BE INTENTIONAL: Know Why You're Doing What You're Doing (Items 9-12)
ITEM 9: I make the most of every minute
Research findings teach us that effective teachers make the most of every minute by presenting new material in small steps and implement student practice after each step, and offering assistance when needed. By presenting only small amounts of new material at a time the student can focus on mastering the material and ensuring they do not get overloaded. As researcher and Professor of Educational Psychology Barak Rosenshine explains in his article Principles of Instruction; Researched-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know, (2012). Rosenshine explains that his research findings have shown that “the place where we process information, is small. It can only handle a few bits of information at once—too much material at once may confuse students because their working memory will be unable to process it.” Rosenshines research also explained that the most effective teachers recognized that teaching in small steps takes time; however the more effective teachers focused more time on presenting new material with guided student practice than those who did not. Rosenshine’s article has a vast research rational on Researched-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know and can serve as a wonderful resource in the classroom. Check out the full article here: https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Rosenshine.pdf
ITEM10: I help students develop deep knowledge
Peter Drucker is a well-known writer and educator, and is commonly known as a wildly influential thinker and writer on the subject of management theory and practice. He asserts that “The most efficient way to produce anything is to bring together under one management as many as possible of the activities needed to turn out the product.” In order to apply this theory in the classroom, it is necessary for the teacher to encourage active learning, where the students engage with the course content through class and group discussions, and debates, as well as through writing exercises. An emphasis with relating the class material to their real world experiences is important. Teachers should also develop assignments that encourages students to apply and practice course concepts to scaffold their learning in real life experiences. Teachers should also emphasize the importance of Time on Task in the classroom. Ensuring that all students learning takes place through active engagement with the course concepts and content. Also allowing for class conference time for individual focus on material and question and answer time. Overall, if the teacher or educator is prepared for the class with the adequate learning materials, and an organized method of instruction, the majority of class time can be focused on instruction and learning.
Resources
Encourage Active Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
http://teaching.colostate.edu/guides/bestpractices/activelearning.cfm
H. (n.d.). 70 Best Time Management Quotes. Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/70-best-time-management-quotes.html
ITEM 11: I coach students to mastery
Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, her research has found that in a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities.
This TedTalks video serves as a great tool to scaffold understanding of mindset and its impact upon our daily lives. Check it out here:
ITEM 12: I help students do something with their learning
Research has shown that if students cannot see the essential point in learning a topic, they will get bored easily and either stop listening, or possibly act out in the classroom; however if the student becomes interested and engaged in the lesson, classroom management disruptions become eliminated and students invest in their academic progression. A fail proof method to engage students in the classroom and maintain their attention is to make real-life connections to each lesson, demonstrating and scaffolding their learning to everyday life and even possibly a future career. There are many ways to relate a lesson to the real world, and today’s technology provides teachers and students an excellent opportunity to connect to the world abroad without having to leave the classroom. The internet is bountiful with education resources, websites, classroom blogs, YouTube, Podcasts, Trending News Feeds, etc. all of which can be utilized to either enhance a lesson, or provide further instruction and clarification to students. Blending your classroom will provide students an opportunity to explore their curiosities in their preferred manner, going at their own pace. Another great opportunity to connect the real world to lessons is to bring in Guest Speakers, host a Career Fair. Allowing students interact first hand with professionals and experts in a particular field of study will certainly inspire students and aide in connecting the relevancy to the lessons. It’s important for educators not to just Tell students Why the information is important and relevant to them, but remember to urge them to come up with the answers themselves in order to increase motivation and engagement.
References
Making a Real-World Connection - ASCD. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/102112/chapters/Making_a_Real-World_Connection.aspx
Top 12 Ways to Bring the Real World into Your Classroom ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21,
2016, from http://www.teachhub.com/top-12-ways-bring-real-world-your-classroom
How To Use Real-life Connections in the Classroom To ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2016,
from http://resumes-for-teachers.com/blog/classroom-management-tips/excellent-teachers-use-real-life-connections-in-the-classroom/