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We aren't the expert just giving out information - students should see the teacher as more of a facilitator who guides them, but they are doing the deep thinking.

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Students need to be able to find information on their own.  They need to be persistent in their search for knowledge and dig deeper for true understanding.  If they are able to do this their learning will be more meaningful to them.

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Recently, a teacher with whom I was working confessed to me, "Robyn, I cannot work any harder than I am already working. And yet, my kids aren't making the progress they need to make to pass the AP test. I am so frustrated."

I hear this a lot. Teachers are working as hard as they can - they stay after school, they are up until midnight each night planning new lessons and grading papers. They are giving everything they have and yet it seems to them that their kids, are working hardly at all.

And yet, as common and as frustrating as this situation is, I get into a lot of trouble for the title of my book Never Work Harder Than Your Students.

Some critics (who aren't teachers by the way) have read the title and been immediately offended. They say that I am trying to let teachers - who are already lazy enough - off the hook for doing the work that they should be doing. Even some teachers prickle at the title. They argue that of course they should work harder than their students. That's their job.

The other day I read a story that illustrates the danger of such a view. . .

A cow and a mule worked on the small farm. Each morning, the farmer would start the day by milking the cow. Then he would hitch up the mule to plow his fields. At the end of the day, he would return to the cow and milk her again. One evening, the mule weary from a day of plowing approached the cow.

"I am so exhausted. All day long I plow the fields. My legs are sore. My back is chafed by the plow. I need some rest."

The cow felt sympathy for the poor, tired mule and suggested,

"Why don't you pretend to be sick tomorrow. That way you can get a day off."

The mule thought that was an excellent idea so the next morning, when the farmer came to hitch him to the plow, he lay down in his stall and moaned. The farmer, seeing that the mule was sick closed the stall door and took the plow to the cow's stall and hitched her up instead. All day long she pulled the plow through the fields and that evening she returned to the barn to be milked. The mule on the other hand, enjoyed a relaxing day grazing in the meadows.

Angry and exhausted, the cow scolded the mule. "You spent a day of leisure while I had to do your work and mine. Now I am tired and my legs are sore and my back is chafed by the plow."

The mule felt a twinge of guilt and apologized but he had enjoyed such a relaxing day that the next morning, he pretended to be sick again. The cow spent another day of milking, plowing, then milking again. That evening, she was too tired to fuss at the mule. The mule saw that the cow was doing a great job at doing both of their work so he felt less guilty and decided to take the rest of the week off.

By Thursday, the cow's milk began to dry out. Her legs were shaky and although she gave it her best effort, she was unable to plow as much of the field as she had at the beginning of the week. The farmer became frustrated because he was unable to get as much work done and there was no milk. That evening he walked into the barn and made a decision. Because the mule seemed so sick, he would sell him to a glue factory and use the money he earned to buy a healthy mule. And, because the cow no longer produced good milk, he would use her for meat instead. When the mule and the cow heard the farmer, they quickly got back to doing their jobs.

How many times does this story play out in our classrooms? The students, like the mule, don't do their jobs of learning. And we, like the cow, attempt to do both our work and the students' work. Often we think we are helping students by doing things this way, but in the end, we are doing harm to both them and us.

Instead let's recognize what is our work and what is the students' work. The bulk of our work happens before students enter the classroom and after students leave. We plan and prepare learning experiences and after class is over, we assess and provide students feedback on how well they engaged in those learning experiences so that we can all improve the next day.

The students' work happens during the class period where it is their jobs to do the work of learning. It's not that we should sit idle during class time, but we should never do anything that lets students off the hook for doing the work of learning of themselves. When we do our jobs properly, we set students up for meaningful and engaging learning experiences. But, when we work harder than our students, we cheat them and ourselves.

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Recently, a teacher with whom I was working confessed to me, "Robyn, I cannot work any harder than I am already working. And yet, my kids aren't making the progress they need to make to pass the AP test. I am so frustrated." I hear this a lot.

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I agree, students need to work hard, it is their education after all.  However, my question is how?  How do I get my students to work hard?  It is difficult when so many of them do not care about their education, are not willing to work outside of class, and desire more to socialize in class.  This past spring I had several seniors failing.  These students were nice kids that freely admitted that they "don't do homework." Yet, they were not willing to put in effort in class either, unless I was standing next to them guiding them the entire way.  I am not able to stand next to each person nor each group at all moments in a class of 32+.

