The Executive Approach to Teaching

     As a student, I have had many teachers that have used the executive approach to teaching. It has been very beneficial to me as I am one that likes structure and organization. I have a hard time trying to achieve that type of structure in my own life however! I call it the joy of having teenagers! Anyway, on to what I was originally discussing about the executive approach to teaching. I had many teachers that could walk that fine line of being a great executive but also hinging on the boarder of facilitator. I feel that it is necessary to have high structure and teacher directed learning, but it is also necessary to have time for the students to direct the learning or education becomes mundane and boring. I see the executive approach every day at school. One classroom is very structured. It is necessary for the young age of the children but there is no room for flexibility. It is structured for each minute of the day and is followed almost to the point of frustration. I have been in a classroom where you can see the dazed looks of the children but the teacher just keeps going "because it is in the lesson plans so it is going to be taught today!"  The executive approach covers classroom management where it is necessary to cover the curriculum in a way that promotes successful learning. It means that a teacher must know the students and their level of readiness to learn. It means organizing material to engage them in learning that is productive.
     I have been in classrooms that are directed with more of  a facilitator approach and to me it is to disorganized. The students seemed unsure of what they were to be doing most of the time. It seemed to be a free period for many to catch up on other classes. That is why I feel it is necessary to have an executive approach to my classroom. It needs to be organized and structured in a way that the students know what is expected of them throughout the day. They know what will be taught that day and what is expected of them to learn from it. There also needs to be a little bit of facilitator included so that the children do not become bored with school. There should be some fun and opportunities for the students to learn about subjects they are interested in. There are benefits to classrooms using the facilitator approach. One is that the students gain better comprehension of the material and if it has not been gained, the teacher can go back and reteach until there is comprehension. The teacher is able to give quick corrective feedback, reinforcement of subject material,  and reteach anything not understood.
    As the classroom size keeps increasing, the teacher needs to have more structure in how it is organized and material taught for comprehension.