What makes an effective teacher?
Is it the individual who went the traditional route of schooling? Can an
individual who went into teaching as a second career be an effective
teacher? Finally, does one's style of teaching make that individual more effective
than another?
I believe that an effective
teacher is an individual who can see the differences in their students, one who knows
the knowledge that they want to teach their student s and one who is able to help their
students learn the skills and knowledge that they are teaching. In all careers, it goes without saying that one needs to be knowledgeable about what they are doing. The same goes for
a teacher, but that is not all. A good teacher wears many hats. I believe that the teacher who embraces many different styles of teaching, and knows when to
use each of these approaches will be the most effective teacher. An effective teacher is able to
see the differences in their students as well as those students' learning styles. An effective teacher is able to change the way in which he/she teaches so that each learner can grasp the information being taught.
An effective teacher is one that is secure in content knowledge, effective in differentiating instruction to meet the unique learning needs of all students and able to help students realize their potential. Effective teachers are dedicated to the perfection of their craft and while we know we will never be perfect we continue to strive for excellence knowing that what we do or don't do in our classrooms impacts the world! An effective teacher is always aware of his/her role in the lives of students.
ReplyDeleteDr. Ries,
I have often stated in jest that I want to become an alternate route brain surgeon...and while I know this can never be possible I often wonder if one should be allowed to become a teacher through non-traditional methods. This is not to say that these individuals do not have the potential to be highly effective teachers...I just wonder if we are subscribing to the old adage "Those who can't do teach." I think I would feel alot better if I knew I could become an alterate route attorney or an alternate route doctor. I understand that teaching shortages facillitated the need for non-traditional route teachers. I would just like to see the equivalent in other noble professions.
What makes an effective teacher? This is a question that has been the subject of debate for ages. Is it someone who engages in an ancient, Socratic method of educating youth, or someone who has been trained in the latest trends of pedagogy? Is it an art or science? Both of our texts explore this question. The Ornstein text illuminates the idea that effective teaching employs possibly a “dichotomy” of both science and art. A teacher needs to know their content and teaching strategies, which are rooted in scientific principals, however, when a teacher arrives in the classroom, it then “involves artistic judgment.” He/she must be able to “orchestrate a dialogue” as a conductor of a symphony would. Good teachers must be able to connect to their students and all of the training in the world cannot guarantee that this skill can be mastered.
ReplyDeleteEffective teachers, in my opinion, possess a combination of content knowledge in their subject area, mastery of teaching pedagogy and the ability to assess where the students are and where they need to go. Part of effectively assessing the students involves both an assessment of data (which data-based research can assist in) and a more humanistic approach of the students’ needs.
The Tomlinson and McTighe text uses scenarios that speak to effective teaching as creating an environment conducive to learning and meeting students where they are (this means academically, emotionally, demographically, etc. …). Effective teachers are flexible and differentiate their teaching and assessment practices. Overall, I believe that an effective teacher is someone who nurtures an attitude in their students that they are life-long learners and independent thinkers. They help to foster the belief that the students are the architects of their own education and that they have a distinct responsibility in their learning on a daily basis. The basic goal of an educator, it would seem, is to guide students to move towards a better understanding of this world we inhabit. But before our students can grasp such diversity and vastness, they must begin by developing some measure of understanding about themselves. The ancient Greeks stated it simply, “Know thyself.” In my discipline, (English – 12th grade) students are introduced to universal models of human experience that can lead to generalizations about life and human behavior. Literature can help them answer the questions, “Who am I? Where have I been? Where am I going? And, How shall I live my life?” by showing them, through images and symbols, the commonalty and universality of human experiences. The idea is to move them from specific instances to larger generalizations about life and human behavior. In this respect, effective teaching guides the students through the content with both specific and global goals in mind.
Essentially, I believe that teaching is both a science and an art, with the successful ones having an innate gift for their craft. With this being said then, an effective teacher can be either someone who has traveled on the traditional path of teaching preparation or someone who has come to the career from other avenues.
The idea and concept of who makes an effective teacher is often a debate. Theorist Louis Rubin has stated that both teaching and artistry do go hand in hand with each other. I believe to agree with that.
