Research shows that teachers need to vary the methods of instruction. This week reflect upon the following questions to determine the quality of your cooperating teacher’s instruction.
Does the teacher:
• Rely too heavily on “tell” forms of instruction?
• Include “show” methods of instruction to demonstrate the meanings of the material being taught?
• Include “do” activities where students apply, or learn, the skills of the lesson?
• Vary instructional methods to ensure meeting the needs of all students?
I look forward to seeing everyone next Tuesday.
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In a preschool setting, like my classroom, the lessons are about things like matching, patterns, motor skills, etc. The teacher doesn't stand at the front of the classroom and talk the whole time and tell the class what they should be doing. She creates activities and games for the students to do that incorporate each of the lessons. The lessons are varied this way because there is always a new activity. It also makes it more fun for the students because they almost forget that they are learning and have fun with the activities and games. The activities and games are designed so that each student can partake in them and there are different styles to meet the different learning styles that different students may have. I think this is a really great way to instruct students because it allows them to have fun in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWhile observing my teacher I have come to notice many different forms of teaching. While my teacher does use the "Tell" form of instruction on a daily basis, he only uses it at the beginning of class when explaining that days objective. To me this is the first step in getting the lesson across your students, because it is important to fill them with the information needed for that days lesson. After explaining the lesson he uses the "Show" method of teaching by going through each skill and performing them himself. This is important because the students get to see on a first hand basis how the skill is supposed to be done. Before he allows his students to participate or play the full activity he does include the "Do" method by breaking the kids down into small groups, and allowing them to practice individual skills amongst each other. This to me is where they learn the most because they are actually doing it themselves, and can make adjustments by observing their peers. Lastly he does vary the instructional methods depending on the level difficulty of the task. If it is a hard task he will first show then explain. This allows the students to see before hearing the importance of the skill, which in the long run allows them to apply the importance of the skill to the reasoning behind it.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I think it is necessary and crucial for your teacher to teach this way in a pre-school setting. This is because when you have kids at this young of an age it is important to show before telling. When young kids get to apply a lesson with their own hands, they seem to be more interested and more likely to participate. Whereas if you are standing infront of a young class the whole time they get anxious and have a very short attention span.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher that I am observing relies on the book to teach her lessons, for her examples, and for her assignments. For written assignments like poems, she hands out a paper explaining the assignment and reads it to the class, having them highlight important parts. The example for more lengthy written assignments are her personal written work versus student work, so the level of acadamia is higher which sets a higher standard. After that, the class is pretty much on their own to work on the assignments.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, it sounds like your teacher understands what really makes a productive classroom by teaching it, showing them the examples but letting them apply the lesson to accomplish the main point.
ReplyDeleteAlly, I think it is a good idea that your teacher gives printed examples of the kind of work she is expecting. However, I don't think she should give examples of her own written work. I agree that it sets a higher standard, but I think student examples are a great example. It shows the students what the teacher is expecting and what she considers a good paper.
ReplyDeleteMy host teacher uses a variety of methods in her teaching and instruction. She uses lecture, hands on activities, individual activities as well as group activities. She also does fun things in the class that are out of the ordinary that the students wouldn't usually be allowed to do in the class. For example she had a math acitivity where she reviewed their addition and subtraction problems and had them sit in their desks write out an example problem on a scrap piece of paper and solve it on another piece of paper. Then she had them all stand up ball up the scrap paper and throw it across the room, all the students at once and then they had to go pick on up, not their own, take it back to their seat and solve it. Then check with the original author to make sure their answer was correct.
ReplyDeleteAndrew I like and agree with how your teacher uses the tell first, then the show and then the do in a good order to get his point accross to the students effectively.
ReplyDeletesara im in a preschool class as well and i see the same things and agree with you on how the teacher goes about teaching the class. i think in preschool and lower levels all of the levels of how to learn are used. i think as we get older teachers more and more expect kids to know or teach them self. in my class the kids are told what is expected and the instructions are always repeated more then once. the kids are also shown with a demonstration were they interact not just sit and watch the teacher because then would not really pay attention. then the teacher makes sure they understand by asking questions on what is expected and the steps that need to be taken to get what is needed. when the kids are working alone the teacher also goes around to help and question the kids if they are not doing it right to remind them the correct way to to something. she doesn't leave them to do things on their own. i think she covers all grounds pretty well so the students learn and understand.
ReplyDeleteAndrew- I like the fact that your teacher uses a variety of teaching styles. By doing so, he is able to reach out to all of his students and their different learning styles. This makes the class lees predictable and more enjoyable for both the students and the teacher.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher that I am observing uses a variety of teaching styles. When she starts a lesson, she usually lectures for a day or two and gives the students notes. While lecturing she is very interactive with her students and they actively participate by answering questions and taking good notes. Next, the teacher will give an example of whatever the next speech is. This shows the students what her expectations are and gives them a starting point for their own speeches. Finally, it is time for the students to put all that they learned to use by creating and performing their own speech. Whether it be a group project or individual speech, the class has a very good sense of community and they enjoy participating in class.
ReplyDeleteMy teacher is very active in telling/showing/doing the things to be learned in the class period. He explains in his own words what they are going to do. Then he demonstrates it for them... for example, the kids need to open their mouths more to get more sound to come out so they are sing better. He will tell them what they need to do but then will also show them how to do it correctly. Sometimes he may be silly and the kids laugh but it gets them to realize how the trick is done. He then of course has the kids do what he just demonstrated. They may have to do it a few times but they always get it right in the end. He may even point something out to a student if he or she is not doing it correctly. But he does it kindly and always is respectful.
