A colleague of mine uses the following question during interviews when hiring a new teacher, “Do you view teaching as an art or a science? Where do you place yourself on that scale?”

It generates interesting answers and it does allow a principal some insight into the person that they are considering to bring into his school community.

While I was in a classroom, I certainly was closer to the science end of the spectrum. I followed the basic lesson plan: opening, teaching activity, feedback on learning, assignment or activity to practice or strengthen concept and review. I tended to break apart the curriculum into manageable parts and tried to design my assessment for those ideas.

Now that I work in an outreach setting, an alternative school that focuses on individual programming, flexibility and one-on-one guidance, counseling, teaching I find myself definitely on the art side. When I approach a student the discussion can go in unexpected directions. I am quickly learning to read a situation, go with the flow and try to make it a learning experience.

I would like to know where you see your teaching or your view of education in general. Are we better at one end of the spectrum? Does situation change the answer? There is a deeper place I would like to go through this discussion. I look forward to sharing!