Sources:
Kauchak, P. & Eggen, P. (2005). Introduction to teaching: Becoming a professional (2nd ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
“Logic is a branch of philosophy that examines the processes of deriving valid conclusions from basic principles.” (Kauchak, 2005) It is my belief that out of the four basic areas of philosophy: epistemology, metaphysics, axiology, and logic; that the area of logic is the most useful for teachers to apply in their daily activities. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to evaluate and assess my class, and develop a conclusion based on my evidence. “Logic helps both teachers and learners examine the validity of their thinking.” (Kauchak, 2005) In the classroom, I will be dissecting information for my students to further their understanding. For example, in order to prepare a lesson, I examine the possible questions that could arise and various scenarios that could play out when I present it to my students. When it comes time to present the lesson, the class explores the information together examining the criteria involved so the students can comprehend the data, and I am prepared for any obstacle that may arise. I believe Logic is also useful in the fact that it allows teachers to use reasoning with their students as a tool for academic and social development. Teachers use deductive and inductive reasoning throughout their day with students to motivate them to question what they are learning. This reasoning allows them to draw their own personal conclusions on the subject taught based upon the information the teacher has provided. Each basic area of philosophy is committed to education in a way that is unique to its foundation. I found that I could easily identify with each basic area and apply it as a use for a teacher. After doing that, I found that logic seemed to be the most useful in classroom application and teacher development.
Sources: Kauchak, P. & Eggen, P. (2005). Introduction to teaching: Becoming a professional (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
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Back in the colonial times, teaching students meant sitting behind a desk, reading scripted lesson plans which often involved long note-taking and reciting. This old, out-dated definition of teaching is non-effective and creates a negative image of the education field for children. In today’s society, Teachers have added some spice to that recipe, having integrated the classroom, adding new techniques and technology to create a differentiated instructional environment to reach students of various learning profiles. This often means that a teacher will wear many hats throughout the school day and year. You are a Mentor, Scientist, Mathematician, Historian, Artist, Musician, Actor, Comedian, Literacy Expert, and many other valuable roles in a child’s life. The challenge in this is to effectively balance everything. In his article, Gupta states that according to Highet, the teaching process is like painting a picture or planting a garden rather than inducing a chemical reaction. I couldn’t agree more. Teaching requires patience, understanding, and the ability to nurture an individual so they can reach their full potential. It doesn’t follow a concrete path, but there is always an overall outline, because teaching an individual requires us to be flexible and prepared. This is where the science comes in. Proper lesson preparation will allow a teacher to expand their lesson creatively, being able to reach every individual. Not every child learns the same, and that is a main point to consider when preparing a lesson to teach a class. As an art form, a teacher needs to convey interest in her students needs. Integrating subjects such as Art, Theater, and Music can liven up subjects like Math, Science, Social Studies, and English. A teacher who is successful in integrating both the art and science of teaching will possess all those qualities to successfully motivate their students.
Source: Gupta, R. (2001, January 31). Effective teaching: Aspects and techniques. Retrieved February 22, 2007, from http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/teaching-learning/teachingreview/gupta1.html. Online Libraries are the newest form of getting research available to students. This is extremely beneficial because “colleges and universities are not updating their equipment or software fast enough to stay abreast of the training needs for beginning teachers or for preparing professionals in other fields. “The INET LIBRARY is a well-regarded online resource that has had a positive influence on student success. It organizes the Internet for educators and never stops in its constant review of new sites. Inventive Communications' staff reviews over 50,000 sites a week and adds about 500 sites a day to the library.” (Jensen, 2000) This can offer even more sufficient training for people who are learning a profession. However, there are other benefits.
Another benefit would be convenience. In my opinion, the idea of being confined to hours of business is often constricting. While the library offers the satisfaction of a physical place to go to, which for some people may be ideal, the online library provides me with a plethora of information right at my fingertips. If I am unsure of an area in a subject, I can quickly validate the information by doing a quick research, whereas in the past, you would need to go all the way to the library, locate that information and scan through many different sources until you located the information you needed. This leads me to my next benefit: Fast search. Fast searching is an option that is very helpful. Rather than spend all your time trying to locate where the books, periodicals, newspapers, or other media outlets happen to be located, you can just type in a few key words in a search to locate what you need. I can remember spending hours in a library when I was a little girl, searching through the alphabetized list of topics inside a rolodex on 3x5 index cards, trying to find information on a subject I was interested in learning more about, which was dinosaurs. While that particular topic was a bit easier to research, and I was only about 10 years old, so I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be to find information on more difficult topics, going into more pertinent detail. I was fortunate enough that when I needed to write more serious research, the Internet was available, and in college for my undergraduate degree the online library feature was available to me. In conclusion, the online library offers this current generation many benefits. The convenience of researching from you home with access to an endless amount of research data from various mediums, the ability to provide the public with current training in their profession, and the ability to instantly search your topic to find more data. Sources Jensen, D. (2000). Online libraries: Convenient, safe and effective. T H E Journal 27(6), 18. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. “Group Communication is important because it is through these messages that groups make decisions, manage conflict, and build the rapport that is necessary to keep the group going in difficult circumstances. The exchange of messages shapes what the group will be and what the group can accomplish. ” (Schement, 2002) In a classroom setting, this is the perfect opportunity to develop relationships and learn from one another.
