Blog 23

What I did in class:

I narrowed my focus- so excited!!
My headings will be : Introduction, Read- Literature Review, Watch, and Learned- What I learned.
I also brought my introduction and literature review from 5 1/2 pages to 3 pages- excited about this too.

I would like you to look at my literature review to make sure is good for setting up my paper. I did a paragraph of my paper as well- this is also what I was working on during class.

Introduction:

            Many researchers have conducted a study about what makes an effective teacher.  The research is varied depending upon the author and what they observe. Most research shows what a teacher does in and out of the classroom to make them effective.  I will conduct a study, using the material from the text called Qualities of Effective Teachers by James H. Stronge, to prove that a specific second grade teacher in North New Jersey is an effective teacher.  I will show that he is an effective teacher by mentioning some facts using the headings: Classroom atmosphere, the teacher as a person, and hands on learning. After observing the teacher two times, according to the text, he is an effective teacher.  In the literature review, I will talk about Stronge’s notes on effective teachers relating to what I saw in my observations.  Watching the teacher made me realize what makes an effective teacher.  I want to summarize those points to come to a conclusion of what I learned through watching him teach. I will have three major points to this research: Read, Watch, and What I learned.  All of these aspects make for an effective teacher.

Read- Literature Review:

The teacher as a person

“Much of the recent research on teacher effectiveness focuses on relating teacher behaviors to student achievement.” (Stronge, 13) Effective teachers have positive qualities like: caring, listening, knowing their students, fairness and respect, interacting with their students, and  promoting enthusiasm and motivation for learning. Students respond positively to all these qualities an effective teacher has. “Teachers who create a supportive and warm classroom climate tend to be more effective with students.” (Stronge, 15) Students must feel comfortable in the classroom if they will be willing to speak. Teachers who are caring towards their students will be more likely to open up and be open to learning new things.  “Effective, caring teachers know the students formally and informally” (Stronge, 15) Teachers who are effective connect with each student and treats them fairly. Effective teachers give all of the students in his / her classroom every opportunity to participate and succeed.   Teachers who are considered effective listen to what the students have to say rather than cutting them off if what they are talking about is off topic.   “Effective teachers also have a good sense of humor and are willing to share jokes” (Stronge, 17)  This makes the classroom atmosphere more relaxed and have the students be willing to let loose in your classroom. “Good teachers realize and deal with the fact that some students prefer to sit quietly on the sideline, but not stop involving them.” (Stronge, 18) These teachers realize that some students may not feel comfortable talking in group discussions, but feel more comfortable talking in smaller groups.  Effective teachers do not force their students to participate if they really don’t want to.

Classroom management and organization skills

Strong states that components of the organizational plan of a classroom include room arrangement, discipline, the creation of routines, and plan to teach the students how their learning environment is organized. (26) The better the classroom is set up for the students / teacher’s needs, the better the classroom will run during instructional time.  “Doyle defined management as “the actions and strategies teachers use to solve the problem of order in the classrooms” rather than responses to disciplinary situations”.  (Stronge, 26)  An effective teacher has the whole day planned out so the students do not have time to act out or misbehave.  Effective teachers also have a daily routine and procedures. An effective teacher has his /  her room set up the best way it can be for optimal instruction.

“ Most effective teachers admit that rules, procedures, and routines take precedence over academic lessons during the first week of school… When materials are organized, it allows for smooth transitions between activities and increases the amount of time on academic tasks. Consequently, as students focus on academic engagement, the potential for behavior problems to occur is greatly reduced. (Stronge, 28)

Effective teacher as well as plan their day, they also make sure to have the classroom organized.  Effective teachers have “color coded bins and placing commonly used materials such as scissors, staples, tape, hole punchers, and crayons in easily accessible places” so the students do not have to interrupt the lesson. (Stronge 28-29) Effective teachers handle discipline when it happens, if and when it does.

Implementing instruction

According to the text Qualities of Effective Teachers, “An effective teacher plans and prepares for the organization of the classroom with the same care and precision used to design a high quality lesson.” (Stronge, 23) Effective teachers “explain the material” that is learned in a specific lesson. (Stronge, 43)  Effective teacher also have the students participate in hands-on activities.  This helps the students remember the information better but they also realize “that no one instruction is better than another”. (Stronge, 45) Good teachers “encourage students to respond to questions and activities that require them to discover and assimilate their own understanding, rather than to simply memorize material.” (Stronge, 47)  Teachers who also “use positive reinforcement, praise students, and employ meaningful activities are more likely to actively engage students in learning. “(Stronge, 49) 

All these techniques, if used correctly, will make for a great classroom atmosphere. Being an effective teacher means watching and reading.  A good teacher relates what he / she reads and related it to the classroom experience.

Watch- How watching a class reinforces student teacher learning:

Classroom atmosphere

A good classroom atmosphere is what the teacher sets up at the beginning of the year.  The teacher, like I said in my literature review, spends a lot of time on “first day” procedures.  An effective teacher will spend time on the procedures until all of the students understand. In the classroom, it looked to me that the “first day” procedures too some time, not just one day.  The students looked to be comfortable talking in the classroom as well as being able to move around the classroom-within reason.

The teacher as a person

Hands on learning

What I learned: