Saturday, June 24, 2017

Ace Your First Year Teaching - Part II

Welcome back!  Once again, we're going to take a look at the brand new book Ace Your First Year Teaching (check it out on the right side of this post) to grab some ideas helpful in effectively establishing your new classroom this coming Fall.  This week's posting comes from Chapter 3 ("Becoming an Effective Teacher") - pages 29-30.

A Student Orientation
If you were to walk into the classroom of any outstanding teacher, regardless of her or his grade level, one thing will become immediately clear: students are respected, attended to, and clearly more important than the subject matter or the instructional materials used.
Quotable Quote
"Effective teachers let students know that they are somebody, not some body."
- William Purkey
 
 
·         The best teachers are those who truly care for their students.  They exhibit empathy and try to see the world through their students' eyes.  They know students have good days and bad days just like they do, and they adjust their instruction accordingly.
·         So, too, are good teachers sensitive to their students' cultural backgrounds.  They respect students' languages, customs, traditions, and beliefs.  They never make fun of students who are different, but rather celebrate these new opportunities for enriching the learning experiences of all students.
·         Students need to know that they will never be embarrassed or ridiculed nor will they be intimidated or shown excessive favoritism.  The best teachers have positive attitudes about everyone in the school - students, custodians, secretaries, aides, librarians, cafeteria workers, and fellow teachers.  High-achieving classrooms are supportive, warm, and accepting.
·         Good teachers listen.  They're aware of the "rule of two-thirds," which states that in traditional classrooms (regardless of grade or subject) two thirds of class time is taken up by talking, two thirds of that time is taken up by teacher talk, and two thirds of the teacher's talk is telling or demonstrating rather than interacting with students.  These teachers know that students have much to contribute to the curriculum and to each other and provide numerous opportunities for them to do so.
·         Effective teachers provide opportunities for students to get extra help.  They are observant of students' needs and work to provide the instruction or materials that will help them succeed and flourish.  Student progress is constantly monitored and adjusted as necessary.
·         The finest teachers are those who have high expectations for their students.  They continually challenge their students, engaging them in higher-order thinking activities, problem-solving, creative-thinking extensions, and other instructional activities that s-t-r-e-t-c-h their minds.   I once worked for a principal who said, "Students don't fail, teachers do!"  It was his belief that good teachers must take personal responsibility for their students' learning.  Good teachers are sensitive to the instructional needs of every student and work for the success of each individual in the classroom.
·         Good teachers know they can significantly increase student engagement in the learning process by incorporating students' ideas in classroom discussions by:
o   Rephrasing student ideas in teacher words.
o   Using student ideas to take the next step in problem-solving.
o   Drawing relationships between student ideas and information shared earlier.
o   Using what students say as a summary of important concepts.
 
Looking for more ideas?  Check them out right here: