Learner motivation and developing self-esteem. Becoming a teacher: knowledge, skills and issues - Assignment Example

?Learning Journal & reflections Week Before: My observation of these videos is that as a professional, the onus is on us to be fully committed to the learners and learning. To validate each student’s presence, be mindful of their individual abilities and the fast growing information technology, motivate their learning experience and to be competent to control my behaviour and influence in the classroom environment. After: A professional teacher recognizes the key dynamic standards and characteristics which they must implement to become a successful teacher. They must accentuate empathy and a caring desire to ascertain motivation in their student’s road to success. The must continuously acquire professional knowledge and experience to make sound decisions competently and consistently. Consequently they are able to remain grounded due to a vast store of professional knowledge. As suggested by (Hogan, Rabinowitz and Craven, 2003). Conversely, they must be critical of their own actions and methods and they must re-evaluate their teaching methodologies to improve. In addition, they must maximize their students learning. A research undertaken by Borko and Putman (1996) indicates the intensification of abundance structured and adaptable bodies of knowledge allows the individual to engage in expert thinking and action .By having more awareness and knowledge teachers are more prepared to be confronted by the demands and challenges in their new environment. They are thus better able to capitalize on the excitement and rewards of teaching. Week 2 Before: In the early days of my development my thinking and knowledge was largely experienced through my culture of immediate family members. When I commenced kindergarten, I was mystified by various discoveries and learning experiences. As I progressed to high school, I became more aware of my emotional and personal development. After: According to Eggen and kauchak (2010), “developments are changes that occur in human being as we grow”. All development is based on three general principles. 1. Dependent on the genetic and the environment. 2. Proceeds systematically and in a predictable pattern. 3. Individually developed at different rates. An insightful understanding of these bases is vital for teachers as they provide crucial insight reasons into behaviours and developing thoughts of their students. It helps them to guide and direct that development accordingly. It helps to adjust their expectations to accommodate the student zone of proximal development into their teaching. Whilst social interaction with a more knowledgeable other is considered beneficial for children, they must conversely be in their zone of proximal development to gain any advantages of the support. A teacher’s role is influential, providing an interactive instructional support, enabling the learner to progress through the task which they are expected to master. Week 3 Before: As a child I fondly recall these experiences as influential: receiving/witnessing positive words/actions from significant others. At times it motivated me to try harder to achieve my goals. It has a profound impact on my behaviour. Once I fully comprehended the depth of the texts, it gave me more realization of their importance and improved my self esteem greatly. After: As noted by Eggen & Kauchak, a teacher’s role is to advocate as much learning as possible to all students. By stipulating an environment that is warm and supportive and safe, students are inclined to respond voluntarily to learning and open up to new experiences. This safe feeling is a conditional respond caused by conditional stimulus. The process involves attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. The goal is to provide direction for the learner’s action and point of reference so that their progress is measured. The process of teaching/ facilitator is under the spot light constantly. ‘This dramatic change of roles implies that a facilitator needs to display a totally different set of skill than a teacher’ (Brownstein, 2001). We want to be reinforcing students with "prompts and cues” to produce a desirable behaviour- not to embarrass them to the point of humiliation, which has a negative side effects. This kind of punishment should never be used. Week 4 Before: When there are various task all happening simultaneously, I record them into a dairy in order to understand exactly the aim of the goal and what needs to be anticipated to achieve it. I impute the data into my phone for easy access and reminder. I try to understand the process until I figure out how to succeed in achieving it. After: They are the three major components of human memory, according to R. Atkinson& Shiffrin (1968). These are the framework of information processing theory. Depending on learners stages of cognitive development. Aspiring teacher for the most part should have a clear learning objective. It could be as broad as teaching the learner so they may pass an exam or teach the learner so they will learn certain information. Ideally in a pedagogical constructivist model, teachers are meant to break these broad aims down to very specific aims for each lesson. As noted in ggakk (2008 ) ‘tell me I forget, show me I remember, let me do it and I understand’. It is the cognitive architecture where knowledge is constructed, prior knowledge is stored until new knowledge is needed to be constructed. The challenge is to chunk all the relevant material into the process so the learner may reach meaningful systems their schema. Ggakk(2008). Youtube - let me 'do' and I understand: cognitive apprenticeship, retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/changelearning Eggen, P., & Kauchak, D. (2010). Educational psychology: windows on classrooms (8th. Ed.). French's Forest: Pearson.  