Effective Teaching is Not a One Size Fits All T-Shirt

The first week of classes are over and now it's time to dive in head first! Teachers are life long learners and are constantly looking for ways to better the content knowledge they are teaching but also their own personal teaching skills. To become the best teacher I can be, I must be effective in that I am reaching my students and that they are always engaged and learning in class. Effective teaching is not easy; or as the video says a "one size fits all t-shirt." Here are some thoughts after some effective teaching research:

To be effective, teachers must be experts in their subject. This allows for organized and structured lessons. Newcomb, McCacken, and Warmbrod write in a article featured below that "students should be able to identify the purpose and direction from each lesson and the desired outcomes to be learned. This provided clarity for both the teacher and the students. Effective teachers have pedagogical content knowledge and know how their students will learn and the mistakes they will make. Effective teachers use evaluation techniques to reflect upon lessons and their direct correlation to student learning.

Critical thinking can be used to analyze your own teaching practices as well as how the students perceive the lesson. "Research indicates that teachers that are confident and persistent will produce students who will achieve at high levels too." Students are motivated to learn by enthusiastic teachers. Reflection is important as a teacher, both internally and externally. Teachers must always be analyzing themselves and their own goals.

As life long learners, teachers should be constantly taking classes and staying up to date with workshops, books, and media. The ability for teachers to use computers and the internet in the classroom can be beneficial. It can grasp the students attention, work well for visual learners, and help with research. "The only limitation you place on yourself and those you allow other people to place on you." (Basic Understanding) Professional organizations, communities of practice, and conferences can be a great way to continue ones education and not fall into a rut of using the same lessons without analyzation. 

To go along with my readings this week I found a youtube video that I think really puts some of the main characteristics of a effective teacher into perspective as I have shared above. Over all enthusiasm is always important to be successful! As teachers our job is never easy. Just remember "You are the only person on the face of the earth who can use your abilities. It's an awesome responsibility."





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