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I get that the point here is that the teacher should be doing less talking and the students more talking.  I do not disagree with this point.  However, at face value, this is not always a true statement.  I was NEVER a talker in school, yet I was a good student and feel as though I learned a great deal in all of my levels of education.  I have students that are PHS valedictorians, that rarely say much in class.  They, instead, take in what others are saying (teacher and student alike) and are able to evaluate, assess, and come to conclusions without being the one that is always talking.  I think we need to value all types of learners, not only the vocal ones.  Yet, discussions among students are very valuable in the learning process.

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It's necessary to create opportunities for students to speak to each other in meaningful ways about class content.

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As an expert, a teacher would be expected to "know" all of the answers. Ideally, teachers should be more of a coach, where they are a trusted guide to help students in their learning.

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I like the idea of being a coach rather than an expert.  I am certainly not an expert on several of the topics I have been expected to teach.  This past year I had to teach 3 classes that I had never taught before in my 19 years of teaching.  As a social studies teacher I was only expected to take 2 economics classes in college and those classes were 22 years ago.  There is NO WAY that I could be an expert on economics!  I am certain I served as a coach, not an expert!

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Do we know how many of our students are taking online classes each trimester?  The number is huge!  So, yest, technology is replacing teachers!

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Teachers are not, and cannot be automatons handing out information to students. They are leaders, guides, facilitators, and mentors. They encourage students when they struggle, and inspire them to set and reach for their goals. They are role models, leading by example and giving direction when necessary. A computer can give information, but a teacher can lend a hand, or an ear, and discern what’s necessary for a student to succeed, and to want to succeed.
THE BLOG

10/19/2013 10:22 pm ET Updated Jan 23, 2014

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Do we know why so many students are taking online classes? Is it because they are more challenging, are they learning more, or are they just easier? I have daughter in high school and I have a good idea from her comments.

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I have many students who are great listeners. They are able to take in knowledge, process the knowledge and calculate what might happen. They may not be the most talkative, but when given the opportunity to share they have amazing ideas.

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Students need to be able to work together to guide their learning to higher thinking.

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There needs to be a balance for each, but the teacher cannot forget to be a guide for the students.

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There is a time and place for each.

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We can't forget the guide part.  Yes they can, but many high level high school kids struggle with this.  Instruction is not replaced by technology.

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We can't forget the guide part.  Yes they can, but many high level high school kids struggle with this.  Instruction is not replaced by technology.

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Students need to learn how to process the information they read in order to get factual information.

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I agree with this statement, but how do we get to that point, where students are working hard and want to give their all?

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Students can also be experts and all students can be experts in different areas. Teachers can not be experts on everything.

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Teachers

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Students may be absorbing the information without saying much. Also, we cannot count out introverts, and we need to be more aware of the different personalities and learning styles.

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We are working against a mindset of education doesn't matter. We work in a community where there isn't a value of education.  How do we get students to care?

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We are working against a mindset of education doesn't matter. We work in a community where there isn't a value of education.  How do we get students to care?

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This depends on the situation and needs of the students.  There is a time and place for direct instruction, especially when learning fundamentals.

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This depends on the situation and needs of the students.  There is a time and place for direct instruction, especially when learning fundamentals.

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Teachers are not just there to give answers. The students can add to materials and show others how to find info or ways to find answers. It is okay to struggle and learning is not always easy or sometimes you can find the answer, you need to develop an understanding.

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The K-5 teachers are a very important piece in guiding students through the steps and process of being responsible for their own learning. Each grade level needs to allow for more independence by the student. The "guides" should help the students understand their previous learning is an important step in their independence.

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I completely agree.  I put in so much effort in making lessons exciting yet many of my students refuse to even participate.  Thus....no learning.

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I completely agree.  I put in so much effort in making lessons exciting yet many of my students refuse to even participate.  Thus....no learning.

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I disagree.   This statement is simplistic and negates embracing the diverse ways people learn.  Many people do not feel comfortable speaking in large groups.  As teachers we need to create groupings and opportunities where all students can share their insights and learning experiences. 

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I disagree.   This statement is simplistic and negates embracing the diverse ways people learn.  Many people do not feel comfortable speaking in large groups.  As teachers we need to create groupings and opportunities where all students can share their insights and learning experiences. 

