a) Prepare properly b) Teach effectively c) Collaborate with others d) Deal successfully with the changing demands of the job e) Identify ways for teachers to take care of themselves CHAPTER 1: Preparing Properly Understand and Appreciate Students Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882) You are going to have a great school year because: You will interact with students who exhibit liveliness, curiosity, freshness, openness, spirit and independence. You will feel pleased when you have taught a lesson well and students demonstrate their enthusiasm and understanding You will have the opportunity to continually learn and share knowledge You will see the glow of understanding on students faces Ýou will have the chance to be creative You will connect with your students You will have the opportunity to be a quasi-actor You will be part of a team that works together CHAPTER 2: Teaching Effectively, Part I I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. Hellen Keller (1880-1968) Humans have three growth needs: 1. Relatedness - We have a fundamental need to feel socially connected. 2. Competence – we need to believe that we can deal effectively with our environment. 3. Self-determination – we want to have a sense of autonomy regarding the things we do. Active Learning – based on the premise that each of us is inherently active, self-regulating and intelligently responding to the environment. Instructional Methods and Techniques for Promoting Active Learning by Luckner and Nadler 1. Simulated experiences – students view pictures or movies or role-play simulation of reality 2. Spectator experiences – students observe objects to identify specific behaviors as basis for discussion. 3. Exploratory experiences – students are involved in open-ended, real-world activities and settings. 4. Analytical experiences – students are involved in experiences that require the application of theory in real situations. 5. Generative experiences – students learn by taking part in the creation of products. Additional Examples of instructional methods and techniques for promoting active learning 6. Poster presentations – students develop posters on a given topic or issue 7. Opinionnaire – students individually respond to statements listed on a paper related to the current topic of study. 8. Debate – two students or groups of students present conflicting views to clarify the supporting evidence for and arguments against them. 9. Think-pair-share – provide students with a prompt that focuses their thinking, then students pair up and talk about their answers. 10. Case study research – learners observe the implementation of particular practices in an applied setting. 11. Reaction panel – a panel of individuals reacts to a presentation 12. Concept maps – students construct a diagram that interrelates the components of an issue or set of practices. 13. Students-developed questions – students write review, comprehension, and challenge questions related to the topic of the study. 14. Cooperative learning – students work in small, mixed-ability groups on a shared learning goal. 15. Gallery tour- after completing individual or group projects, students place their work on tables or their desks. CHAPTER 3: Teaching Effectively, Part II Enhance Social Relationships and Promote Learning Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much Helen Keller Five areas: 1. Self-awareness 2. Self-regulation 3. Motivation 4. Social awareness 5. Social skills Ask Good Questions Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers Josef Albers (1888-1976) Why Should You Care About the Questions You Ask? 1. Questions allow you to monitor students’ understanding of the content. 2. The process of responding to questions allows students to practice actively. 3. Questions can be used to foster discussions about the content. 4. Asking questions can help maintain students’ attention. 5. Questions can be used to stimulate interest and activate background knowledge. 6. Questions can be used to encourage higher-level thinking. Cognitive Processes 1. Remember – recognize or recall information previously learned. 2. Understand – construct meaning from instructional materials. 3. Apply – use previously learned information in a new and unfamiliar situation. 4. Analyze – break information into its constituent parts. 5. Evaluate – make judgments about information using certain criteria or standard. 6. Create – put knowledge and/or procedures together to form a patter not clearly there before. Guidelines for Using Questions Provide a balance between lower-level and higher-level questions. Prepare questions in advance Use wait time; three to five seconds. Integrate Technology Technology is a valuable tool and has great potential for helping you deliver quality instruction. The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow. Bill Gates Use Technology for Four Specific Purposes 1. To enrich and extend the curriculum 2. To reinforce skills that you have previously introduced 3. To adapt learning activities to meet the needs of specific students. 4. To save yourself time and effort. The effective use of technology increases students’: Motivation Time on-task Amount of work completed Critical thinking, research and organizational skills Self-confidence Interest in content Word processing - Word processing software is a computer application, used to produce any sort of printable material, that permits editing, saving, and retrieving of documents. Examples: Class or school newsletters Calendar of class events Assignments and test dates Graphic organizers Development and storage of documents. Answer keys for quizzes and tests Educational goals and objectives Lesson plans Graphs List of classroom rules Lecture notes Labels and tags Address lists Certificates and coupons Spreadsheets - Spreadsheet software is a computer application that provides a grid arranged in rows and columns with which you can manipulate data in the form of an electronic worksheet. Examples: Recording and tracking students’ grades Organizing any data Plotting expenses Making visual representations of numbers or events. Email - Short for “electronic mail”. Email is a method of composing, sending, storying, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. Examples: Contacting colleagues, families and students Establishing pen pals with students from other schools, states, or countries Posting and reading messages on listservs Posting and reading messages on discussion boards. World Wide Web - A system of interlinked, hypertext documents accessed via the internet Examples: Web pages Pictures of class activities News on current events Digital portfolios Links related to units of study Practice activities Instructional materials Online databases Discussion groups Music Virtual tours Professional development Government reports Textbook publishers Video chats Webquests, an inquiry-based activity. Six elements of WebQuest 1. Introduction – sets the stage and provides some background information. 