Teaching Well, Teaching Correctly

Teaching is not a Simple Matter of Tricks and Tips  

Teachers know what they are doing
and why they are doing it!

(for Melissa)

by Harvey Craft

Teachers are constantly looking for ways to improve instruction and many seek help through tricks and tips. Good teaching requires knowledge of what works.

Teaching is hard work. The lack of consistency in accepted practices makes it even harder. While the nation has made some progress in developing common standards, there is still a lack of agreement on what methods work best to transmit information and problem-solving skills to students. Effective teaching demands a commitment to professional development. 

Teachers must be able to justify what how they teach. The key question is, "Do I know this works, and how do know?"

Professional Development Defined

Professional development in any field is a matter of staying aware of those practices that have been demonstrated to be effective. Teaching, like any job done well, requires an understanding that learning new techniques must continue. If ones job is assembling widgets on an assembly line, then variations from proven practices can be immediately detected by workers down the line who depend on everyone repeating precise steps.

Teaching is not about assembling widgets, but about transferring information and thinking skills. Every students ability to learn is affected by a variety of factors. Teachers must be willing and able to manage individual differences. Teachers must commit to grow continuously and learn new instructional methods. Preparation by college education is virtually essential for good teaching, but learning doesn't stop after college.
Teachers must Commit to Improve

Teachers should be the best learners. They are trained to understand learning and they should believe that what they do is important. The various media are quick to report bad news about teaching, and truthfully, teachers make mistakes.

• Too much homework, especially for younger learners;
• Poor methods of assessment and evaluation;
• Grading methods that are archaic, inaccurate, and misleading;
• Over-dependence on rewards;
• Failure to treat students with respect.

The list could be much longer, but the point is simple. Large numbers of teachers spend too much time preparing lessons and bulletin boards and too little time staying current on contemporary and controversial issues in education. Too many teachers resist change while expecting students to adjust and readjust to the instructional methods of various teachers.

The commitment to improve implies that teachers make a conscious decision to be aware of what works and why it works. Reading and joining respected professional organizations is essential to improvement.

The ideas that are exchanged in teachers lounges are often incorrect and dangerous. The commitment to improve must involve a willingness to speak out when others are involved in reinforcing the many myths about teaching, students, and parents.

Some Effective Teaching Practices

Good teaching practices are determined by the effect they have on student learning and behavior. Good practices also take into consideration how individual students feel about fairness issues and their attitude about the class.

• Be an informed, enthusiastic, and inspiring teacher. Know the answers to questions and have a positive attitude that inspires students to give their best efforts.
• Smile often.
• Be the adult in the classroom. Don't result to embarrassing or sarcastic put-downs. A soft voice used with authority and consistency is better than shouting to manage students.
• Have an attractive classroom and allow students to contribute to its maintenance. Post student work.
• Rewards are not necessary for learning. Often rewards are given because teachers like the good feeling of giving and not because rewards help. Recognition of effort and helping students feel special and important does not encourage materialistic learning like rewards often do.
• Learn how to construct good assessments. Dependence on packaged assessments can cause problems because they are not written in the same voice that students hear on a daily basis. Know the difference and application of formative and summative assessments. Assess academic progress, not behavior. Dont offer points for favors or deduct points for being late to class, failure to return papers, or similar behaviors.
• Greet students as they enter the class.
• Don't imitate favorite teachers in ones experience as a student, but develop a personal style based on knowledge of best practice.
• Resist the influence of complaining, negative teachers.
• Think of discipline as a way of managing whole class and individual behavior. A quiet class is not necessarily an engaged class. Involve all students in learning.

Summary

Tips and tricks should not define instruction. Good teaching comes from knowledge and implementation of strategies that engage students in learning. Just as teachers strive to encourage students to be life-long learners, teachers should commit to improve teaching skills as long as they teach. Teaching tips should be evaluated by teachers based on their growing knowledge base acquired through continuous, self-imposed learning.