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I want students to collaborate and find answers for themselves rather than just listening to me share all the information with them.

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I think some students (as well as adults) talk JUST TO TALK or to get others' attention.  I feel if students are "communicating" with each other on a certain topic, they are BOTH learning.

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Students and teachers need to be sharing information equally, there is so much to be learned from listening and talking. Education shouldn't just be lectures, it needs to be a combination of collaboration and critical thinking.

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I worry about how popular on line learning is becoming.  Students can take classes online, but are they learning necessary materials that will help them in their future.

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With the amount of information out there it is impossible to be an expert in everything. It is better to teach students how to be effective consumers of information and guide them to that information.

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I disagree. Online education is most successful for students who are self starters, independent and organized. Those kiddos who have learning issues or at risk have not been successful. Teachers will always need to use creative methods whether using technology or not.

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As a teacher and coach I have to be armed with the tools to help students find out/learn and become the expert.

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As a teacher and coach I have to be armed with the tools to help students find out/learn and become the expert.

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Hopefully technology is enhancing teaching/teachers--not replacing.

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Help show them ways or show them that mistakes are okay.  They may need guidance to find correct ways or info.

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The coach should be the expert. The "coaching" comes into play in knowing when to step in and help and when to ask the student thought provoking questions.

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Sometimes learning takes place with listening.  And, sometimes you may need to individually do and not listen to someone else's way.

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We are guides, not sherpas.

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We live in a technology dependent / enhanced world.  Independent learning fills the educational need of many students.  However, I do not believe we will replace the human factor. 

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We live in a technology dependent / enhanced world.  Independent learning fills the educational need of many students.  However, I do not believe we will replace the human factor. 

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Yet, this isn't always possible! I think that the more that students can lead a conversation the better. But, sometimes this just isn't possible!

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I believe that all work should be meaningful and worthwhile! Not just work for the sake of work!

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I believe that all work should be meaningful and worthwhile! Not just work for the sake of work!

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Myself, I learn more from listening than talking. I think this is the same with students!

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We are all "experts" in some areas. Most of us use this to guide or area of learning.

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I like to think technology can assist teachers, not replace us!

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By steering students in a direction and letting them learn through trial and error the material will become more engrained in their minds and result in a more thorough understanding.

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Getting the students to work harder than the teacher is the ultimate goal, however accomplishing this in todays age is difficult.

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I believe there is equal learning whether listening or talking and an equal amount of both is necessary to be successful.

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This has been the way in sports for a long time and it is a very productive model.

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Even as the teacher and as confident as I am with my abilities and knowledge, there are still questions that I don't know the answer to. I think it is important to open up the content as a discussion to our students so that they can be experts as well.

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I agree with the statement, but I don't feel like I know how to do this and make sure the students are truly learning what is needed based on the standards.

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In some cases, I can see how this is true, but I personally learn best through listening to others, so I'd have to disagree. But I see where they are coming from, in a way.

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I like this idea! I feel like if students view us as coaches, they will be more likely to ask questions because they are more comfortable with us. They know we have their best interest at heart. I know that in college I would have these expert professors that I didn't feel comfortable asking questions to because they might be "dumb" questions.

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I don't believe that is true.  I can see how online classes can be a concern, but I don't see students online being as successful as students in my classroom.

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Kids learn more when they are in the control mode of the topic being studied

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Kids learn more when they are in the control mode of the topic being studied

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The philosophy is correct in the statement, but getting the ideas and skills to make it happen is where the challenge is

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The philosophy is correct in the statement, but getting the ideas and skills to make it happen is where the challenge is

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I believe every child learns a little differently from the next one. However, deeper understanding usually occurs when the student is showing others or explaining how something works or is done.

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I believe every child learns a little differently from the next one. However, deeper understanding usually occurs when the student is showing others or explaining how something works or is done.

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I will be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on any topic. If students see that in their teacher and that their teacher still feels the need to grow and learn, it might inspire them to do the same.

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I don't think technology is replacing teachers, but I do think technology is replacing interaction and social skills with students. I hear from my friends in the "real world" how the kids that they hire today lack interview skills and social skills at times. I feel sometimes the fact that kids can find out so much at the touch of a few buttons tends to make them less motivated to work hard for things.

