I agree that traditional classrooms are not “good enough”.  When I think of the old methods of teaching (and I’m sad to say that many teachers are still doing things this way) I picture a classroom full of students facing the blackboard listening to the teacher lecture.  The classroom is so quiet you can hear a pen drop.  Noone talks other than to ask the teacher a question.  The students do nothing other than worksheets and assignments out of a textbook.  Not much learning is taking place because there is very little communication or interaction between the students.  The teacher is the only one that talks; the students listen.  This scenario does not work and I agree completely with Nate that it simply is not “good enough”.

However, I believe that some of the newer methods of teaching are more effective.  For example, in a constructivist kindergarten classroom, it is rarely quiet.  My students sit at tables and work in centers.  For example, this week they have been working together to put the letters of the alphabet in order.  I expect them to help each other and talk to each other as they complete tasks.  They are constructing their own knowledge; the students all work at their own levels.  Some can only put half of the alphabet together; some can do it all.  The ones that can do it all will soon move on to a new task……matching lower and uppercase letters.  I believe that this type of classroom still has room for improvement, but does not limit learning like the traditional classroom does, instead it enhances it.