ReplyDeleteThis came from Ornstein. The idea that teaching is a work of art and science I truly agree with that idea. Since, learning comes in different ways. Some learning comes more easier then other learning. The idea of it being a science takes a longer time for students to grasp and understand a concept. The idea that it is a hopeless dichotomy that explains theory versus practice. Which, I totally agree with. It is more about being predictable about what will happen in the classroom. An effective teacher is a person who can get through to their students anyway without having trouble. It should come easily to an effective teacher what she is teaching her students and the concepts.
It should not matter if a person went the traditional or nontraditional way to become a teacher. Some people are just born with the ability to teach people. Others are not able to teach. Some people just go into teaching for the benefits of it. Some people change their teaching style when working with their mentors, or cooperating teachers. There are four different ways to experience teaching by the ideas and concepts of the following: The inventing of things which always the teacher to be much more creative. Knowing putting on the board the objective of what the children will be learning. Caring for your students and their learning. Inspiring makes students want to be like someone that they admired. I feel that a traditional teacher is much more prepared then an untraditional teacher. Because, they have the training in their college under grade courses. Teaching has become very political now. When going for a job it does not matter about ones credentials anymore it matters more about who you know. I have a big problem with that. You could be the best teacher and an effective one and if you do not know someone then you will be turned down for a job because, they knew someone.
I think that yes ones teaching style is more effective then another teachers teaching style. This brings us back to the idea of teaching to both be an art and science. Some teachers are very effective in their classroom then others. I find myself to be an effective teacher. More so in the past two years since I have taught 30 students in my class between this year and last year. Organization is also, a key to be effective. You need to know what you are teaching to your students and you as a teacher must completely know and understand your material. I have been teaching at a catholic school for ten years now. I have taught three different grade levels. I have taught Kindergarten and First Grade for one year and Second Grade for eights years. I have found through the years that my teaching has been very effective. This year will be my most challenging year due to the fact that I have 30 students again with nine girls and twenty one boys. It is a mixture and lots of different learning abilities to teaching.
Amy, I can relate to your plight. I have 30-33 students per class and five classes. I sometimes wonder how I am supposed to meet the individual needs of over 150 students per day, evaluate their writing and properly assess them. It is sometimes overwhelming. Outsiders don't seem to understand how massive 30 students in a room actually is. I would love anyone who says "class size does not matter" to come and spend one day with me! See you in class.
DeleteEffective teaching is hard to define because it is so complex. I do think it is part art/part science - what the balance is, I'm not sure, but it seems to me that effective teaching, by nature, requires some structure, organization, and basis in our knowledge of how students in general learn as well as some intuitive understanding of how OUR students are learning.
ReplyDeleteI found the essay on various teaching styles very thought provoking - not so much in the definition or naming of those particular styles (although that was interesting) but more because it challenged some of my assumptions about what might be an effective teaching style. I certainly aspire to include some characteristics of all four of Kolb's styles in my teaching. But although I've heard people say "every teacher has his or her own style," I've never seen a presentation of styles like that, especially one that was pretty much value-neutral. Although I'm not a supervisor, it certainly made me sit-up and think about how important such a recognition of various ways to be effective would be.
We've all heard about scripted instruction - I can't imagine. The other 8th grade LA teacher in my district and I try to stay pretty coordinated on lesson plans and time lines - and I find that somewhat difficult at times because responding to the needs of my students can mean taking a detour from the plan on paper. This creates a tension for me and I have to rush through something else to catch up.
This brings me to another point that seems to keep coming up in the Tomlinson-McTigue text - that teachers have to CHOOSE what to teach from the curriculum. That constant and iterative process of decision-making is another skill an effective teacher must have - and must be willing to use. Hemingway talked about the need for "killing your darlings" when revising your writing - that is, getting rid of what you love if it's just not working then and there in the writing - I think this is also something teachers have to be willing to do.
In addition to the characteristics you have all named, I'd like to say that an effective teacher has PASSION for teaching. I do believe that truly effective teaching is a vocation for its practitioner.
Teaching is my second career. I did not take the alternate route path - instead I entered the profession via the post-bacc program at Caldwell. Still, I was considered a non-traditional candidate because I didn't start teaching until I was middle-aged. I certainly believe I can still be an effective teacher! I think my classes at Caldwell helped me reframe some of my thinking about school - I grew up in a time when competition was the normative dynamic in the classroom, and it was helpful and freeing to approach teaching from the perspective of helping all students succeed. I do consider myself a guide for my students - and I use that language when I talk to them about our classroom.
