"What children learn depends not only on what they are taught but also how they are taught, their development level, and their interests and experiences.... These beliefs require that much closer attention be paid to the methods chosen for presenting material..."
Understanding the Common Essential Learnings,
Saskatchewan Education, 1988. (p.10).
How will you determine the methods in which you will teach your lessons? Why is it important to choose appropriate methods for teaching the material to the students?
It is important to consider the students in your classroom when determining the methods in which you will teach lessons. For example, in some classrooms there are students with disabilities and the teacher must make special accommodations for the student. In the classroom that I am in for my field experience, the students all work at different paces. Because of this, the teacher gives them different work to do. The students who are faster workers are expected to write more or read when they are finished, while the students who tend to work slowly get extra time to do assignments.
ReplyDeleteIt is also important to take the students interests and experiences into account when teaching lessons. For example, not all students may live in the same environments and may not have the same experiences, such as working on a computer. It wouldn't be fair to ask the students to do an assignment online because not all students have had that experience. Teachers must make sure that they are not singling students out or giving students an unfair disadvantage just because they have not had a certain experience.
It is important to choose appropriate methods for teaching material to students because this will ensure that the students are interested in the lesson. Their needs will be met and they will be more willing to learn, especially when their interests are taken into account.
It is very important to consider the background of the students in the classroom prior to teaching. When I teach my lesson, I need to make sure and consider the students prior knowledge on my topic about persuasive reading and writing. I think it is also important to consider student's abilities and to aid to certain students if needed. When teaching my lesson, it will be very important to choose material that is important and relevant to the students at that time. Students learn better if they are interesting and intrigued by the information. Teaching needs to be effective. These certain methods to take into account before and during teaching are very important for the information to become effective to the students' learning.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to keep in mind the development level off all students in your classroom when planning lessons. A lot of students work at different paces in different subjects and that should always determine the methods in which you will teach a lesson. Some students will need more time to work on materials and maybe even one on one time with the teacher. You must also be prepared with extra materials for the students who are able to finish assignments quicker. I think it is also very important to consider the students backgrounds and experiences when thinking of ways for your lesson to be effective. A student who has a lot of experience in a certain subject or concept you are teaching may get bored during the lesson. You always have to be aware of these things before teaching a lesson in order for the students to be engaged in it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what Katelyn said about considering the needs of the students in your classroom. Some students in your class may have disabilities or special needs, and you need to be sure you are able to accommodate them. This could mean that you need a helper in the classroom to sit with a child while you are teaching the entire class. It is crucial to think about every single one of your students when planning ways to teach a lesson if you want it to be effective. You never want to accidentally single a student out who may need extra help, and then they end up getting left behind in their learning.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is important to remember that every person has a unique perspective, and that greatly affects every new bit of information your brain processes. In our Classroom and Instruction course, we have learned that new knowledge builds upon prior knowledge. This makes it very important to know your students and what their prior experiences are, so that you can teach them in an appropriate and efficient manner. For example, when I teach my lessons on perimeter, I will be drawing upon their knowledge of addition and subtraction. In this case, I probably won't need to review any addition facts, but it is something to take into consideration when planning.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that differentiation is very important in the classroom. Everybody has made a good point that you need to go at the pace of your students. This reminds me of class discussions about mastery learning-making sure that the students understand the material before moving on. When we do our lessons, we will need to use assessments that gauge whether or not the students have mastered the learning goals.
ReplyDeleteAnother discussion we had in our Classroom and Instruction class was about different learning styles. Many people believe that every person has a dominant learning style in which information should always be given to them. However, our professor had us read an article that said this is not necessarily true. That will only work for your students if the content is being delivered in its appropriate style. Therefore, the method of instruction should be delivered in the way that best suits the content, not the student. (I am discussing visual, auditory, kinesthetic learning styles. I am not saying to ignore learning disabilities.) An example would be when students learn about geography. The obvious way to deliver instruction would be visually. Even the most auditory student will not learn geography very well if instruction is only given in an oral manner. They also stated that it is often beneficial to deliver content in more than one style. So, I think that when I plan my lesson, I will try to deliver the content in as many different ways as possible.
I think that Kat made an interesting point about students not necessarily having dominant learning styles. It does make sense though and it seems like using the content to determine the method of instruction is a good idea. I also agree that delivering lessons in more than one style is helpful for students. Some students do have learning styles that they are more comfortable with and I think that this is important to consider.
ReplyDeleteI see this in the classroom. Mrs. Griswold does a great job at giving her students opportunities. There are many different occasions that occur in the classroom whether students are working and learning as a class, in partners or small groups, or individually. Mrs. Griswold also teaches a variety of different ways. We are working on one concept about similes and figurative language. Each day, or even two times during the day, Mrs. Griswold teaches the same topic a variety of different ways to the students. By doing this, the students are able to understand the information more in depth. All of these students have a different ability and perspective about learning. It is very important to think about every students while teaching each different area of content.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to consider the appropriate methods of teaching different content areas. When deliberating upon which methods to choose from, I would suggest considering, first, the knowledge that the students have already acquired previously about the content area. This is important because many students might have false beliefs about what you are about to learn in class which could hinder their success in the classroom. It also will help you determine what students could potentially be ahead and need more challenge, and what students might need extra help.
ReplyDeleteIn my classes here at UNI, we have been discussing the various strategies while teaching and how to decide which teaching style works best for the students vs. the content. I, personally, will try to decide which methods will be most beneficial for both the content AND the student.
Katelyn made a great point about accommodating for students with disabilities. There might be some lessons where the teacher will have to modify their lesson plans in order to help the students either catch up or excel. I also agree with Elizabeth in that it is very important to consider the students' backgrounds. Most students come from a different background in some way, so we should teach in order to reach all students. The best way to be able to do this would to be by getting to know your students the best that you can; by taking interest in them.
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