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I feel that students wait for us to give them the answers or look up the information for them. When they as a question and I say, "I don't know. Do you think so?" or "Look it up for us!" They are confused as if I don't know the answer. I want students to ask me questions, but also be able to find some answers on their own.

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I have tried to emphasize this to my students. Students who are doing poorly will ask, "What do I do to get my grade up?" I tell them that they have to meet me at least halfway. If they don't read the material, or study for the tests, they will struggle. I bend over backwards for these students to help them, (Quizlets, review games, study guides...) but they expect me to give answers. I work outside of my contracted hours to create lessons and grade assignments, but they find it hard to do any work outside of class. How can we emphasize this mentality stated above? It's great in theory, but at least in this community, it is not stressed enough outside of school.

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Just because a student is speaking, doesn't mean they are speaking about the material or are even correct.

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I feel that we should be coaches that can teach ways to find information and guide them through the journey of the lessons, but I feel that we should be somewhat experts on our content. As an English teacher, we need to know the content of the story before reading as a class. It allows us to prepare questions we want the students to think about for future events in the story (knowing what is to come). However, we should be open to new interpretations that students discover, and not just have a one-way "expert" idea.

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Online is currently on the rise, and I do not feel that this is a strong replacement for classroom learning. Being in the classroom teaches more than just English, Math, Science, etc. It teaches basic human interaction with other students. Many go online to get away from the "annoying kids" which is something they will have to deal with at the workplace too. Students need to learn responsibility and basic communication skills. Online should only be used for purposeful reasons (illness/injury/taking care of a parent). It shouldn't be used for  sleeping in or "the easier option".

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I agree that when students are capable of taking control of their own learning, teachers can be the facilitator and guide. However, not all students are capable of doing this. Teachers should know their students and students' capabilities, and guide them as much as possible, while still reinforcing the learning target, and stepping in when necessary. Some students need more guidance than others, and teachers need to know when, how often, and how much they need to provide guidance in order for students to learn the skills and material that is the learning target.

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Students should take their education seriously

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Students should take their education seriously

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Some students do not take their education seriously. They see school as a chore, and do not respect the value of what a good education can do for them in the future. This is not true of all students, but I have experienced a good number of students who do not wish to be engaged in their education. Hard work is so important, because without it, students will be ill-prepared for post-secondary education and options.

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Listening is just as important as sharing your viewpoint or information. It is a two-way street, and learning takes both listening as well as sharing what you've learned, or your ideas.

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Teachers need to be knowledgable the subjects that they teaching, but should also be prepared to learn from their students as well.

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Technology is simply a tool; teachers are responsible for using this tool in order to present the information that is being learned.

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The goal is to be able to support learning. The how many look different depending on the learners' needs and the topic/subject. 

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The goal is to be able to support learning. The how many look different depending on the learners' needs and the topic/subject. 

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Hard work and effort are very important. This approach to work ethic should start in kindergarten. 

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Hard work and effort are very important. This approach to work ethic should start in kindergarten. 

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I disagree. Some learners are shy, some are nonverbal. Just because one does not talk as much does not mean they do not learn as much as someone who talks a lot. 

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I disagree. Some learners are shy, some are nonverbal. Just because one does not talk as much does not mean they do not learn as much as someone who talks a lot. 

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Nothing against experts but I consider myself more of a coach. Not perfect. The word expert makes me think of someone who has a great abundance of wisdom. I'm working on it.... And happy to be a coach in the meantime. 

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Nothing against experts but I consider myself more of a coach. Not perfect. The word expert makes me think of someone who has a great abundance of wisdom. I'm working on it.... And happy to be a coach in the meantime. 

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I disagree. Technology is a resource, a very valuable one. But you can't replace the fostering you get from interacting with a human teacher. I've taken many online classes as an adult and I don't remember the name of a single instructor. I can, however, still recall many details about my kindergarten teacher. 

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I disagree. Technology is a resource, a very valuable one. But you can't replace the fostering you get from interacting with a human teacher. I've taken many online classes as an adult and I don't remember the name of a single instructor. I can, however, still recall many details about my kindergarten teacher. 

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Students need to clarify and be able to articulate their thoughts, not simply regurgitate the instructor's knowledge.

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That is true, but many don't. At conferences, I often say to parents of students that are doing poorly, "I am working harder than your son/daughter."

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Not necessarily. Some people can talk a lot and say nothing. Others are quiet and reflective.