Chpt 7 (195-220) Week 5 Before: Strategies I use to understand a topic are: to research it, focus my attention to get a clearer view /idea of the topic. Once a concept is formed I would further analysis it. Then perhaps apply it into the real world to gain the true meaning of the subject. After: Constructivism is a term viewed differently by various professionals. Teachers consider these suggestions as learning theories. Learners construct knowledge that makes sense to them. The social environment is where knowledge is reinforced appropriately by the individuals (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010,p226) Constructivist way of teaching has freed teachers from assessments based mainly on examinations and written tests. There seems to be a move away from purely extrinsic motivators like rewards of gold stars or top places, which don’t always encourage optimum learning. Acquiring knowledge often needs to come from a community of learners. Lessons are preferably better designed if they are built around existing knowledge and if they reference areas of knowledge that learners already have in order for them to build on. Material is presented by introducing it within the framework of a general context. The content and learning objectives are then outlined. They are then paired into groups, where learners help each other to organize the content and to do work on combined written and oral projects. Therefore the assessment is also testing the teamwork. This is vital in a constructivist classroom. Ref_Chpt 8(225-237) Week 6 Before: My desire and curiosity to learn and my need to enhance my understanding and gain further knowledge is the main reason I enrolled in this teaching course. My goal is to continue to be interested and curious about understanding these psychological theories. I want to beable to maintain and sustain my effort to reach it until the end. After: According to Marsh, children with intrinsic motivation will perform without any apparent external reward therefore motivation will come entirely from performing the task required.  Making learning interactive, encourages them to give opinions. However, children with extrinsic motivation are motivated with rewards according to Marsh and/or will participate to avoid punishment. When displaying their work, use tangible rewards where necessary. Once our basic needs are met we are able to fulfill higher level needs (Marsh 2008). By providing a safe and stimulating environment, a teacher can get to know each child personally and ensure they use different strategies to meet the individual needs and build on their strengths. Children also thrive on achievement, we must recognize these students and give them every opportunity to succeed. Their drive and determination will motivate them. Challenge them and encourage them to think outside the box to allow them to further their knowledge about the topic. Create competitions for the achievement driven student. Week 7 Before: My classroom environment at school I recall as structured and inviting. The furniture was positioned to face the front of the room where formal learning took place. Our teacher directed our class aims by engaging us to focus on the front. The response was a positive class environment. I felt safe, reassured and motivated to learn. After: Cognitive interventions are successful principles to implement to help students develop responsibility, as observed in ggakk (2007), a well managed classroom makes accommodating the complexities of classroom easier. Incidents of misbehaviour will unavoidably occur in various school settings. In the playground during recess or lunch breaks On out of school activities such as excursions or carnivals. During assemblies In any circumstances teachers must intervene effectively and accordingly. 1. Maintain the flow of instruction while intervening 2. Apply the six principles accordingly 3. Plausibly use cognitive intervention if necessary or slip back to behaviour intervention when needed. 4. Endeavour to attempt the six principle strategies only as far as it’s absolutely necessary. Furthermore it provides aids for teachers to emphasize consequences for undesirable behaviour. Construct a clear message in regards to fairness and respect for all. Hence preventing stress and burnout as well as maximizing time and creating more opportunity for learning. ref How To Maintain Classroom Discipline - Good And Bad Methods Training Educational Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHzTUYAOkPM Uploaded by Ch12(372-381) Week 8 Before: I do recall having special needs students in my school campus. They had a specialized unit within the mainstream schooling. I believe their needs were met accordingly because the teachers and aides complied with instruction tailored specifically for special needs students. Furthermore, their instruction and theories were planned accordingly to meet the individual’s potential. After: “Often intelligence is described as the ability to abstractly acquire and use knowledge, then adjust it to new order in the environment”. These are one of many learning