Too Much Teaching by the Textbook

For as long as anyone can remember, textbooks have gone hand in hand with teaching inside of the classroom. The best written textbooks are a valuable source of information. The writing might seem to come across as a little dry and uninspired, but all of the valuable information which will pop up on homework assignments and exams are right in the textbook.

The textbook is there for the teacher to use as they wish. In many instances, the textbook is an educational tool. Some teachers just stick by the book, while others rather tend to use the textbook as a base guideline, and then put their own spin on teaching the class. The true question is precisely how much should a teacher rely on the textbook when they teach the class?

Throwing the textbook out and just teaching whatever comes to mind would be a rather unwise step to take. At the same time, completely and utterly one hundred percent following the textbook word for word, without any original thought is not a good idea. If a teacher is to do that, just putting up notes, giving out assignments, given lectures that are easily gathered from the textbook, then why are they there for?

If the class can easily be taught by textbooks, then it really can undermine the value of the teacher. There are many issues that cannot be solved by just merely reading the textbook. There are instances where the actual assigned material can guide students. Then there are times where books assume too much. They assume that students should know more when they really should.

That assumption is a faulty one, as educators know, you never assume that students know every single thing that comes to mind. A teacher is able to think on their feet and to be able to explain concepts, ideas, and problems, without defaulting to the textbook. An above average student could just teach a class following the textbook just as well.

That fact does not mean the class will be that good. Just as the simple fact when teachers decide to ignore simple fundamental concepts like that sometimes they have to step a bit outside of what is assigned to make ideas make sense. The role of the teacher is one which a book and independent learning cannot be easily done.

If the students get the idea that the teacher is useless and only relies on the textbook, then they may acquire the idea that school is useless. Even though it is not, there is a slippery slope right down hill.

The textbook is there and it is a useful guide that plan out lessons. Don't be afraid to add your own input, any information you might feel benefits your students that is beyond the scope of the textbook. If your knowledge can help them better understand what is being presented, then is that not a good quality?

Teachers and textbooks do go together, but there are times where educators can get lazy and default to a certain area where they will be unable to think far outside of the box.