ReplyDeleteTraneika, I think your teacher has a great way to teach the kids while allowing them to have fun doing it. I smiled when I read your comment because I can just imagine how much fun the kids have... and even though that is not the most important thing in school, it gets them to love learning more.
ReplyDeleteI do not think my teacher relies too heavily on "tell" methods. She is explaining things to first graders so it is really important to 1.explain things thoroughly and 2.show an example. The kids seem to take really well to both methods. After the teacher finishes explaining what the students are supposed to do, it is always followed with some type of "do" activity. They put what they just learned into action. I think the teacher both verbal explaining things, and physically showing an example appeals to more than one learning type. The first graders who learn better by seeing understand because of the example, and the first graders who like to listen to instruction have the opportunity to do that as well.
ReplyDeleteLaura, you're teacher sounds very effective. I think it's really important/cool that he explains things in his own words. It is also good that he points incorrect things out in a nice/kind way.
ReplyDeleteMy host teacher would spend time talking to the students while showing a few notes on the SmartBoard and would try to get the students to participate with the discussion.
ReplyDeleteKylie, I think the teacher you watched was doing a very effective thing. The teacher seems to be putting in the fact that the kids may not all learn the same way.
ReplyDeletemy teacher relys mainly on the telling of instructions. He usually will stand in front of the class and give them instructions then go behind his desk and expect the students to do what he instructed them to do. this works some of the time but usually the students dont understand it and need help or need further instructions.
ReplyDeletelaura- your teacher sounds great! I would really like to see the teacher im observing do more then the one teaching style.
ReplyDeleteMy host teacher I think balances quite well the telling, showing and doing methods of instruction in her class. She starts off every class with having the kids do by themselves an asssignment that's posted on the board. After, they'll all discuss the different ideas the class had. She will then start the lesson and talk a bit about the topic. She gives examples of poems or stories or simply show in a general way how to do stuff before they have to do it by themselves. Then it's their turn to work on the assignments by themselves but they are free to ask for some help if they need it.
ReplyDeleteMy teacher uses mostly "show" and "do" methods of teaching because kindergarteners are visual learners. One example in my classroom is every week the students have a "sight word," a new little word they learn how to read and spell and the teacher has a poster of the poem written out. The students take turns and have to go to the poster and put pieces of tape on the sight word any time it occurs. Nearly all of the lessons taught in my classroom are show and do lessons where the students learn through examples, demonstrations and games.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, your teacher sounds like he is a very effective PE teacher. A lot of PE teachers I had in school just had the students go right into activities once class started, but I like that your teacher takes the time to "tell", "show", and "do" before throwing kids right into a game or activity.
ReplyDeletesome techniques that my teacher uses are having a picture portion of the notes. he explains vocab and info and then shows a picture of what it looks like. because he is in the science division, this is very useful.
ReplyDeleteally, i think that relying on text books is so silly, teachers should be able to design their own assignments to challenge the students.
ReplyDeletei think my host teacher does a good job of using the different teaching techniques in the classroom. She begins class by telling her students what they are learning. She then proceeds to show her class by doing examples and then calling on a couple students to try them on the board. Then she includes a do activity by either splitting them up in groups or having them do it one on one. She gives them an activity and a certain amount of time to finish it. After time runs out they discuss what they did and explain it further. I think that by using so many different styles of teaching it will really affect the students for the better
ReplyDeleteAlly and Jeff- I agree relying on the text book is silly but giving the examples is great from the text books and shows kids more of problem solving. I think that sometimes you should let the kids kinda struggle while using the text book let them find something and teach themselves sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAnna- I completely agree with what you say about how using many different methods of teaching helps students significantly. Kids are all different and therefore learn in many different ways, some get things better when they are told about it and others learn better when they actually see how it's done.
ReplyDeleteBut many of the teachers seem to teach at different paces and seem to have the kids at the same level by the end of the year. But it is very important on how they get there and the activities the teachers uses to catch them up and teach them a lesson. but the teacher i have been with is great at using both the text book an making the kids find some problems on there own it seems to get them to ask questions. An she eventually will go over what they should have found in the book just to make sure tey all got it. But I believe using books is important and the problem solving out of them and knowing where to go to get the answers is why i would use a book in the class room. more of teaching the kids how they can find an answer if i couldnt help.
ReplyDeleteMy host teacher uses a variety of methods to get his ideas across. Because band is a very action-oriented class, there are a lot of the "do" activities. Often he makes them repeat something if they do it right, to cement the correct idea in their heads. Sometimes he will use the saxophone to demonstrate the way something needs to be played, thereby using the "show" method. Although he often has to tell the students what to do, he is sure to ask them about what they think needs to happen in a piece before confirming or denying any of their ideas. I think it makes them think for themselves and to try to make the music sound right the first time. He does vary the method of instruction, often presenting it in a few different ways to make sure everyone understands what needs to happen.
ReplyDeleteNicole V., I think that your teacher has a good way to lecture. Nothing is more boring than listening to a teacher go on and on and not involving the students. Hopefully that helps them to keep the main ideas in their heads better. I like the fact that she has them do a related activity after the lectures are done. It sounds like a good way to combine teaching styles.
ReplyDeletetraneika - i think that doing activities such as the one your host teacher does is a great way to get everyone involved with the lesson and with what they are learning
ReplyDeletemy teacher has had a lot going on while i have been there. he has been have health issues, and personal issues. so he gives out a lot of busy work to the students. but they have to use the material that they have read and/or from the lesson. he does try to teach them lots of things.
ReplyDeleteanna- my teacher does do the same kind of thing, he gives them things to do. if they dont get done then they go over it in class
ReplyDeleteI will be starting my practicum and hopefully have it done before it's too late
ReplyDelete