Some notes on "Building a Better Teacher" by Elizabeth Green
Why is teaching such a marginalized profession? I was looking at PhD programs in education, and while their is some effort to "teach" students to teach K-12, there is almost no effort or attention to teaching college. . . What does this assume about the teaching process?
Why are most teaching books about how to teach in grade school?
In BABT (Building a Better teacher), Green argues that teachers are not born. They have to learn to do a good job.
Japanese vs. American teaching
Japanese
No interruptions during a lesson
Japanese use You, Y'all, We (American's do I, we, you). In the Jap version, the students work on a problem on their own first with the teacher wandering through the desks and noting what students are trying (need a notebook easy to carry), then students are grouped around how they are mastering the task, then bring back to the task and present their ideas. "Give the answer and the reason for your answer". Then what did you learn? what questions do you have?
chalkboards not overheads (so students can see the full progression of a lesson--what's this mean for power points!)
Jugyokenkyu--lesson study. In Japan, teachers regularly meet with other teachers to discuss lessons, study curriculum and visit classroom.
Strategy I want to try next semester
Group students into groups of three or four on Tuesday and they stay in that group until Thursday. The group can help each other, ask each other questions but it must stay on task. If we are doing a group project and someone in the group has not prepared, they will work with the unprepared group.
"Okay, Let's get started. Clear the desks of everything except what we need for today. Today we need our vocab cards, our assignment and our books. also get out a piece of paper and something to write with. Everything else should be off your desk"
Teachers get together to discuss
1. something that worked and something that didn't work this semester
2. Asking questions in the classroom: going beyond "Any questions?" (How did you get that answer? How many of you agree with X? Why do you agree or disagree with X? What can you add to X's comment?
3. Using the classroom structure to facilitate teaching (writing on the board so students can see progression of a lesson; circles, small groups, switching small groups throughout the semester
4. Using evaluation to increase learning. How can testing and quizzes and essays help students further
their learning and help us learn more about how to help them?
5. What to do at the beginning of class to engage students. What to do at the end to keep them interested until next class and to get information for you next lesson.
6. Read a book over the course of the semester and talk about chatpers?
7. How to keep students on task
8. How to get classroom wide participation
9. Bring in a book or article that's influenced your teaching and explain why
10. Discuss available conferences, get a group to go to the one in Santa brabara?
Why are most teaching books about how to teach in grade school?
In BABT (Building a Better teacher), Green argues that teachers are not born. They have to learn to do a good job.
Japanese vs. American teaching
Japanese
No interruptions during a lesson
Japanese use You, Y'all, We (American's do I, we, you). In the Jap version, the students work on a problem on their own first with the teacher wandering through the desks and noting what students are trying (need a notebook easy to carry), then students are grouped around how they are mastering the task, then bring back to the task and present their ideas. "Give the answer and the reason for your answer". Then what did you learn? what questions do you have?
chalkboards not overheads (so students can see the full progression of a lesson--what's this mean for power points!)
Jugyokenkyu--lesson study. In Japan, teachers regularly meet with other teachers to discuss lessons, study curriculum and visit classroom.
Strategy I want to try next semester
Group students into groups of three or four on Tuesday and they stay in that group until Thursday. The group can help each other, ask each other questions but it must stay on task. If we are doing a group project and someone in the group has not prepared, they will work with the unprepared group.
"Okay, Let's get started. Clear the desks of everything except what we need for today. Today we need our vocab cards, our assignment and our books. also get out a piece of paper and something to write with. Everything else should be off your desk"
Teachers get together to discuss
1. something that worked and something that didn't work this semester
2. Asking questions in the classroom: going beyond "Any questions?" (How did you get that answer? How many of you agree with X? Why do you agree or disagree with X? What can you add to X's comment?
3. Using the classroom structure to facilitate teaching (writing on the board so students can see progression of a lesson; circles, small groups, switching small groups throughout the semester
4. Using evaluation to increase learning. How can testing and quizzes and essays help students further
their learning and help us learn more about how to help them?
5. What to do at the beginning of class to engage students. What to do at the end to keep them interested until next class and to get information for you next lesson.
6. Read a book over the course of the semester and talk about chatpers?
7. How to keep students on task
8. How to get classroom wide participation
9. Bring in a book or article that's influenced your teaching and explain why
10. Discuss available conferences, get a group to go to the one in Santa brabara?
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