Transcript Slide 1

What Makes a Teacher Effective?
Chapter 6
EDU 001
ELAC spring 2010
by
Dr. Paul A. Rodríguez
 EFFECTIVE TEACHING IS MUCH MORE THAN AN INTUITIVE PROCESS. A
TEACHER MUST CONTINUALLY MAKE DECISIONS AND ACT ON THOSE
DECISIONS.
 The teacher must be knowledge—both theoretical knowledge about
learning and human behavior and specific knowledge about the subject
matter to be taught.
 A teacher also must demonstrate a repertoire of teaching skills that are
believed to facilitate student learning and must display attitudes that
foster learning and genuine human relationships.
 A teacher must recognize and interpret classroom events appropriately.
 Effective teachers demonstrate a repertoire of teaching skills that enable
them to meet the differing needs of their students.
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates, the
great teacher inspires.
Williams Arthur ward, American author pastor and teacher
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The rapport that effective teachers establish with their students often goes beyond
the classroom learning environment
Aspects of reflective decision making
Areas of teacher competence
Attitudes that foster learning and genuine human relationships
Knowledge of the subject matter to be taught
Theoretical knowledge about learning and human behavior
Personal practical knowledge
Skills of teaching that promote student learning
How we think shows through in how we act. Attitudes are mirrors of the mind.
David joseph schwarz, authority on human motivation
Four categories of teacher attitudes
the teacher’s attitude toward self
The teacher’s attitude toward children and the relationship between self and children
The teacher’s attitudes toward peers and pupils’ parents
The teacher’s attitude toward the subject matter
Anne mansfield sullivan (1866-1936) teacher of helen keller
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• If teachers are to help students have meaningful experiences, develop
their aptitudes and abilities, face their inner difficulties, and accept
themselves as people, they need to know and understand those students.
Before teachers can do so, however, they must work at knowing and
understanding themselves.
• From empirical evidence from psychology indicates that people who deny
or are unable to cope with their own emotions are unlikely to be capable
of respecting and dealing with others’ feelings.
• A teacher must recognize their own needs and anxieties, they will be
unlikely to understand and empathize with their students’ needs or
expressions of anxiety. They may not recognize that students’ inability to
learn, inattentiveness, impudence or irritability may be the result of
anxiety. Teachers also need to recognize that their own anxieties may
make them irritable, causing students in turn to feel anxious and to show
similar symptoms.
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Ways to achieve self-understanding
Participant observation—is the process of observing a class and recording
what you hear, see, and feel as you observe
Self-examination—know thy self, know who you are, what you can do,
know what you need to work on to increase your knowledge
The teacher’s attitude toward children
A strong dislike for particular pupils and obvious fondness for others
Biases toward or against particular ethnic groups
A bias toward certain kinds of student behavior, such as docility or
inquisitiveness
An uneasiness in working with children who have disabilities
Treat students fairly—be free of negative attitudes at the outset, and selfawareness can be the crucial factor distinguishing a teacher who is able to
control and change these attitudes.
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• Prospective teachers should confront their own attitudes early on,
perhaps through analysis of case studies, group discussions, role playing or
behavioral records of teaching experiences
• I touch the future. I teach.
• Christa mcauliffe, first teacher in space
Teacher expectations
 Self-fulfilling prophecy—if a teacher expects a students or group of
students to behave in a certain way. The students may behave in the
predicted manner in response to the teacher’s attitude and not as a result
of the other factors on which the teacher’s expectations are based
High expectations are the key to everything
Sam walton, founder of wal-mart
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The teacher’s attitude toward peers and parents
 Authority/collaboration—problems with authority. One source of conflict
may be the teacher’s attitude toward those who represent authority.
Sometimes teachers may find it hard to be themselves while dealing with
people who outrank them in position or prestige. Sometimes teachers
find they yield too readily to demands from those in authority, and as a
result they feel guilty about complying rather than standing on their own
convictions.
Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to
become what they are capable of being
Johann w. von goethe, German poet and philosopher
 Some teachers develop a strong drive to compete with other teachers for
recognition from both authority figures and students. They try to have the
best lesson plans, to be the ‘most popular teacher,’ or to maintain the
friendliest relationship with the administration
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 Lack of tolerance—a feeling of superiority relative to other teachers or
parents of students. Some teachers may feel intellectually superior to
colleagues, socially superior to students’ parents, or both. Others simply
have little tolerance for people who differ from them in values, cultural
background, or economic status, and, as a result they treat others with
disdain and contempt rather than patience and respect.
 By contrast, effective teachers—those who work well with colleagues and
parents to empower children to achieve—show attitudes of acceptance.
In their dealings with other teachers and parents, teachers should be real
or genuine, value other people as worthy in their own right, and show
empathy.
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The teacher’s attitude toward the subject matter
 Must feel enthusiasm—if the teacher is enthusiastic, the students will
become enthusiastic
 Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a carrier.
 Susan Rabin, author and communicator consultant
What subject-matter knowledge does the effective teacher need
 Structure of discipline—teachers need to understand the content of the
subjects they teach as well as the methods of teaching the specific
content
1. Need to understand the subjects they teach well enough to analyze and
convey their elements, logic, possible uses and social biases
2. Need to understand the content of the school curriculum that pupils are
expected to know
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Pedagogical content knowledge—the knowledge that bridges content
knowledge and pedagogy. Pedagogical content knowledge represents
the ‘blending of content and pedagogy into an understanding of how
particular topics, problems or issues are organized, represented and
adapted to the diverse interests and abilities of learners, and presented
for instruction’
These three types of knowledge—of discipline content, curriculum
content and of pedagogical content, are, essential for effective teachers
Education must bring the practice as nearly as possible to the theory
Horace mann, 19th century American educational reformer
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Theories—in use
Groups should operate democratically and not be dominated by one
student.
