I have taught English in grades 7-12. I have worked with all levels of kids and all diversity of kids. Reaching all the kids requires a great deal of thought, planning, patience and at times spontaneity. I have found that the powerful teacher uses technology in the classroom, practices self-reflection, and utilizes multiple teaching strategies to effectively reach the diverse needs of students in the classroom. In today’s education culture, teachers must be able to embrace change and foster appropriate learning in the classroom. It is the responsibility of the teacher to meet students where they are and to create lessons that motivate the students to succeed. While it is not an easy task, it is the responsibility of the teacher.
The powerful teacher uses instructional strategies, including technology, that provide for the active engagement of the student. Since technology is the language that the students speak, then with incorporating more technology into the unit the students should feel more connected to the lessons. Technology not only helps to create student engagement in the lesson, it also helps to promote student learning. Using technology in the classroom is no longer an option for teachers if they want to produce well-rounded students. It must become a requirement.
The powerful teacher holds a clear philosophy about their chosen content and pedagogy which informs their thinking, through self-reflection curriculum and instruction, and how their students learn and develop their own language. By actively engaging in critical reflection during the school day, the powerful teacher will be able to provide instant feedback to herself on the progress and understandability of each unit. Self-reflection in the classroom can be done two ways. It can be reflection-in-action and/or reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action is done during the actually teaching process and is used to help guide the lesson and the students. Reflection-on-action is done after the lesson is taught and is used to lead the way for improvement. Using both of these types of reflection will help the teacher to improve her craft.
The powerful teacher also believes that curriculum approaches and instructional strategies should be based on research and best practice and be flexible, varied, and responsive to student needs. By addressing the many learning styles of the teacher’s students, the teacher will be able to make the unit more accessible. By addressing the different learning styles of the students throughout the unit and the assessment, powerful teachers make the unit more authentic for the students and help to improve retention of the subject knowledge. This charge to address different learning styles must be met.
The powerful teacher needs to be able to reach her students any way possible. When the powerful teacher begins to address these needs then she will begin to see a class that fosters trust, engagement, and actively involved students.
Posted by Jessica Lyons, WCHS English Teacher
The powerful teacher uses instructional strategies, including technology, that provide for the active engagement of the student. Since technology is the language that the students speak, then with incorporating more technology into the unit the students should feel more connected to the lessons. Technology not only helps to create student engagement in the lesson, it also helps to promote student learning. Using technology in the classroom is no longer an option for teachers if they want to produce well-rounded students. It must become a requirement.
The powerful teacher holds a clear philosophy about their chosen content and pedagogy which informs their thinking, through self-reflection curriculum and instruction, and how their students learn and develop their own language. By actively engaging in critical reflection during the school day, the powerful teacher will be able to provide instant feedback to herself on the progress and understandability of each unit. Self-reflection in the classroom can be done two ways. It can be reflection-in-action and/or reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action is done during the actually teaching process and is used to help guide the lesson and the students. Reflection-on-action is done after the lesson is taught and is used to lead the way for improvement. Using both of these types of reflection will help the teacher to improve her craft.
The powerful teacher also believes that curriculum approaches and instructional strategies should be based on research and best practice and be flexible, varied, and responsive to student needs. By addressing the many learning styles of the teacher’s students, the teacher will be able to make the unit more accessible. By addressing the different learning styles of the students throughout the unit and the assessment, powerful teachers make the unit more authentic for the students and help to improve retention of the subject knowledge. This charge to address different learning styles must be met.
The powerful teacher needs to be able to reach her students any way possible. When the powerful teacher begins to address these needs then she will begin to see a class that fosters trust, engagement, and actively involved students.
Posted by Jessica Lyons, WCHS English Teacher