the things the exact way I learned them in methods classes and nothing worked. I thought I
was a failure. When I began to discover my own ways to do these same things, I started to
become a teacher. You cannot be someone else. You have to be you.”
This book does not offer a recipe for becoming a successful teacher. How could we? Alan
Singer, the principal author of the book, and Maureen Murphy and S. Maxwell Hines, who
worked with him, do not always agree on where to place priorities. Of the three, Maureen
places a higher emphasis on content expertise, “Max” on teaching approaches, and Alan on
framing and achieving goals. Instead of a recipe, this book offers an approach to teaching
and some suggestions on how to do it. But each of you will have to experiment with your
own way of teaching as you teach to learn and learn to teach. We want you to JOIN THE
CONVERSATION. We do not know any other way to become a teacher.
Are your university education professors lost in an ivy-covered tower? As you take this
class, participate in field placements, and prepare to become a teacher, you need to answer
this question yourself. What is the job of the teacher? As you come up with answers, please
keep in touch. My e-mail address is [email protected].
Sincerely,
Alan SingerBOOK I: GOALS 3