The national lock-down has resulted in many teachers resorting to videos, and Zoom meetings. In either case, the principal means of teaching appears to be explicit and whole class instruction.
Students saddled with math curricula that do not have a textbook and rely on group work/collaboration, may actually be enjoying a benefit to the more “traditional” form of instruction. This experience gives us a rare opportunity to see the results of a nationwide forcing of direct/explicit instruction.
Any benefits observed, however, will likely be discounted when we get back to the more-or-less normal classroom; i.e., with students and teacher present in one place. I’m willing to bet good money that the edu-party-line will then be: “Yes, there was some increase in performance as measured by traditional testing methods, but there was a decrease in ‘deeper understanding’. ”
Any takers?
Nonpartisan Education Group 