M7U2A3 - Reflection on Subject Specific Strategies

In my time as a teacher I have primarily focused on language arts and social studies. These five teaching strategies have either used or have found interesting.


Class Discussions / Asking Questions

One of the methods I have personally found to work the best when teaching young ESL learners is to engage the students in class discussions. While this may seem like a very simple strategy but I have found it very effective when an honest effort is put forth by the teacher or instructor to listen to the students and follow up their comments with leading questions or responses. This can be a great method to get the student talking and express their opinions and it also allows students to learn from each other rather than listening to the teacher ramble on. Gauging the students mood and attentiveness to the discussion and knowing when to move on is key.


Group Work

Group work, projects, and discussions can be an effective teaching strategy and lends itself to teaching the students skills other than the primary subject material. Many professions (actually pretty much all) require their employees to work together. Students learn how to share differing perspectives, hold others accountable, take complex tasks and break them down among group members, and develop stronger communication skills.

While I find this to be a particularly effective strategy for older students I think that it can be difficult to manage with less mature or younger students. Teacher guidance and supervision is necessary. Scheduling regular updates with the teacher so he/she can evaluate progress and if the group work is being done in class the teacher can walk around the room to supervise.


Flipping the Classroom

Flipping the classroom is a concept that I have found very interesting but never had the chance implement myself. I think it would be a strategy that would be very effective with more complex subjects such as science, history, literature, or math.

Having the students work on concepts that they find more complicated at home on their own time gives the students time to think about and work on a particular concept. The class time can then be spent applying their knowledge on projects or group work where they can be  observed by the teacher. This strategy of teaching puts responsibility of the education in the hands of the student. Because of this it can teach them many valuable skills such as time time management.


Lecturing

For many of us who have gone through the university experience we have no doubt had positive and negative experience with lecturing professors. With the right speaker, a lecture can inspire the listener and promote further learning, or it can put you to sleep. While I firmly believe lecturing has a place in education it is definitely not in the elementary classroom. One way communication with young students in the passive role hiders their learning when they could be working with the material themselves.


Integrating Technology and Media

The importance of digital literacy in today's world is something that is undeniable. The added benefit of having the students improve their comfort level with various programs and devises along with learning the material is one bonus. As was mentioned above technology can be a very effective tool to individualize lesson for students. It can also be used to present material in a much more engaging way that can inspire students or make them appreciate a subject. Visually presenting material can attract the attention of student who may shut out a verbal lecture.

Collaboration through technology is one of the benefits that I feel sometimes gets overlooked. There is enormous potential for group work and projects through platforms such as Google Docs  and other various Web 2.0 programs. By podcasting, blogging, creating video, and utilizing social networking and wikis students can expose themselves to many opportunities that may have previously been impossible.




Sources:

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7081.pdf

http://www.cirtl.net/

http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/benefits.html

https://www.boundless.com/education/textbooks/boundless-education-textbook/technology-in-the-classroom-6/edtech-25/advantages-of-using-technology-in-the-classroom-77-13007/

Module 6: Unit 4: Activity 3 - Teacher Evaluation Systems

Evaluations in any profession is an important method for showing effectiveness and areas for improvement. For teachers this is especially important. Staying effective and fresh for students is just as important as their knowledge on the subjects they teach. Despite the importance of evaluations they are not the most enjoyable experiences. But, they are helpful. Often others can see things we are doing wrong that we can't ourselves.

That all being said, I have learned that self evaluation can be very effective in improving your classroom habits. By video taping yourself and watching it later you can notice which students you interact with the most and which you are neglecting. Also it gives you a chance to see how the students are responding to your lessons when you are outside the moment. 

The role of students in evaluating teachers is one that can't be ignored. While some argue the value of the opinions of very young children in the effectiveness of a teacher the Amanda Ripley article, Why Kids Should Grade Teachers show that even kindergartners can provide effective feedback of the survey questions are created appropriately. There is, however, the problem of a bias students might have towards a teacher who challenges the students with difficult material, a lot of homework, or tough grading. Students may be tempted to seek what they see as revenge on a teacher. For this reason I feel that even though student evaluations of teachers can be insightful and helpful, they should only be a part of series of evaluation methods.