Need some help!!

[polony]

I have been trying for weeks and weeks to do this stupid essay for uni. It asks, What does it mean to be an effective teacher?

The thing is, it is so easy to answer but I need a 1200 word answer and only have 600 words! It seems that it is a question that can be answered with 2-3 sentences and I am finding it difficult to stretch it out!

Can anyone help me with suggestions as to what to write? I am desperate!!!

[cwsmum]

I can see how hard that would be to answer in 1200 words......what sort of things have you said so far?

[veve]

hmmm there are lots of things to mention (the more references and quotes to back you up the happier the lecturer will be ... :) )

did you mention (it has been A LONG time since uni... so work with me :) )

- ensuring that all students have the prior knowledge needed before starting lessons??

- the hierarchy of needs (kids cant learn unless they are safe... fed... not thirsty... comfortable etc etc )

- ummm not using the chalk and talk???

- teaching the children how to LEARN ... so they can continue teaching themselves after they have left the classroom??

come on guys - there are LOTS of teachers on bubhub... I KNOW I'm not the only one!!!

good luck hon... I dont miss uni 1 bit!!

xx

[polony]

OK, bear with me. Here it is in case anyone is interested in reading it. My word count is slowly getting up and up. I hope no one minds me posting this on here. :o

What does it mean to be an effective teacher?

There are many things to consider in regards to becoming an effective teacher. Not only do you have to consider how you project yourself to your students, but also how your students relate to and accept you as a role-model and ultimately, as a teacher.

There are many words that can describe the elements of effective teaching. Such words to describe these elements are imaginative, interesting, approachable, fun, respectful, confident, patient, accepting, effective communicator and listener. All of these are extremely important aspects to consider when teaching and should be implemented on a daily basis. But in order to answer the question of what it means to be an effective teacher, the response needs to be explained in more detail.

To be an effective teacher, you need to have knowledge. Teachers need to know about what they are teaching. They must also know how to transform this knowledge into curriculum. To do this, they need to understand what level their students are at and how to be able to relate to the age group of children being taught. Using words that are above their level of understanding will cause the child to lose interest in the lesson and therefore, be an ineffective learning experience. Charles Anderson (1989) suggests that teachers must also be aware of the structure, function and development of the material that they are teaching. This means that the teacher needs to know what they are teaching, and more importantly, why they are teaching it. Without knowing the reason of why something is being taught, the function of the lesson is lost and therefore, so too is the students understanding.

The next quality an effective teacher should have is organisation and clarity. Teachers who can teach and explain things clearly and precisely are more likely to have students with a better understanding of what is being taught, and a more positive outlook on wanting to learn (Hines, Cruickshank, & Kennedy, 1985; Land, 1987). This point can also refer back to the previous explanation in regards to the use of language. Using ambiguous words or phrases only confuses the child. Vagueness while teaching can also occur when the teacher does not have enough knowledge on the subject which in turn can cause anxiousness and nervousness to both teacher and student and this feeds the vagueness. Therefore, clarity and being organised in the lesson planning will prove to be more effective.

Warmth and enthusiasm is also another important factor when striving to become an effective teacher. In order to get the students enthused in learning, the teacher must set the mood for the classroom. A boring, dull classroom will most likely cause the students to tune and out stop paying attention to what is being taught, and that would achieve nothing. If the classroom is inviting and the teacher is full of enthusiasm, then most students would find it appealing and are therefore more willing to listen and learn.

Fun is also a major part of teaching effectively. Without fun, the students will become bored and disinterested, and the teacher will start to consider teaching a chore, rather than a fantastic and enriching career path. The students are after all children and as such should be given the chance to learn in a fun and exciting environment. Play is a great way for children to discover things and in turn, learn things. But in defence of this statement, boundaries also need to be set. Children need to feel safe and also need to know what they are and are not allowed to do. This will result in the students learning to respect both the teacher and their fellow peers.

While researching the topic of effective teaching, a man called Rosenshine was discovered to have 6 teaching functions which contribute to effective teaching and learning using direct teaching (Rosenshine, 1988). These 6 functions are as follows:

Review and check the previous days work. This is to ensure that the students work is monitored closely and that if any student shows signs of struggling, this can be dealt with in time and the student isn’t left behind. It also allows the teacher to monitor if what they have taught has been learnt.

Present new material. These need to be clear, precise lessons, explaining new material so the students are able to grasp what is being taught.

Provide guided practice. Scaffolding the students’ efforts and learning helps them to understand new concepts easier. It helps ease them into new ways of thinking, which results in learning.

Give feedback. Letting students know where they went wrong or what they got right enables them to learn from their mistakes and endeavour from praise.

Provide independent practice. This allows for the inner-speech to develop and for the students to figure things out independently. This enables them to understand concepts in their own way, but results do need to be checked to make sure that they have learnt correctly.

Review weekly and monthly to consolidate learning. Things like homework sheets and assignments to take home are a good way to assess whether the students understand the subjects being presented to them.

There are many theories and ideas out there by many different people. Some work and some don’t. Rosenshine’s ideas were presented in this essay to illustrate one of these many ideas.

How to teach should be a personal decision, but the effectiveness should always be implemented. The elements described in this essay should used to implement this when becoming a teacher and planning a lesson.

I have all the refs under that.... brain too tired. .....