Chapter 2-3

Chapter 2 pg. 27-56

The primary expectations of teachers are to facilitate students learning.

Teachers have to be a reflective decision maker, commit to young adolescent children and the profession, and be able to offer non instructional and instructional responsibility.

When teaching a teacher must remember that students have rights and teachers must remember that a school and classroom must be one of trust, dignity and respect.  I did not know that if I ever have to transport a student, I need to make sure that I have written permission and liable insurance coverage.  It is good to know that one can possible use my homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy for my personal items that I may take with me to school.  It is important that a teacher learns which teaching style (traditional or facilitating) is most appropriate for his or her class.

Chapter 2 pg. 56-78

Teachers need to have a variety of strategies to help reach goals and help various groups of students. 

Most students learn best when physically and intellectually active.  They also learn when they are able to talk about and share what they are learning.  Teachers create the appropriate environment and conditions for students to learn.  Teachers structure the learning environment so that all students can act and react productively (Examples –think- pair- share or think- write- pair- share).

Teachers need to use a variety of activities that help motivate and challenge students to work to the best of their ability. Teachers should always model appropriate behavior.  Teachers have all types of opportunities to have engaging classrooms.  There are all types of technology ready to be used to help enhance students learning.  Teachers should take advantage of whiteboards make sure they are clean and ready to use each day.  Bulletin boards can be attractive enough to draw attention to students. There are all sorts of computer programs that can help provide students additional help.  Document cameras, overhead projectors and the like are also additional tools that can help enhance students learning while in school.  Field trips and connecting to community resources can help or assist in the learning of school age students.

Chapter 3

Skills of thinking are taught and learned.    Teachers should teach students to use all the senses while learning.  Questioning, classifying, comparing/contrast, concluding, generalizing, and inferring help students learn to develop intellectual behavior.  There are three levels of questions lowest, intermediate, and highest. The lowest level is simple recall and gathering information, intermediate process information, and highest level is applying and evaluating in new situations.  A teacher must know how to structure questions in a way that will move a student to think on a higher level.  The teacher facilitates the student’s intellectual development. Teachers need to construct and implement questions that will help students learn how to solve problems, make decisions, value judgment, think creatively, critically and feel positive about their school and its learning environment.