Module 6 – Final Reflections: Effective Teachers
May 6th, 2017
“Effective teachers who establish positive relationships with their students appear to be a powerful force in those students’ lives. Students who have problems seem to benefit the most from good teaching.” (Woolfolk, pg. 8). While it is extremely important for teachers to establish individual relationships with their students in order to better understand each students’ learning ability levels/needs, many more factors are crucial for good and effective teaching. Educators must create a positive and challenging learning environment for all students, commit to their own learning to develop a better teaching practice (be knowledgeable of their content material), collaborate with colleagues and other professionals in their content area to reach and teach students of all backgrounds, and incorporate technology into their teaching strategies to vary the delivery of information engaging students. Although these are only some aspects of effective teaching that educators of all content areas must integrate into their teaching, I have learned so much over the course of one class that has gave me a new outlook on how to become a great and successful teacher.
Although as many future educators already know how important it is to be knowledgeable and educated in your content area and how important classroom management is, understanding and being able to reach and teach students of all diverse and various backgrounds is also necessary for strong teaching. Following the Wisconsin Standards for Teacher Development and Licensure, two standards really catch my eye as I look to understand which standards I will eventually have to meet as a future physical education teacher. These standards include:
2. Teachers know how children grow.
The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and provides instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development.
3. Teachers understand that children learn differently.
The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to learning and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities.
Standards Retrieved from https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/programs/standards/teacher
Learning about culture and diversity in this course this semester has really broaden my learning opportunities in understanding students of all different backgrounds (as mentioned previously). As a teacher, again, I feel as though it is extremely important to understand each student at an individual level and know where each student comes from. Whether it be their home life, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or social diversity, being able to teach and provide each student with the same effective and successful teaching can and will benefit the student as well as you as a teacher.
Motivation and student success I believe is the most significant and beneficial material that I have learned this semester that will positively impact my future teaching. “If the locus is internal, the motivation is intrinsic; if the locus is external, the motivation is extrinsic. Most motivation has elements of both.” (Woolfolk, pg. 480). From my beliefs and knowledge that I have learned this semester, I feel as though it is necessary as a teacher to provide various ways of motivation for each student if that student is not experiencing any motivation his/herself. It is your job as an educator to reach each students individual needs and teach them in ways in which will benefit that student in their future. Motivation and goal setting strategies for your students are significant in your pupils learning experiences!
After being new to ‘blogging,’ I have learned so much about the importance of having a professional online identity. Not only being able to express my personal ideas and beliefs to people who have the same interests as me, but learning from others and gaining knowledge on outside resources and professionals in the educational field has positively affected my online experience in the education field. I will continue my research in physical education and continue blogging, possibly finding a website/program directly impacting and reaching future educators in the physical education field. In today’s society, technology and the online world is extremely important and referenced in schools all around. Being able to relate to my future students through the media can greatly benefit them as students as well as myself as a professional.
References
Woolfolk, A. (2014). Educational psychology: Active learning edition. (12th ed.). Pearson.
Wisconsin department of public instruction. Retrieved from https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/programs/standards/teacher
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1. Rebecca Mills | May 6th, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Hi Alex!
I found your blog post very enlightening on effective teaching. From what I have learned this semester teachers can have a tremendous impact on their students’ lives. According to Fraser (2016) “Teachers, it seems do make a very real difference for good or for ill” (p. 28). When a teacher has the good qualities you mentioned in your blog post such as making connections with students, those students will benefit from knowing that their teacher cares about them. They might care more about learning and become more engaged. When a teacher lacks the knowledge to distinguish individual needs of students they will fall behind in learning. As a future P.E. teacher you could use Voice and Choice for students to decide what type of physical activity they would like to focus on in groups or stations. They might something they will become passionate about and continue to do for the rest of their life to stay healthy.
Reference
Fraser, James W. (2016). Teach: A Question of Teaching (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.