Theoretical knowledge can be used in two ways: to interpret new or
ambiguous situations and to solve problems
Zone of proximal development—meaning a range of tasks that a child
cannot yet do alone but can accomplish when assisted by a more skilled
partner. A child or person on the verge of being able to solve a problem
but just needs some structure, clues, help with remembering certain
steps, or procedures, or encouragement to try.
Scaffolding—allows students to complete tasks they can’t complete
independently. This zone is where instruction can succeed and where real
learning is possible.
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 Personal practical knowledge—is the set of understanding teachers have
of the practical circumstances in which they work. Personal practical
knowledge includes the beliefs, insights and habits that allow teachers to
do their jobs in schools.
 Teachers’ personal practical knowledge definitely influences the decisions
they make. Teachers should become aware of the assumptions that
comprise their belief systems. Teachers should reflect on their beliefs to
ensure that they conform to accepted educational principles.
Some essential skills
1. The ability to ask different kinds of questions, each requiring different
types of thought processes from the student
2. The ability to provide effective feedback
3. The ability to plan instruction and learning activities
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The ability to diagnose student needs and learning difficulties
The ability to vary the learning situation to keep the students involved
The ability to recognize when students are paying attention and to use
this information to vary behavior and, possibly, the direction of the
lesson
The ability to use technological equipment, such as computers, to
enhance student learning
the ability to assess student learning
the ability to differentiate instruction based on the students’
experiences, interests, and academic abilities
Classroom management skills
Classroom management—is defined as ‘action taken to create and
maintain a learning environment conducive to successful instruction’.
Developing teacher-student rapport, arranging the physical environment,
establishing rules and procedures, and maintaining students’ attention to
lessons and engagement in activities are examples of classroom
managerial behavior.
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 Managerial behavior also includes housekeeping duties such as record
keeping and managing time, facilities and resources in the classroom.
 Academic engagement—engaged learning time, is the time a student
spends being successfully engaged with academically relevant activities or
materials.
 The more time elementary students spend working on reading or
mathematics activities that provide them with successful experiences, the
more likely they are to achieve in those areas.
1. B. F. Skinner—behavior modification—modify student behavior by
consistently and systematically rewarding appropriate student behavior
and removing rewards for, inappropriate students behavior
2. Carl Rogers, William Glasser and haim ginott—socio-emotional climate—
emphasis on building positive interpersonal relationships between
students and teachers
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Richard schmuck and Patricia schmuck, lois johnson and mary bany—
emphasis on teacher establishing and maintaining effective, productive
classroom group. Unity and cooperation, as well as group problem
solving, are key elements.
Lee carter and marlene canter—authority—emphasizes establishing and
enforcing rules, using soft reprimands and orders to desist. Assertive
discipline is a popular manifestation of this approach. A process of
controlling student behavior, primarily by using discipline.
Jacob kounin’s research
Withitness—teachers who are ‘with it’ are those who communicate to
pupils and so, by their behavior, appear that they know what is going on
Smoothness—the absence of behaviors initiated by teachers that
interfere with the flow of academic events
Momentum—the absence of teacher behaviors that slow down the pace
of the lesson
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 Over-dwelling—when a teacher dwells too much on pupil behavior, on a
subpoint rather than the main point, on physical props rather than
substance, or on instructions or details to the point of boredom
 Fragmentation—when a teacher deals with individual pupils one at a time
rather than with the group or unnecessarily breaks a task into smaller
parts when the task could have been accomplished in a single step
Other research findings
 Establish clearly defined rules and routines—they decrease the complexity
of the classroom, minimize confusion and prevent loss of instructional
time
 Ensure students compliance with rules and demands—to comply willingly
with the rules and routines
 Involve families—families can provide valuable support and assistance
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 Ineffective questioning—ask questions that allows students to process and
analyze information. Do not rush responses
 Wait-time—provide students with sufficient time to think and respond to
questions
A prudent question is one-half of wisdom Sir Francis Bacon, 17th Century
English Philosopher
Effective questioning techniques
 Useful techniques:
1. Phrase questions clearly. Avoid vague questions
2. Ask questions that are purposeful in achieving the lesson’s intent
3. Ask brief questions, because long ones are often unclear
4. Ask questions that are thought-provoking and demand original and
evaluative thinking
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Encourage students to respond in some ways to each question asked
Distribute questions to a range of students, and balance responses, from
volunteering and non-volunteering students
Avoid asking ‘yes-no’ and ‘leading’ questions
To stimulate thinking, probe students’ responses or demand support for
their answers
Provide students with feedback about their responses, both to motivate
them and to let them know how they are doing
Failing to plan is planning to fail
Effie jones, 20th century black teacher and school administrator
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Types of planning—yearly, unit, weekly and daily
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• Academic engaged time
• Key terms
reflective teaching
• Classroom management
scaffolding
• Participant observation
self-fulfilling prophecy
• Pedagogical content knowledge
• Wait-time
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• Personal practical knowledge
• Zone of proximal development
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