For those of us who embrace traditional/conventional teaching methods, this story was not surprising. A school in western Australia which had 31% of its students at or below the benchmark for numeracy, increased performance by using explicit instruction as the dominant teaching strategy.
To boost student outcomes, the school determined it needed a consistent pedagogical approach, greater support around basic skills and knowledge and to meet its own benchmarks for minimum student performance. …
Workman said that through applying explicit teaching throughout the school, students have been able to develop a better grasp of what they are being taught, which has improved both outcomes and engagement during lessons.
This story is tantamount to saying “Students learn when given instruction” and should not be headline news. Sadly, it is. And even more sadly will be the number of people who, like the denizens of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegon, “look reality squarely in the eye–and then deny it.”
However, it is heartening that parents know what the story is and will respond (and have started responding) accordingly:
“I believe that we have become the school of choice in our area. Our Education Department’s motto is ‘high achievement, high care’. I think this is what parents are looking for, and that’s what they’re getting.”
traditional math 