2. Task – this is what needs to be completed and the due date. 3. Process for completing the task – consists of clearly described steps 4. Marked web sites for completing the task – these are the documents and databases students should examine. 5. Organization expectations – these include how time should be used and how learning will be demonstrated 6. Evaluation – there is an examination of the completed project. Contemporary problems Use of imagination Common life activities Evaluating history Computer Graphics - One can integrate images into the teaching and learning process. Examples: Printing graphics to create banners Drawing programs Painting programs Idea processors to develop graphic organizers and webs Clip art Web-based graphics and pictures Scanners Digital cameras Presentation Software - A computer application that allows users to display information in a variety of formats. Examples: Pictures Animations Short movies Graphic organizers Educational Software - A collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform specific tasks on a computer. Examples Subject matter Tutorials Drill-and-practice Simulations and modeling Discovery Games Assistive Technology - Used to promote independence for people with disabilities Examples: Touch screens Expanded keyboards Screen readers Speech recognition devices Communication boards Captioned films Braille translation software Use Learning Centers Real learning is always about answering a question or solving a problem - Charles Handy Opportunities from Learning centers: Concrete, hands-on experiences Variety in the classroom Individualized instruction Learning through various models Alternatives to pencil-and-paper seatwork Students to work at their own rate Development of self-discipline Immediate self-evaluation Students to work collaboratively Extra help and practice Incorporate activities To be playful and serious at the same time is possible, and it defines the ideal mental condition - John Dewey Practice Materials: 1. Choral responding – you ask a review or practice question, and the students either answer simultaneously on a cue from you. 2. Response cards – you ask a review or practice question, and on cue, students hold up their cards or signs. 3. Memory – created cards with a vocabulary or important concept on one card and a definition on a matching card. 4. Jeopardy – ask students to create answers and questions related to the content being studied that could be used. 5. Adapted board games – let students play standard board games 6. Hangman – choose spelling words or content vocabulary to be guessed. 7. Fact or opinion – students often have a challenging time differentiating between fact and opinion. 8. Big words – write a long word on the board and have the students form as many smaller words as possible using only the letters of that word. 9. Add one more – have students take out a piece of paper and list as a many items that would fit in the category. 10. Doesn’t belong – read a group of four or five words and have students identify which one doesn’t belong 11. Analogies – students need instruction and practice in seeing the relationship between two items and then generalizing that connection to another set of items. 12. Idioms – many students have not been exposed to the idioms that they encounter 13. Similes – students need exposure to and practice with similes 14. Acronyms – words formed by the initials or other parts of several words. 15. Graph it – used to indicate relationships between two or more variable. 16. Spell it: Last letter is now the first – say a word and then spell it out loud, then a student must use the last letter of the word you spelled as the first letter of a word that he or she must spell. 17. Draw it – help students improving their listening and following direction skills. 18. Going on a trip – you start saying “I’m going on a trip” CHAPTER 4: Teaching Effectively, Part III Assess and Monitor Students’ Progress Life is like a combination lock, your job is to find the right numbers, in the right order, so you can have anything you want - Brian Tracy Teacher-made Tests - To help you evaluate students’ performance and to make decisions about the effectiveness of your instruction, you will create tests. Guidelines for writing selected-response items include the following: 1. Try to avoid using categorical words, such as never, always, or all. 2. Include only one major point in each item. 3. When using matching, limit each section to no more than ten items. 4. Avoid asking students to draw lines from one column to another. 5. When using multiple-choice questions, avoid using “all of the above” as an answer choice. 6. When using matching questions, place all items on the same page. 7. When using multiple-choice questions, be sure that each answer choice is grammatically consistent with the stem of the item. Guidelines for writing constructed-response items include the following: 1. When using short-answer items, use direct questions rather than incomplete statements. 2. When using sentence completion items, require only one word or a short phrase, and include only one blank per item. 3. Essay question should be written in a manner that is appropriate for students’ reading level 4. Phrase essay questions as a precisely as possible. 