Avoiding the blog on Theory.

I usually like to complete my blog assignments earlier in the week, but I have spent most of this week avoiding this blog on theory. Admittedly, I am not currently a huge fan of theory. For some reason, I am stuck on practical application when approaching 5060, and I find it difficult to apply most of the theories that we have discussed to the First Year Writing program.

I know, I know. I'm supposed to be thinking about how I will teach and what methods I will use when I am free to torture my students in whatever ways imaginable. But, as I have never actually taught a course, it is difficult for me to move beyond the realm of First Year Writing. And, as we have learned, in such a structured course where the Classroom Instructors only control participation grades and have little control over the structure of their syllabus, it is difficult to completely acknowledge theory as a necessary part of teaching.

My main problem with some theory is this: Something could sound incredibly effective on paper, but, when applied to an actual population, still fail miserably. We discussed this in our1301/1302 lesson-planning workshop last week: One idea may work for one section, but not for an other. Every class has a personality and the Instructor has the delightful task of figuring out what works best for each group of students. In this respect, where do we shove theory?

We discussed in 5060 that learning and commenting on different theories will help give us a better idea of how we want to teach our students. If every group of students is different and needs to be taught in a different way, then it is probable that they will require the practical application of different theories. Or, perhaps, a mixing of theories.

I guess my main concern is this: If someone were to center their teaching style around one particular theory, how would they be prepared to acknowledge and assist the diverse array of students that they would face?

I want to specifically mention that I am not against theory. I have enjoyed, to some extent, reading and discussing the different theories in 5060. And I wholeheartedly think that people should incorporate some sort of theory into their teaching. I just worry that, in looking at the different theories, it would not completely benefit students if we were to approach our classes with one general idea on how to run the show. I feel that we need a diverse appreciation of teaching methods and theories in order to best suit the needs of each individual group.