Should classroom teachers have the freedom to change

by | Feb 27, 2025 | EDUCATION

Should classroom teachers have the freedom to change, adapt, and take advantage of unique opportunities for learning as they evolve within the adopted curriculum? If “good teaching” is more than just delivering the curriculum as it is written, how might a teacher add value or increase accessibility to these parts of the lesson:
• the introduction
• teacher directed (I do)
• teacher guided (we do)
• independent practice (you do)
• closing
Consider prior knowledge, supplemental materials (digital or hard copy), Universal Design for Learning, etc. It may be helpful to work through an actual lesson plan as you answer this.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Absolutely, classroom teachers should have the freedom to adapt and evolve the adopted curriculum. “Good teaching” is indeed far more than rote delivery; it’s about creating dynamic, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. Here’s how teachers can add value to different parts of a lesson:

The Importance of Teacher Flexibility:

  • Meeting Diverse Needs: Every classroom is unique, with students possessing varying prior knowledge, learning styles, and needs. Teachers must be able to adapt to ensure all students can access and understand the material.
  • Seizing “Teachable Moments”: Unexpected events, student questions, or current events can create valuable learning opportunities. Teachers should be empowered to deviate from the planned lesson to explore these moments.
  • Fostering Engagement: Rigid adherence to a curriculum can stifle creativity and engagement. Teachers should have the flexibility to incorporate activities, examples, and resources that resonate with their students.
  • Promoting Deeper Understanding: Teachers can add value by connecting curriculum content to real-world applications, encouraging critical thinking, and fostering deeper understanding.

Absolutely, classroom teachers should have the freedom to adapt and evolve the adopted curriculum. “Good teaching” is indeed far more than rote delivery; it’s about creating dynamic, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. Here’s how teachers can add value to different parts of a lesson:

The Importance of Teacher Flexibility:

  • Meeting Diverse Needs: Every classroom is unique, with students possessing varying prior knowledge, learning styles, and needs. Teachers must be able to adapt to ensure all students can access and understand the material.
  • Seizing “Teachable Moments”: Unexpected events, student questions, or current events can create valuable learning opportunities. Teachers should be empowered to deviate from the planned lesson to explore these moments.
  • Fostering Engagement: Rigid adherence to a curriculum can stifle creativity and engagement. Teachers should have the flexibility to incorporate activities, examples, and resources that resonate with their students.
  • Promoting Deeper Understanding: Teachers can add value by connecting curriculum content to real-world applications, encouraging critical thinking, and fostering deeper understanding.

Adding Value to Lesson Components:

Let’s consider a hypothetical lesson on the water cycle:

  • The Introduction:
    • Instead of simply stating the lesson objective, a teacher could begin with a captivating question: “Where does the rain come from, and where does it go?”
    • They could show a short, engaging video or a visually appealing image of the water cycle in action.
    • Connect to prior knowledge by asking students about their experiences with rain, puddles, or evaporation.
    • They could use a “think-pair-share” to have the students brainstorm what they already know about the water cycle.
    • Using UDL principles, this allows for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners to all get engaged.
  • Teacher-Directed (I Do):
    • Instead of a dry lecture, the teacher could use interactive visuals, diagrams, or even a simple demonstration (e.g., a water cycle in a jar).
    • They could incorporate storytelling or real-world examples to make the concepts more relatable.
    • They can provide digital supplemental materials, such as interactive online simulations, for students who need additional visual support.
    • They can provide hard copy supplemental materials, such as graphic organizers, for students who learn better with physical tools.
  • Teacher-Guided (We Do):
    • Instead of simply working through examples on the board, the teacher could facilitate a collaborative activity, such as a group discussion or a hands-on experiment.
    • They could use a “jigsaw” activity, where students become experts on different parts of the water cycle and then teach each other.
    • They can provide differentiated support, offering more scaffolding for students who are struggling and more challenging questions for those who are excelling.
    • They can utilize UDL by providing multiple means of action and expression.
  • Independent Practice (You Do):
    • Instead of a worksheet, the teacher could offer students a choice of activities, such as creating a diagram, writing a story, or building a model.
    • They could provide access to digital tools, such as online quizzes or interactive simulations, for students to practice at their own pace.
    • They can provide different levels of complexity for the independent practice.
    • They can provide rubrics so that the students understand how they will be graded.
  • Closing:
    • Instead of a simple summary, the teacher could ask students to reflect on what they learned and how it connects to their lives.
    • They could use an “exit ticket” to assess student understanding and identify any misconceptions.
    • They could preview the next lesson and connect it to the current topic.
    • They can ask the students to summarize what they learned in their own words.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Throughout the lesson, teachers can apply UDL principles to ensure accessibility for all learners:

  • Multiple Means of Representation: Present information in various formats (visual, auditory, kinesthetic).
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Provide students with different ways to demonstrate their learning.
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Offer choices, make connections to student interests, and foster a positive learning environment.

By embracing flexibility and incorporating these strategies, teachers can transform curriculum content into meaningful and engaging learning experiences.

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