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Essay on Teaching as an Art or a Science

Decent Essays

Teaching as an Art or a Science

Teaching: Is it an Art, or is it a science?

I think that teaching requires both art and science. They both play a role on each other, because if a teacher only demonstrates one of these types of teaching, their classroom will most likely be very boring.

Teaching as an art demonstrates ways in which the teacher may use creative ways to present the material so it is fun and interesting for his or her students. Some examples are games, “hands-on” activities, and/ or movies relating to the topics being covered. In The First Year, Genevieve DeBose gave disposable cameras to her students for a”getting to know each other” activity. The point of this activity was for her students to be creative and learn …show more content…

Teaching as a science demonstrates ways in which the teacher may use a more logical approach to present the material to the students. I feel this is the more traditional way in which teachers teach their class. An example of this could be a teacher lecturing their class about the topic being discussed. I personally feel this type of teaching tends to get boring and the teacher has a harder time keeping the student’s attention. I think any type of teaching need a scientific background or base. By saying this I am agreeing with Robert Slavin who argues “working from a scientific basis helps teachers avoid the pitfall of subscribing to the latest fad.” (Pg 14) Even though a teacher may use an artistic approach, they still must research their material and know it themselves before they can teach it. A good teacher can balance both art and science in their classroom. “The teacher who ignores scientific knowledge about teaching and learning and makes arbitrary decisions runs the risk of using methods and principles of teaching that are ineffective.” (Pg 15) If a teacher balances both art and science, it will make it easier for the students to learn and absorb the information while keeping their attention span. Although depending on the grade level in which the material is being presented one of the types of teaching may need to be

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