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23 February 2005: Second Time Around (2 of 6)
I had often expressed fascination with the departmentalized model to my colleagues who worked in middle and high school settings. It seemed exciting, the opportunity to teach the same lessons a few times a day or more. I often lamented that these teachers’ reflection and practice could improve exponentially compared to those of non-departmentalized teachers.
Think of it this way: An eighth-grade English teacher probably has five different groups of students (classes) that she sees every day. Maybe they’re split into a couple different specific study areas (courses), such as American Literature and Reading and Composition. So, this young teacher on her first day of school has had five opportunities to practice her first day of school routine.
On the second day, she again has many opportunities to reflect upon and adjust her lessons. And so it continues.
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