Robert
Dodd Portfolio
Standard 6
Teachers use
a range of teaching practices and resources to engage students in effective
learning.
Teachers communicate effectively with students
to make their learning programs explicit, to build rapport, and to support
their learning;
My reflections:
As a teacher in an international language school for 3 years, I endeavoured to improve my teaching strategies by engaging the students in a range of teaching practices and resources.
As
a pre-service teacher at
The teaching
mentor at
- Use of diverse and appropriate
teaching approaches to provide meaningful learning opportunities
- Creation of an environment that
engages and challenges students
The mentor teacher marked my teaching performance as good on this assessment.
My future professional learning goals:
It is a goal of
mine to continue to improve in this criterion through professional development,
experience, and collaboration with teaching colleagues.
Teachers provide and manage opportunities for
students to explore ideas and develop knowledge and skills, through discussion
and group activities.
My reflections:
In the teaching
rounds at
The teaching
mentor at
- Understanding of the role of
discussion, group interaction and reflection in the learning process
The mentor
teacher assessed my teaching performance as good on this criterion.
My future professional learning goals:
It is a goal of
mine to continue to improve in this criterion through professional development,
experience, and collaboration with teaching colleagues.
Teachers use and manage a range of teaching and
learning strategies, technologies, activities and resources;
My reflections:
In the teaching
rounds at
I was assessed
on the following competencies:
- Knowledge of classroom and program
design, use of materials and resources in structuring activities
- Provisions of learning opportunities
that are rich and authentic
For these competencies I was given an excellent result.
As a teacher and
tutor at
As a teacher at an international language school for 3 years, I endeavoured to engage students in a range of teaching and learning strategies, technologies, activities and resources. Having taken hundreds of classes of students, I always endeavoured to engage and motivate the students through a range of strategies, and a variety of resources. These included group activities, outdoor activities, games, and student driven discussions.
I put into practice activities to engage students on a regular basis. Several of these were taken from the following book:
The
activities helped students to practise various aspects of language, and helped
the students and teacher to communicate with each other, and students to get to
know each other better.
My future professional learning goals:
It is a goal of
mine to continue to improve in this area on a continuous basis. I have studied
this area and believe in putting the following information into practice.
“Creating a Positive
Learning Environment: Student
motivation is a primary concern for many teachers. Classroom teachers
acknowledge that a lack of motivation is at the root of many of the problems
they face in teaching, particularly with at-risk students. When children first
enter school, they are excited about learning and are very motivated. However,
as they encounter difficulties, their motivation to learn can decrease during
the school years in all academic subjects, especially reading. Our role as
educators is to increase student motivation, develop the strategies and skills
that make a student more engaged and create an environment where students are
able to take ownership of their own learning.
Interest is an important motivator for a student. So is the desire to learn. When you link these two things together, you create the right conditions for academic success. Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, while others need more support to engage in their educational experience. This is particularly true for at-risk students who have fallen behind and typically develop an expectation of failure that has a negative impact on their desire to learn. Once children start school, they begin forming beliefs about their school-related successes and failures. The sources to which children attribute their successes and failures have important implications for how they approach and cope with learning situations.
As the new school year begins it is important to cultivate a learning environment that will promote a positive experience and build both the interest and desire to learn in all students. Here are some back-to-school tips for teachers to consider:
- Create a productive classroom – Work together with your students to make the classroom a more inviting and useful environment.
- Cultivate a sense of community – Listen to and acknowledge everyone's point of view (teachers and students) to foster a classroom community. Be interactive and visible to the students.
- Develop individual learning and motivation plans – Acknowledge and address the unique learning profiles of your students by considering both motivational and academic requirements. Begin the school year identifying your students' strengths and weaknesses and plan for those individual needs.
- Use both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators – Ask students to monitor and evaluate their own performance. Reward students for their accomplishments.
- Make learning fun – Motivated students are engaged in activities that are interesting, stimulating and relevant.”
Mildred Papi
(Intervention Specialist for AutoSkill International.<
http://www.autoskill.com/intervention/motivation.php>12-10-2006
“Creating a Climate for Learning:
Effective Classroom Management Techniques
"The most important action an effective teacher takes at the beginning
of the year is creating a climate for learning."
-- Mary Beth Blegan, former
Included: Twelve
teacher-tested tips for behaviour management!
How can you avoid making that technique
your own and create a "climate for learning"? This week, Education
World looks to the experts -- teachers who've "been there, done that"
and found a better way -- for answers.
Howard Miller, Associate Professor of
Education at
- Develop a set of written expectations
you can live with and enforce.
- Be consistent. Be consistent. Be consistent.
- Be patient with yourself and with your students.
- Make parents your allies. Call early and often.
Use the word "concerned." When communicating a concern, be
specific and descriptive.
- Don't talk too much. Use the first 15 minutes of
class for lectures or presentations, then get the kids working.
- Break the class period into two or three different
activities. Be sure each activity segues smoothly into the next.
- Begin at the very beginning of each class period
and end at the very end.
- Don't roll call. Take the roll with your seating
chart while students are working.
- Keep all students actively involved. For example,
while a student does a presentation, involve the other students in
evaluating it.
- Discipline individual students quietly and
privately. Never engage in a disciplinary conversation across the room.
- Keep your sense of perspective and your sense of humor.
- Know when to ask for help.”
http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr155.shtml
12-10-2006
Teachers
provide meaningful feedback to students and their parents/guardians about their
developing knowledge and skills.
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ARTIFACTS # 6
Students on outdoor learning activity
Robert Dodd Portfolio