issues teachers are confronted with inclusive classroom setting. Other more likely encounters include Behaviour disorder, characterized by age inappropriate and persistent behaviour Learning disability, having difficulties in a specific areas of learning, for example reading and maintaining attention Mild mental retardation, characterized by limited intellectual functioning and adaptable behaviour. Communication disorder, difficulty verbally expressing ones needs Visual and hearing disability. On the one hand Gardner’s theory suggests that teachers should present subject matter in a way that aids many different levels of understanding and their efforts should focus on helping students understand their own personal strengths and weaknesses. Whilst on the other hand Sternberg portrays intelligence as multi-trait in three dimensions analytical, creative and practical. By providing students with essential development experiences, they can function effectively in the real world. Chap 5(124-150)text Week 9 Before: When I was young, my parents established a support group amongst all my siblings. My parents trained us to always have dignity, respect and spiritual ethics. They constantly re-affirmed us children. They instilled in us the idea that if you advance confidently in the direction of your dream and endeavour to live our life in harmony, you will meet with success in due times. After: The goal of classroom management, according to Kauchak and Eggen, is to not only maintain order but to optimize student learning. They divide class time into four overlapping categories, namely allocated time, instructional time, engaged time, and academic learning time. Classroom management are essential teaching skills. It brings all the environmental learning threads together, within the classroom to promote effective learning. For the reasons teachers must put into effect demonstrative essentials model positive attitude, effective organization and clear communication, maintain focus and give feedbacks Supply guidance and support. Furthermore all the reading and discussion around classroom management seems to pin point a series of chronological choices teachers must take into consideration. Select topic that are relevant for the students learning. Specify the learning objectives Prepare and organize effective activities to facilitate students learning objectives. Plan assessments to measure students learning Ensure that assessments and instructions are connected Eggen&Kauchak (p389-421) Week 10 Before: In my personal view the NAPLAN testing is a double edged sword. For students who are in the lower primary years, testing should be kept at a minimal. I understand the pedagogical value of evaluating the effectiveness of promoting literacy, numeracy and knowledge, but we don’t want to blight their early schooling years. After: In accordance to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the national testing would bring together the functions of curriculum, assessment and reporting at the national level. This would give school, parents and education authorities a clear picture of what each child’s current level of learning are. Furthermore which educational programs are working and which areas need developing. Its objective is to serve students in three primary functions 1. Assess and diagnose the learning of every students 2. Determine whether correct selection and placement are achieved 3. Evaluates the programs and their accountability. It is the Teachers role to ensure test score reflect what their students have actually learned. Making sure the validity and reliability are intertwined. Conversely ,as stated by Hirsch & Phelp, it may assist students learning in three ways 1. The process would identify important learning outcomes. 2. Provide confirmed verification in regards to students contingency of acquiring essential knowledge 3. It improve learning for all students NAPLAN senate inquiry doc. Chap 14(431-451)&15 (471-489) REFLECTION Every day in my studies I have been immersed in new situations that come up and make me think about the process of teaching and education. Some of these things carry over into my life and make me think how I will move into the professional world and what kind of teacher I will become. The amazing thing about teaching is that I have to keep expanding my views. A further characteristic of the role of the facilitator according to Holt and Willard-Holt (2000) is ‘the social constructivist viewpoint is that the instructor and the learner are equally involved in learning from each other’. There is no simple tried and tested method of teaching. So much relies on cognitive management, behaviour, motivation, the class itself and the subject. The debate around constructivist verses traditional teaching is very interesting. It has been fascinating for me to try and understand the concept that you can allowe people to learn far more learning with better retention and comprehension by using Vrygotsky’s zone of proximal development. It has been interesting to see how people grow by being in the learning environment that allows discussion and communication. Furthermore how influential a teachers role is enabling the learner to progress through their task and reach mastery. sometime, though, I feel the ‘old method’ that relies on memorization of facts and repetition are good for learning certain things like music, dancing or athletics. The outcomes based education which focuses on motivators is very interesting when we study