Differentiating Instruction

The main purpose of differentiating instruction is to make sure every student gets the opportunity to learn in the ways they are most adapted to. Teachers need to learn what their students strengths and weaknesses are and teach to the way that they feel most confident In. A lesson cannot be developed to suit every person in the classroom. There are students that need more of a challenge, those who have crossed the learning threshold and can be challenged a little further, and those who need more help and need to be instructed of prove there knowledge in a totally different manner. Tiered lessons are a great way to make sure students have a choice and can answer in whs that make them more confident and successful. They are great tools to give students room to choose.

Describe Effective Teaching Techniques that Result in Intended Learning.

Effective teaching requires using multiple approaches to keep students engaged in the progress of learning. Whether direct, indirect, or inquiry instruction teachers have to be versatile and willing to change quickly even if it means giving up a planned lesson for the day to go with a "teachable moment."  But on a typical teaching day using direct instruction students should have an exposure to various attention-gaining devices whether a question that draws them in to learning, a visual such as the SMARTboard or even a small video that paints a vivid picture of the concept to be studied that day. An effective teacher should show enthusiasm and be animated through eye-contact, voice and gestures or movement to facilitate transitions. An instructor should be flexible and also have a certain consistency in their approach (e.g. presents, asks questions, then provide for independent practice). Effective teaching incorporates students ideas or participation in some aspects of the instruction. There should be a mixture of rewards and reinforcers ( e.g. extra credit, verbal praise, independent study,etc). There should also be evaluation and measurement incorporated on a daily/weekly basis to help students retain information and give them a chance to prove what they've learned. Direct instruction should be used for knowledge and comprehension goals and indirect instruction for inquiry and problem solving objectives. Rubrics are a great approach that outlines the needs.

How Do I Motivate Students?

Listening to the voices of students is key to understanding what motivates them to learn. According to Barbara Combs, students have repetitivly stated what makes them want to learn. (a) rigor and joy in their school work, (b) a balance of complexity and clarity, (c) opportunities to discuss personal meanings and values, (d) learning activities that are relevant and fun, and (c) learning experiences that offer choice and require action. (Combs 1995).  Following these tenets is not always easy. Trying to make everything about our curriculum interesting and fun is not always possible.  Motivation in students can be achieved through positive feedback, praise and having clear directions and objectives.  Finding ways to connect to students is an art and it begins by knowing their interests, backgrounds, and abilities.

Attribution theory is a classical approach to motivation of pupils. Students seek to understand why they have been successful. Some reasons students might give are effort, innate ability, an easy or hard test, or luck. These causes either originate within the learner (effort, ability) or outside the learner (luck, task). It's either an internal locus of causality, or an outside locus of causality.  How the student thinks about or interprets success or failure and not the outcome itself impacts motivation.

Self-efficacy theory is another way theorists have tried to explain motivation. Students are more likely to begin, persist at, and master tasks that they think they are good at.  Motivation through self-efficacy can be increased by verbal persuasion through which the teacher expresses confidence and surety in a students ability. The most important factor influencing learners is their past experience with success or failure.

Goal Theory is another perspective on motivation. It focuses on putting an emphasis on why children would want to succeed. Theorist put people into two groups. The first is task-focused group who are focused on developing academic competence and improving their skill for purely intrinsic reasons. The second is the ability focused group, who are more interested in showing off abilities, show off their skills, and attain rewards such as praise and grades. Research shows that those who are intrinsically motivated have long lasting success.

What is the Role of the Teacher in the Classroom?

A teacher is the facilitator of learning and in my view should be the main source of information when it comes to knowledge or where to find knowledge. A student should be understand clearly what is expected of them and have specific objectives laid out for them that are approachable and not out of reach. A teacher should make learning seem logical, purposeful, and almost effortless (even though it is not). When students become confused the teacher appears to know just what to do and how to ask the right question or rephrase instructions in a way that get everyone back on track. Effective teaching is usually the result of thoughtful planning and careful preparation.  A teacher should maintain a class that is secure and comfortable for anyone to sit in. Students should not be afraid to take risks such as stating their views, answering a question, or proposing a point that is not a normal response. A teacher should have control of their class and make sure that learning is maximized without any disruptions or behavior that seeks to distort the fabric of the class.  The role of a teacher is to adjust the plans of lesson to go with a "teachable moment." Sometimes sticking with a strict lesson plan can be tedious and long winded and going with the moment can be more important. Teachers have to be open to change on the drop of a time, but always have to be prepared and ready to guide the learning of a class.

Project Based Learning

Project-based learning requires that students work cooperatively on a real world issue using questioning and problem solving in order to decide an appropriate plan of action in a presentable way. Creating a website that presents their argument or solutions is a great focus point. Having students become more responsible for their learning while working as a team, deliberating and compromising with contingencies is the skill project-based learning enhances.

Using the tools of the Knowledge Age such as the Internet may be difficult for students to navigate without guidance from the teacher. Students will first be given a project to focus their inquiry learning. They must investigate a problem that warrants explanation and then decide a solution. Students should be free to express their own opinions while being open to others. They have to truly scrutinize, developing a tight grasp on the details surrounding their problem.

Blogging at the Mountain Center

Recently we have been experimenting in our social studies classes up here in the Mountain Center by starting our own blogs. Technology is a common interest of all our students and most have a laptop and Internet access. I decided to merge this infatuation with some kind of writing activities and what better way than blogs? Bloggin for students is a great way to do free writing about various issues while enhancing their technological skills and sharing their thoughts with each other. As a teacher I am usually the only one to read a student's work and I want students to start reading each other's thoughts on different topics in history.

Putting their thoughts online is a great way to motivate students because they know many people will be reading their writing. There is a tendency to be more cohesive on the part of the writer. The blog is also a running example of students' work and reveals their progression in the course and topics they have covered. They can use it as a point to save information, study their prior thoughts, and remember their past academic endeavors. Being technologically savvy is the wave of the future. Working online will hopefully enhance their skills and bring future rewards, interests, and opportunities to discover.

Welcome to Blogosphere

Today we started developing blogs in our class and students seemed exited about them. It's nice to implement technology into the classroom. With our new blogging we don't have to worry about printing or bringing in work to class. We can write and save our thoughts for the future to look at when we forget our past learning. Blogs are a great way to share information also. I am planning to attach all your blogs to mine so we can read each other's thoughts. Too many times I receive writing that is great and your peers don't get a chance to see it for themselves. Let's collaborate online and step into the future! Try to find the members of your class and follow all their blogs so you can examine each's own thoughts on questions about social studies.