I expect to keep growing and changing as a teacher all the time. I belong to professional organizations and read journals and seek professional development. One great thing about teaching is I don't think I could ever stop learning how to be better. I related strongly to the idea that teaching is part of my identity, and vice versa. It's funny to think back to when I was a computer programmer. I was a displaced English major, and for the first several years that I worked in the computer field, when people asked me what I ddi for a living, I'd say "Well, I'm a computer programmer, but that's not REALLY what I am.." I've never, ever felt that way about teaching. As soon as I was in front of a classroom, I knew I was where I belong.
I agree with Meghan's prompt/comment. I believe that teaching is an art and not a science. If we just reiterate facts to students, we are not teaching them anything except the content in the textbook. In fact, the retention rate by students is very low when teachers adopt a more traditional approach to instruction. In order to increase retention, teachers need to differentiate instruction, be creative in their teaching styles so students develop 21st century skills needed post-secondary education, and take on a more humanistic approach to build a positive climate and culture in the classroom. Interestingly, the text stated that teachers who feel confident in the classroom, with the material, and with the students will laugh and joke around with their students while still accomplishing the objective/goals for the day. Students perform much better when they receive positive feedback and encouragement continuously and feel that they are in a non-threatening environment.
ReplyDeleteEffective teachers are ones that take risks in the classroom and take on a more humanistic approach to instruction. They are so confident with the material that they are able to use their creativity to teach the content in an engaging fashion while allowing students to develop skills needed outside of school. I think that is what differentiates an effective teacher from an ineffective teacher.
As a teacher who came through the Alternate Route Program four years ago, at the ripe old age of 53, I have to admit that I was terrified during my first few months of teaching. I have been speaking French since I was a teenager, but I found the teaching aspects overwhelming. Pedagogy was something new to me, even though I did a lot of subbing and taught real estate to adults. I had the basic concepts down, but the fine-tuning was not there.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Rachel said, in that one can't become an alternate route surgeon. I did manage to weather the storm of my first year as a teacher, and am now thriving in my fifth year. But I don't know if I'm the norm. I would love to know what the percentage of teachers who quit during the first three years of teaching who came through the traditional route vs. the alternate route. The Alternate Route Program has its limitations, the top one being not student teaching!!
I agree with Meghan on this prompt, I do believe that a teacher wears many hats. In order to be an effective teacher you must beable to hit all the angles within your classroom by looking at your class and taking each individual and looking at their learning and behaviors. These days, there is not one way you can teach in the classroom. Also, to be an effective teacher one must be knowledgable about the different ways to teach their children and be able to use those in the classroom at different times this way we can reach those children in ways that they can learn.
ReplyDeleteI do look at teaching as an Art. It is a job where you have some input on these children (in my case Kindergarten) and start to or continue to mold them into the people they will be in the future.
I too am a second career teacher but I teach in the field that I’ve worked in for the past 15 years, so my case may be special. I earned a BA in Fine Art as an undergrad and have been working as a Graphic Designer for the past 15 years (still do). I came to Caldwell via the teacher certification program and earned two certs, 1 for Art and another for k5 gen ed.
ReplyDeleteI did not go the alternate route path but I do think that the stigma towards it is unfair. I know a few alternate route teachers that are highly effective and some that approached it in the same manner as myself (a previous accountant that now teaches Math, and he’s fantastic).
I do not feel that I could be an effective k-5 classroom teacher (even though I have the cert), especially after seeing how it’s done for the past 3 years; and I don’t think I will ever try to go that path. However, working as an Art teacher I feel that I am extremely qualified and effective. I am able to bring the real world applications to students that they would not have otherwise, so again my case may be special.
I do feel that this, as with all things, is case sensitive. I feel being an effective teacher certainly involves knowing your strengths and weaknesses. As a 3rd year teacher I am, of course, still working on the mastery of teaching.
All that being said I feel that an effective teacher can take the traditional or non traditional path. It is part an art and part a science, you need them both. Having a love for what you teach is integral. Compassion, structure and content knowledge are also all so very important.