robin-reading" of PPT slides. I lamented that I am in a class teaching the basics of differentiated instruction, including this week's focus on creating an effective learning environment.

Seriously?

For this we are paying thousands of dollars---each?

Take, for example, this question that was a section of my work from last week:

"Choose one to discuss during your online discussion.

'Do students all seem to learn in the same way or at the same pace? Or do some process information differently and at a different pace than others? How do you know?'"

Ok.

I have always held that a master's degree doesn't necessarily make a better teacher. After all, I know a teacher who has a master's plus and uses that education to pop in videos on a more-than-once-weekly basis.

But I do expect to learn something new...for my money and effort.

Back to the couch. Our conversation progressed to whether I am too critical because I taught for 16 years before going to grad school. Whether brand-new teachers who go straight through to grad school need this level of instruction. Whether adults should ever be asked to take "museum walks" around the lecture room.

Then he said it. Maybe we are the ones who should be professors. Now there's a new idea.

Should we be looking to share what we understand about kids, teaching, and technology?

I don't know if that's in my future. I know I'm not done with kids yet. I have 5th graders to teach and SBG to implement.

And besides, I don't have my master's yet. I'm not qualified.

Please feel free to discuss this topic with your elbow partner.