John Glover. Anyone who went to Lakewood Junior in the 70’s will remember that name. He was the person who found ways to get to me. Currently, there is a panic to get rid of the reading instruction I used when teaching elementary. It has been found that many of these techniques were without merit or research. It does highlight something that has been in teaching since Socrates. We look to find better ways to teach students, In fact, a popular current technique is using the Socratic Method. I call them simple questioning methods and that discussion, evaluation, and revision is a great way to come to answers. I am going to make a bold statement and it may be controversial. The purity in the heart of the teacher is far more important than any current teaching fad. If the teacher loves learning and loves students, whatever method they use will be a big impact. I believe a great teacher starts with the students and finds the technique to fit rather than make the child fit the technique. I will admit that I have no research to back my claim but I know in my heart that I am right. The other challenge we have is impatience. We never give techniques or style time to work. It takes time to really embrace any technique. Whenever we were given new training I would ask the presenter how long they had been using it. Almost every presenter who was in a classroom has been on this track for 5+ years. The most vivid example for me was when I was cleaning my basement and looking to donate things I used for elementary to new teachers. I found that I had to just toss much of it because it has been discredited and would never be used.
I want to now return to John Glover. He did some things for me that went well past just being a teacher. He discovered that my eyesight wasn’t perfect and found a way through the Lions Club to get me glasses. He did a few other things that made my love of learning blossom. He knew that he could hook the boys on reading if he made it competitive. We had SRA boxes in the back of the room and we each had a booklet where we put answers and showed our progress. It became a competition but it sure made us read. We now use a term calling for “short, snappy pieces” to read. I pointed out when this became the mantra of district folks who said we were trying a “new” approach, that this has been used since the 60s and 70s. I loved that SRA box. For one of the only times in junior high school, I felt successful. John Glover may have been using something that was provided for him but it was he that found a way to make it useful. This is the last I will say about this controversy. Teaching is an art as much as a science and we ought to let the artists work and just supply them with what they need.