Do You Feel Like School Can Sometimes Be Joyless? Rigid? Relentless?

In the introduction to her book, Breaking Free From Myths About Teaching and Learning, author Allison Zmuda said she wrote the book because of the "pervasive weariness" she has seen in too many classrooms. 

"Despite intentions to ensure that all learners can be successful, educators seem to be working harder than ever but accomplishing less, while students seem to be more disengaged than ever but longing for more," she writes. "In the effort to improve student achievement, we have pushed the existing system of schools into hyperdrive, asking students and staff to work at a speed that negatively affects learning in the long run. Limitations on what is possible in schools are generated and perpetuated by the very people who suffer because of them. The more certain we are that schools cannot change, the more awful the situation becomes for everyone."

The first chapter of the book leads off with this quote from Albert Einstein: "It is little short of a miracle that modern methods of instruction have not completely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." A diagram at the end of that chapter suggests learning in all too many schools has become "joyless, rigid, relentless, extrinsically motivated, and 'test-prep oriented.'" Ideally, learning should be "joyful, engaged, creative, intrinsically motivated, and focused on real-world, meaningful, authentic application," the diagram suggests.

The book goes on to outline a series of myths about teaching and learning, and then recommends ways to rethink teaching and learning, along with methods of designing learning environments, and measuring "mission-driven goals." 

Excerpts of portions of the book are available online, it can be ordered from R. J. Julia online, and copies will be available at Scranton Memorial Library, which will be the location of a book discussion being sponsored by Madison Public School Superintendent Thomas Scarice on Wednesday, May 1^st at 7:00 PM at the Scranton Library.

This event is open to the public. Daniel Hand High School students are welcome to attend. Registration is required by emailng www.madison.k12.ct.us or calling the Superintendent’s Office 203-245-6322 or the Scranton Library 203-245-7365.

In addition, those who are interested are invited to meet the author, Allison Zmuda, on Monday, May 13^that 7:00 PM at the Scranton Library.