Skills are more important than knowledge
Over the past few years I have often seen posts from people on the TES site where they say they are worried about 'teaching X' as it 'wasn't in my degree' etc etc.
Sometimes I see posts from those with a degree in Economics, worried as to whether they can teach Business Studies.
I have always taken the view that it is the ability to teach rather than subject knowledge that is important for Economics, Business Studies and similar subjects.
A case in point is the ex-pupil of mine who taught for several years inOxford
He was a good 'teacher' though.
The reason I bring this up is that I have just started teaching Politics.
I have never studied Politics.
I haven't a clue about Politics as a subject at A level.
But I am still teaching it.
This is how it came about.
One of my pupils is attending another college inOxford
The pupil and I get on very well. She passed the European paper in Economics after 1 week of tuition. The rest of her class have been studyingEurope for 3 months and are still not ready.
For some time now she has been unhappy with her Politics lessons. She finds them boring; the subject very uninteresting.
And yet she has her AS (resit) and A2 in 6 weeks time.
She asked me if I would teach her.
I explained to her that I knew nothing about Politics - especially A2.
I tried to find her a suitable teacher but couldn't. Yes, all very well qualified but hardly inspirational.
Hardly good 'teachers'.
So I made a deal.
I agreed to teach the pupil provided if at any time she felt she was not learning, not progressing then she could stop lessons, no harm done.
In return I wouldn't pretend I knew a lot about Politics but I (I hope) do know a lot about teaching.
So I would prepare lessons, set her mocks etc etc and we'd see how it went.
I'll explain what I am doing in the next blog
Sometimes I see posts from those with a degree in Economics, worried as to whether they can teach Business Studies.
I have always taken the view that it is the ability to teach rather than subject knowledge that is important for Economics, Business Studies and similar subjects.
A case in point is the ex-pupil of mine who taught for several years in
He was a good 'teacher' though.
The reason I bring this up is that I have just started teaching Politics.
I have never studied Politics.
I haven't a clue about Politics as a subject at A level.
But I am still teaching it.
This is how it came about.
One of my pupils is attending another college in
The pupil and I get on very well. She passed the European paper in Economics after 1 week of tuition. The rest of her class have been studying
For some time now she has been unhappy with her Politics lessons. She finds them boring; the subject very uninteresting.
And yet she has her AS (resit) and A2 in 6 weeks time.
She asked me if I would teach her.
I explained to her that I knew nothing about Politics - especially A2.
I tried to find her a suitable teacher but couldn't. Yes, all very well qualified but hardly inspirational.
Hardly good 'teachers'.
So I made a deal.
I agreed to teach the pupil provided if at any time she felt she was not learning, not progressing then she could stop lessons, no harm done.
In return I wouldn't pretend I knew a lot about Politics but I (I hope) do know a lot about teaching.
So I would prepare lessons, set her mocks etc etc and we'd see how it went.
I'll explain what I am doing in the next blog
posted by Duncan Williamson @ 5:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home