Learning in Unison

Before watching this film I had never heard of the Direct Instruction method of teaching and although I can see why it was used, I still cannot say that I am big fan of it. From first to eighth grade I attended a small private school, so I have a hard time imagining what it is like for children to never receive individual attention. The students in the film had to respond to their teachers in a militaristic fashion and would often start to yell the responses. I just can’t imagine that this is the way a child learns to read, the memories I have of learning to read include sitting with my parents and reading bedtime stories.

I can see why there were kindergarten teachers who quit when the system was implemented at the school; it goes against so much of what teachers know. The film showed how much the teachers struggled everyday to create the intense learning environment and how the principal stepped in to make sure it happened. I think the school used it because they were desperate. I do not think that this was anyone’s first choice; it is a method that has been created to process a high number of students as efficiently as possible.

I think that as the students grow they will encounter some problems because they were taught with the Direct Instruction method. They may develop an aversion to the classroom because their experience was so structured and not tailored for the individual. I also think that they may even struggle later on in life with taking control of their own learning. They are told word by word how to do everything, but what happens when that stops? When no one is there instructing them? They may not be able figure out on their own how to approach new situations.