5. When using essays, use more questions requiring short answers. Progress Monitoring - Defined as “frequent and ongoing measurements of student knowledge and skills and the examination of student data to evaluate instruction”. Portfolios - A systematic and organized collection of work that has been assembled over time to monitor a student’s growth. Reasons why you may want to use portfolios: Portfolios have intrinsic interest to teachers and students. Assessment is a multidimensional process whereby the portfolio may contain several samples of student work assembled in a purposeful manner Portfolios provide an avenue for continuous and systematic assessment. Using portfolios permits opportunities for students to be reflective about their work. CHAPTER 5: Collaborating with Others Foster Positive Relationships Knowing how to communicate well is the mark of the true teaching professional and can transform a merely competent teacher into a great one - Cheri Cerra and Ruth Jacoby Communicate Well with Others - Good communication skills are the backbone of relationship building. Attend to Others and Build Rapport - Strive to deliver a clear message by using verbal and nonverbal cues in addition to expressing the content of your message. Listen with Empathy - Seek to understand, then to be understood Be Curious and Ask Open-Ended Question - Ask appropriate open-ended questions and open yourself up to the idea of others Manage your Emotions well - When impulsive feelings override rational thoughts, it’s possible to say or do things that you later regret. Honor Cultural Differences - Your cultural identity and unique perspective affects your ability to understand someone from a different cultural background. Avoid Gossip - It’s essential to remember that gossiping is unprofessional. Ways to respond to gossip a) Ignore the gossip and change the topic b) Set a boundary c) Politely excuse yourself and leave the conversation Maintain Confidentiality - Familiarize yourself with your school’s confidentiality policy. Tips for Fostering Positive Relationships in your School Community: Maintain professionalism Be honest about who you are. Smile and be friendly Consistently greet people using their name when you can and make eye contact with them at the start of each day. Familiarize yourself with your school’s policies and procedures Acknowledge, give credit, and thank your colleagues and the school staff. Build trustworthiness Be respectful and polite Obtain permission prior to borrowing supplies and/or materials Manage chance outside of school meetings with parents and school members Apologize when you make a mistake Schedule a face-to-face meeting with your co-workers when addressing issues Be a Great Team Player We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone … and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something. - Sandra Day O’Connor As an educational team member, your collaboration and teamwork are an essential part of your role. Effective Teams - Teaming with others to assess needs, develop and deliver services, make decisions, and collaborate on projects can lead to better outcomes. Partner With Parents and Guardians Parents are allies; they want what’s best for their child and are willing to work with you toward that goal - Scott Mandel (2007) When working with parents, it is essential to remember that parents love their child. They believe in their child’s potential, and they want their child to succeed in school. The Challenge of Family Involvement Although the importance of family participation in a child’s academic development has been well documented, families face challenges that can inhibit parental participation. Be Accessible and Maintain Communication with Parents Give parents ways to contact you. Give them your work e-mail, school address, and school phone number. Initiate Contact With Parents Early in the School Year Send parents a positive, inviting message about your classroom philosophy, expectation, rules, events, and homework requirements. Make Phone Contact With Parents - Introduce yourself and let them know you are excited to teach their child - Let them know that you believe in building a strong parent-teacher partnership. Keep Parents Informed of Their Child’s Progress Let parents know when their child succeeding, as well as when he or she is struggling Promote Parents Involvement Ask parents to encourage learning at home and communicate with their children. Facilitate Effective Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences Parents have become so convinced that educators know what is best for their children that they forget that they themselves are really the experts. - Marian Wright Edelman Manage Difficult Conversations Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves - Ralph Waldo Emerson Manage Conflict Constructively with Coworkers If you find yourself experiencing a strong emotional reaction in response to an issue, it’s better to wait until you feel calmer to evaluate your feelings. Special Considerations When Responding to an Angry Person It is best to strive to prevent an escalation in anger by staying composed and patient. Delivering Sensitive Information to Parents Factors contributing to conflict between parents and teachers: 1. A discrepancy between parents’ and teachers’ views of a child or the child’s needs 2. Insufficient information about issue 3. A miscommunication or misunderstanding CHAPTER 6: Taking Care of Yourself Be a lifelong Learner The key to student grows is educator growth -Bruce Joyce and Beverly Knowledge and skills must be updated on a regular basis. Personal Development “The good life is a process, not a state of being, It is a direction not a destination” People who report high levels of happiness tend to be: a. Involved in close, positive relationships b. Actively engaged in committed to their work c. Actively striving toward the attainment of goals Professional Development The continuing education of educators Conversations about teaching A mentor is assigned to the new teacher to offer assistance and to promote professional development. Individual Professional Development In addition to interacting with your colleagues about the art and science of teaching, you can pursue your own professional development via different avenues. Group Professional Development Schools have embraced the use of learning communities to address issues