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While teachers should have in-depth knowledge of their subject matter, no one knows it all. Teachers should help students shape their knowledge.

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Technology can't replace a true teacher.

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I agree that teachers should act as more of a guide rather than constantly feeding the students the information. Students will gain a more solid understanding and have a greater likelihood of retaining the information of concepts that they problem solve and discover with the guidance of the teacher. There are times when more guidance is necessary than others, however, I am a strong advocate for independence of students whenever it is possible.

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This is correct in theory. It should be this way. It is extremely difficult to find the way to motivate many students to work even close to as hard as many teachers do. We work hard to motivate our students and empower them to take ownership in their learning, however, some continue to struggle finding motivation.

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There should be a balance of both in the classroom. The fact of the matter is that the teacher, is supposed to be, and is, the expert in the room on a given subject (at least compared to the students). However that doesn't mean the teacher's job is to just stand in front of the room and spew information at the students. Especially at a time when so much innovation has been made in terms of making education a more student-learning, collaborative experience.

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This is not necessarily true. We need to value that students learn in many different ways and not all learn by talking. There are some students with different needs who may be unable to speak or struggle with communication, however, they can learn just as much as those who do a lot of talking.

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Teachers should definitely be coaches rather than experts. They should guide their team (students) to build the skills necessary to succeed and improve.

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Technology can be an amazing tool to enhance instruction and provide tremendous opportunities for students. I think in this day and age technology skills are important for students to use and develop. I do not agree that teachers should be replaced with technology. There are so many life skills and employment skills necessary that simply cannot be taught as effectively through online instruction. Technology should not be replacing teachers!

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A teacher will have more work to do during the initial stages of a lesson. However I do believe that in a classroom that is student-driven, the students do end up working harder simply because that is the nature of that room. In my classroom the expectations are set and it is made very clear that the closer students come to meeting those expectations depends on how hard they want to work to get there. I will always guide them as far as they want to go. And maybe, just a little further :-) .

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This is completely dependent on the way a particular student learns. I myself have always been someone who learns more if I can explain to other. However there are plenty of students who are better at listening and absorbing than they are at talking.

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The teacher won't necessarily be an "expert" in the traditional sense of the word, but they will need to be the authority in that classroom. For example, a high school science teacher probably isn't an expert in astrophysics the way Neil deGrasse Tyson is an expert. But if an astrophysics lesson is being taught in that science classroom, they are the person who likely knows the most. However, that's not the whole picture. A teacher needs to take that knowledge and facilitate an environment in which the students can take the proverbial ball and run.

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I think there are people who fear that this is happening via online learning. But there needs to be someone who is creating the online curriculum. I also believe that there will never be a fully effective substitute of face-to-face-in-the-classroom learning. Personally I just don't feel that any online substitute is as effective. However I could see a potential to go down that road. We need to remember to use technology as a tool within the classroom instead of trying to use technology to replace the classroom.

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Teachers should be there to help direct students learning. They should be able to find information on their own and deepen their knowledge.

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Learning should be in the form of a partnership in the classroom. While there are times where teachers are the "expert" in classroom, teachers should not assume that their students do not bring their own expertise.

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I believe that teachers have a lot of work in the beginning. As the trimester goes on, the students should work just as hard if not harder than the teacher since they know their expectations.

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Teachers should guide students - directed inquiry when at all possible. However, there are critical skills that must be mastered through demonstration and then trial and finally inquiry. This is true for all levels of education and classrooms. Our goal should be to have students that, when they graduate, are able to learn and discover and enjoy doing so but that have also mastered necessary information in order to do so.

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There is a time and a place for everything. A teacher needs to know when to direct/lead and when to let the students learn on their own.

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Teachers still are essential to provide the instruction on using the those learning tools in order to give students the independence to create & learn.

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It's dangerous to completely agree or disagree with statements like this. The best practices of teaching should not be distilled down to one sentence catch-phrases.

That being said, I don't think there's really a continuum here. In my experience - since it's impossible to directly relay information from one brain to another - teachers should think of themselves as designers. We engineer structures within the classroom - whether physical, social, or mental - that provide students opportunities to interact with new knowledge.

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For the most part I would agree with this statement, but I find at times the opposite to be true. At times, teachers have to lead by example and demonstrate an understanding of the concepts being taught.