Teaching methods usually fit on a spectrum, with the ends being letting the students do whatever they want or the micromanagement of every move. These two polar opposites are presented in “Miss Awful” by Author Cavanaugh through the characters of Miss Wilson and Miss Orville. They resemble the ends of the spectrum along wither their advantages and flaws. By the ends of the story, it is clear how both can be applied.
Miss Wilson is a teacher that is very popular with the students. When a boy in her class decided to lie down and rest in the middle of class, she suggested that “‘we’d all have a rest, it was perfectly normal in the middle of the day'”. Obviously, her style of teaching makes sure that the students have fun and it relieves the stress of education. However giving students, especially little kids, this much freedom is deleterious to their education. Small children simply cannot be trusted to be self driven. Additionally, no matter how nice the teacher is to the students, they will eventually take advantage of her.
So let’s consider the other option. When Miss Wilson left for Omaha, Miss Orville became the substitute. On her first day, she yelled at the kids to march in a military like fashion. If a student had bad handwriting, she would scream at them. Even if someone is slouching they will get scolded. This teaching style on the surface has many drawbacks. First, not every single aspect should be corrected. Also, the students should be allowed room to grow and learn some responsibilities.
Which form of education is better? Well looking back, it was previously stated that Wilson and Orville’s teaching methods are ends to a spectrum. Like most things in the world, taking the middle road is usually a path that takes the good from both sides. Teachers should allow students to be independent and responsible, but help them in the right direction. However, this idea should be modified based on different age groups. For example, younger students should be managed more, as they lack self control and their education should be more focused on learning, rather than results. For older people like college students, they have been through twelve years of schooling and definitely know how to take control of their own progress. Also, what is more important at their age is to get their projects completed and in on time. In conclusion, what is most succesful is a mix of the two teaching styles, which encourage students to learn and also get things done.