the intrinsic versus extrinsic motivational theory of how people learn. The important thing is that the teacher must be thoroughly prepared, knowledgeable, focus and remind positive at all time. I thought at first that it would be easy to teach, I could sit back and let the learners come to grip with the material. However I soon realized after reading thru my study materials, observing my children doing homework and doing some teaching. It affirmed me that the learner must have a clear outcome and the teacher must be able to manage the process so that the end result is not chaos with a lot of misdirected communication and no real learning gained. That is why I found Eggen and Kauchak’s guide to time management and the six principles of intervention and task analysis so helpful. Breaking down each lesson, allowing the right amount of time for everything and keep all intervention as brief as possible was the basic structure I needed. The other thing that came up for me was competitiveness and finding out where that fit in. I am naturally a competitive person and found that the whole idea of individual accomplishment and group work, as oppose to individuals competing for top marks just didn’t fit in with how I saw the reward system working. However then I started to see in the playgroup classes, study material videos and even my own children. I became conscious that the rewards such as the satisfaction that came from problem solving, acquiring knowledge and helping others were far bigger motivators. I establish that it was evident that individual relationships were forged and people were able to trust the teacher more. For shyer or less confident learner this worked really well. They can be able to ask questions and have time where there is a one on one engagement. They could work through and solve the problems and move on to the next level. I know there is no substitute for passion though and a thorough understanding of the subject. I agree that there is lot of good to come out of problem solving but the teacher/facilitator must be able to guide the learners. Being a teacher is unproblematic and straightforward when there are lots of resources, relevant topic and objectives are effective, assessments and instructions are connected. A good teacher is aware of all the educational values of their learners in the class. They are able to recognize their students cognitive development and ability constructive knowledge and theories of motivational. They pick up on all the different learning needs and adapt teaching accordingly. I can only hope that I will be a good teacher Frederick Herzberg’s two factor theory concludes that “certain factors in the workplace result in job satisfaction, but if absent, they don’t lead to dissatisfaction but no satisfaction.” He goes on to say that the factors that motivate people can change over the lifetime but respect for me as a person is one of the top motivating factors at any stage of life. I realize that it is about reaching the learners, implementing strategies to create a positive learning environment, being passionate and understanding what it is that motivates different people. Students think, act, and feel differently at different stages of development, so teachers need to take these different developmental characteristics in to consideration with they create their lessons (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010). I think that one of the most important aspects of establishing a positive and productive classroom climate is by establishing a positive working relationship with students. I found that I respond well when there is mutual respect show to all people involved in the learning process. I will endeavour to achieve this when I become a teacher. Extra notes to incorporated into reflections I plan to do this by taking an interest in my students lives outside of the classroom (such as extra-curricular achievements and significant family events), sharing appropriate aspects of my own life with the students (such as my life as a student and my own family situation), greeting students warmly upon entering the classroom, and by professional and purposeful display of student work and photos in the classroom environment (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010; Fetherston, 2006; McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). I also think that catching students displaying positive behaviours and positively reinforcing that behaviour is a very effective way of encourage desirable behaviour amongst students (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010). Finally, I think that taking the time to establish clear classroom rules and expectations through consultation and providing concrete examples and then remaining consistent and fair in enforcing these, is essential in providing a positive and productive classroom climate (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010). Ultimately, I will endeavour to be organised and incorporate appropriate humour and enthusiasm into daily teaching practices to demonstrate my commitment to teaching and that I care about my students learning outcomes (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010; Fetherston, 2006). References: Week 6- Marsh, C. (2008). Learner motivation and developing self-esteem. Becoming a teacher: knowledge, skills and issues 2008 ch.4 pp34-47 Pearson Education Australia Sternberg, R. (1995) In Search of the Human Mind. 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