This lesson was about effective teachers and how we could be one ourselves. We answered a question that asked about the teacher who influenced us, and then we had to listen to podcasts and answer questions about what Anita would say about effective teachers and how we could help with student success in our classrooms.
EDUC 2130 - Lesson 2 – Teachers and Teaching
Evaluation
Think of a teacher you had who influenced you. What made this person a good teacher?
I had a teacher in kindergarten and first grade who was the best teacher I’ve ever had. She was like my second mama, and everyone else’s in the classroom, as well. What made her a good teacher was her treated all of us the same. She didn’t have favorites, although we probably thought at the time. If we were having a bad day, she would scoop us up in her arms and comfort us the way our own mama would. She would take us home with her on some days and we’d have a little party at her house. Overall, this teacher is amazing person and has impacted my life in so many ways. I’m not sure if she knows it, but I’ll tell her when I become a teacher one day.
Students often identify teachers who were not very personable or approachable as among their most effective teachers. Is it possible to be personable, caring and effective? When would it be a liability to be personable or approachable? When would it be an advantage?
I think it is very possible for a teacher to be personable, caring and effective. The teacher I mentioned above were all of these. I think all teachers should have these characters. The only time I think it would be bad would be when a student had done something wrong, and they go to that teacher to try to get them out of trouble, and the teacher can’t help them with their situation. This student would become angry with that teacher and won’t go to them for anything else. It would be an advantage for a teacher to be personable or approachable if a student was having trouble with school, maybe with classwork, or even other peers bulling them. The student could go to this teacher anytime they wanted too to get help, because they know that that teacher will listen to their problems and he/she genially cares. I think this is important for teachers to have.
Podcast Questions
What does Anita describe as the goal of educational psychology?
There were goals Anita described in her podcast about educational psychology. Anita said teachers should go beyond their personal experience and to study teaching and learning systematically and scientifically. What I think Anita meant by this was to motivate teachers to go further than they had the year before. If you’re a new teacher, you should go further than the teacher who influenced you. When she says to study teaching and learning systematically and scientifically, I think this means that teachers should study their lessons before teaching them to their students and fully understand them beforehand.
Anita mentions some compelling research. What was the research and how did it affect the students?
The research that was done said that students who had an effective teacher from 3rd grade to 5th grade tended to have higher scores than the students who didn’t have a very effective teacher. The students who had an effective teacher scored at the 96th percentile, while the other students scored at the 44th percentile. This research shows how important it is for a student to have an effective teacher. Study also shows that students who have an effective teacher are less likely to drop out of school later on, than the ones who do not have an effective teacher.
Anita describes 8-10 methods teachers could employ to help create student success. These methods help to foster what she describes as the single most significant predictor of student success. In your opinion, describe 2 or 3 of the most important methods she mentions in her Podcast.
I think the most important would be building a relationship with your students. Doing this leads to all the other methods that she mentioned in her podcast. Having a relationship with your students is very effective, and could change your students’ lives. A teacher’s involvement and caring is important. A student needs to feel like they belong and feel safe before they can focus on learning and knowledge. Having an effective teacher, the student is less likely to drop out, they’re higher achievers, and they have more self-esteem. A caring teacher is important as well. Students who were asked what a belonging and caring teacher looked like, they said that the teachers try to make the class interesting, they’re understanding, fair, and respectable. Teachers give the students choices and knows their interests. Lastly, the teacher will trust and respect their students as learners and people.
Summary
This was a very good lesson. It made me think of how the teacher I had influenced my life in the way she did. It made me appreciate her in so many more ways than I ever did before. Doing this lesson, made me want to become a teacher that is as great as she was to me and all my classmates, or even better, if possible. It made me realize how important it is for a teacher to have some kind of influence on their students. Teachers should be nothing but kind and respectable towards their students because it could one day influence that child to make a decision that could change their life forever.
Research Question
What makes a teacher effective?
Reference(s):
Research Analysis
An effective teacher all starts with being prepared. Not only is preparation a qualification of an effective teacher, but also including, a teachers knowledge of teaching and learning, subject matter knowledge, and their experience. Unlike an effective teacher, an ineffective teacher tends to make the same mistakes repeatedly.
Some facts on a well prepared teacher is that they are most likely going to continue teaching. Prepared teachers also produce higher achievement among their students, which comes first with the teacher developing the knowledge, understanding, and skill for the classroom.
An effective teacher also comes with the organization and clarity that he/she needs for their students. Teachers that have this quality are easily understood by their students. They're able to explain things clearly, making difficult topics easy to understand, and are able to give examples, details metaphors, to their students, not only for their understanding but for memorable purposes also. Another quality that a teacher needs to have to be effective is enthusiasm and dynamic. Having this quality not only makes it seem like you love your job, but also shows some self-confidence, and that learning can be fun.
Instructor interaction with both group and individual is important. A teacher who has good teacher-group interactions are able to encourage independent thought and accepts criticism. Using humor is important with a class interaction, as well as good public speaking. When dealing with teacher-individual student interaction, a teacher should be approachable for his/her students. The teacher should be able to give advise to a student even if the topic is unrelated to the lesson.
Research Summary
I like researching topics that could possibly make me a better teacher in the future. Being a teacher is very important. Being an effective teacher is even more important. Sometimes a teacher is the only person who can talk to children and give them all the advice they need. An effective teacher can change a students life forever.