In my opinion, an individual is faced with group challenges daily, specifically within their work environment and with their family. Within these separate groups, there are similarities. Each individual has a role that can be defined specifically by being assigned, or just develop naturally. The roles of an individual give the sense of belonging to something. Everyday groups are also faced with decision-making, and individuals can work together to make sure they are effectively solving the problem they are faced with. Another way they are alike, is that within both of these groups you’re given opportunities to give your ideas freely and openly within certain aspects. This way, you have something to bounce your ideas off of and get opinions before you finalize. “The bottom line is that much of our success in the workplace is a product of how well we work with other people. This can often be determined by the way we function in smaller groups.” (NJBiz, 2009) My participation on a learning team will be an important contribution to my professional growth by allowing me to extend my group communication skills with new individuals, and properly learn how to work effectively with others. This is important because in the profession of teaching, dependent upon your school district, you will be working with various types of personalities through short or long periods of time. After all, you only have a class of students for an approximate 9-10 month period, and then you are faced with a new group and new challenges to overcome together. This learning team will allow me to work with individuals within my same class towards a common goal. I am looking forward to this exchange and the Learning team assignment of groups. Sources (n.d). Group Communication. Encyclopedia of Communication and Information, 2372-376. Retrieved from Gale: Gale Virtual Reference Library (PowerSearch) database. (2009). Keys to effective group communication. njbiz, 22(32), 12. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database. Why is it important for someone in your profession to have effective communication skills?5/11/2010 It is important for a Teacher to have effective communication skills in order to model the appropriate behavior in society, properly communicate the goals and objectives of the lessons they are teaching, and evaluate and develop their students educationally, effectively communicate with other staff members and parents. Communication is one of the most important tools a teacher uses to effectively teach their students. As a teacher, you are one of the primary adults in a students’ life and it is up to you to model the appropriate behaviors in order to make your lessons worthwhile. You are the role model for these adolescents. Just as the author of our class reading, D'O'Brian, states in the title, “How you say it does matter”. In one of his opening statements, he makes the remark, "You don't have to be another Shakespeare to get your point across. To write or speak especially well takes practice, but to write or speak competently just requires an awareness of a few essentials." (D'O'Brian, 1994) As a teacher, you need a heightened sense of awareness in your communication skills. You need to properly communicate your point across to a group of children who are beginning to develop their listening and awareness skills. "To do that, you need clear, straightforward words convey ideas more powerfully than stuffy, complicated phrases." (Stein, 1999) With attention span's wearing thing, honing in on their attention can be difficult; however it is necessary and important for a teacher to master this in order to be successful in educating their students, who each have their own individual ways of comprehension. After reading the article "Be Prepared" by Lauer, I realized that teacher's are also responsible for the preparation. You need to ensure that your lesson effectively communicates things visually, aurally, and kinesthetically. Being prepared and rehearsing can not only help you develop your points clearly and precisely, but can help to ensure understanding for all types of learning profiles. A teacher is a leader in the classroom and shapes individuals in society. (Lauer, 2002) Another important aspect of communication within a teacher's career is communication between other faculty and parents. Being clear, precise, and to the point is the most effective method in communicating your thoughts. A way this can be done through faculty meetings by preparing your agenda and with Parents during Parent/Teacher Conferences or letter's home explaining the current lessons. Ultimately, it is the teacher's responsibility to ensure effective communication with the student, faculty member, or parent. Without communication, it would be impossible to perform as a teacher. In conclusion, the teaching profession is made up of individuals who have mastered the art of communicating while evaluating progress through verbal and non-verbal mannerisms. In my opinion, communication in the teaching profession is the single most important aspect and tool for education. When used correctly, the various mediums of communication in today's society assist to complete the daily functions and responsibilities of a teacher. Teachers do this flawlessly, even when communicating with other staff members or parents to ensure that the success of the child academically is met. Sources D'O'Brian, J. (1994, April). How you say it does make a difference. Supervisory Management, 39(4), 10. Lauer, C. S. (2002, February 11). Be prepared. Modern Healthcare, 32(6), 26. Stein, J. (1999, November/December). Writing clearly and effectively: How to keep the reader's attention. The Secured Lender, 55(7), 98-104. |
Lindsey PietrocolaSince 2010, I've been incorporating technology (in some form or another) into a classroom as a teacher. Archives
April 2019
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