Robert A. Cohen
East Stroudsburg University
August 2009
Two teachers are standing on a hill.In the valley below them, they can see a flock of sheep tended to by a shepherd. A sheepdog is running around the sheep, barking. In the distance, they can see a thunderstorm, with periodic lightning.
The one teacher says to the other: "See that lightning storm over there? Because of the storm, the shepherd must get the sheep through the gate and into the pen in a timely manner. With the assistance of the sheepdog, the shepherd guides the sheep such that the sheep move through the gate.
"This is just like teaching. The storm represents department of education requirements, the sheep represent students and the shepherd represents the teacher. Just like the shepherd with a flock of sheep, I guide students to get them where they need to go."
The other teacher thinks about it for a moment and then frowns. "That doesn't represent teaching! The shepherd's waving and the sheepdog's barking may keep the sheep together and get them where they need to go but the sheep don't really learn how to do it for themselves. They'll still need the shepherd and the sheepdog the next time they need to get somewhere."
"Perhaps not," the first teacher responds, "but this is just what I do as a teacher. After all, just like teaching, there's no time for the shepherd to do anything else. If the shepherd spent time explaining how to move through the gate, there wouldn't be any time left to actually move through the gate."
"Yes, but that is only because of the approaching storm," the second teacher points out. "Without the storm, there would be more time to teach them properly."
"True," the first teacher responds, "but without the storm, the shepherd would not be motivated to do anything. Without standards and deadlines, teachers, like the shepherd, would not be motivated to get much accomplished. Besides, all the explaining in the world is not going to get all the students to learn, just as the shepherd will never get all the sheep to learn how to get through the gate on their own. Isn't it better to have students, and sheep, complete something than to have only a fraction of them learn how and risk even fewer actually accomplishing it?"
"True," the second teacher acknowledges, "but perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between."
"Like what?" the first teacher asks.
Before the second teacher can respond, both teachers are hit by lightning.
Moral of the story: In a lightning storm, observing sheep while standing on top of a hill is not the safest place to be.
Translation: In the rush toward short-term measurable results, not only can long-term learning be sacrificed but so can the time needed for observing and discussing lessons, goals and methods.
Questions: Is there a way to balance results and real learning? Without state mandates, what would motivate the teacher to move students through the gates in a timely manner?