ASSIGNMENT WEEK 2 REFLECTIONS ON MY TEACHING AND MY OWN LEARNING

By Antje Mueller

Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1: Introduction

John MacBeath Commonwealth Education Trust

13.02.2014

Antje Mueller

Teaching as a profession What makes me sitting here thinking about teaching, education and about the Fundamentals of teaching for learning? To answer these questions I have to go back and reflect on my knowledge, my thoughts and my feelings over the last two weeks. There is the fact that I am looking for answers to my own questions like: How can I engage my students and enhance their desire for learning and new information?, What does teaching really mean? and How can I assess good learners, given the fact that all human beings are very distinct in their way of learning and thinking? (MacBeath, 2014) It might be also the argument that schools gotten better institutions over time and that teachers and students enjoy an improved environment that is well resourced, more human, more intelligent in respect of diversity and individual need, that makes me even more want to be a good teacher. (MacBeath, 2013) Probably it is simply my passion that thrive me to become a better teacher and to fulfill this profession to its best. Teacher commitment is very strongly connected to the intimate element of passion for the work of teaching. It has been identified as one of the most critical factors for the future of education and school. (Crosswell, Elliot, 2004) Good teaching does not only mean to teach with passion, but also to see teaching as an investment of time outside the classroom. Teachers focus on individual needs of students and carry a high responsibility to impart knowledge, attitudes and values. More over good teaching means to maintain professional knowledge and to be engaged with the entire school community. (Crosswell, Elliot, 2004) I can only agree that knowing who we are and what we can do in our identity as a teacher to positively influence the life of children should be the highest goal of every teacher. (Gardner, 1999)

Antje Mueller

Identity as a teacher

How to connect ?

Positive impact on students life

Figure 1: Connection between teachers identity and students life

Connection of new knowledge Students are asking various questions every day like: Why is the sky blue, why not green? To answer this question in a child appropriate way, one has to think about the meaning of the question and the purpose the child has raised it. Does the child want to know: Why is blue the chosen color for the sky? Or where the color comes from? Answering to technical will make the child feel misunderstood as well as asking another question in return. (Foreman, 1989) Children in the age between three and five explore the world naturally by asking the questions: What, Where, Who? By the age of four they will add on with: Why, When and How? They become fascinated by cause and effect and they are continually trying to explain what goes on in their world. (Meggitt, 2012) Helping children to ask good questions will support them to think more clearly about their own thinking, to be more aware about the environment around them and their own understanding of events. (Foreman, 1989) By identifying the questions of students as learners it becomes obvious that the very same questions are raised by adults as learners. What are my strengths and my weaknesses?, When and how do I learn best? We as teachers try to understand the meaning of things and occurring events by asking questions, same as our students. Teachers have to understand the meaning of questions and the connection of it to a better way of learning.

Antje Mueller

Why? What? When?

Where? How?

Who?

Figure 2: Questions of young learners and adults

Challenge to transfer new knowledge into the classroom Learning routines are a very good way to control and assure that new information are absorbed, understood and connected well to the previous knowledge. Various teaching routines are introduced by different educators over time which allows following the thinking and learning methods of students for example: I see, I think, I wonder (Perkins) or the Spot Check exercise (Csikzentimihalyi), checking unexpected the attention of students during class and see what they think at that very moment. Being aware of my own thinking and getting questions answered is a crucial task during the course attendance. At the beginning of the course I made myself clear that I dont know what I really dont know as all information was a new and endless space. Now after getting an insight into this field makes me more aware of what I have learnt so far and more importantly what I would like to know in the next weeks and months to come.

Antje Mueller

I know what I know

I know what I dont know

I dont know what I dont know

I dont know what I know

Figure 3: Model of the Johari window by Luft J., Ingham H. (1955)

For me to combine passion for teaching knowledge and the ability to use this effectively in the classroom is the best a teacher can achieve and what makes him a good teacher.

Antje Mueller

REFERENCES:

Crosswell, L., Elliott, B., (2004) Committed Teachers, Passionate Teachers: the dimension of passion associated with teacher commitment and engagement, [Online] Available from: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/968/1/cro04237.pdf (Accessed: 10 February 2014)

Forman, G., (1989) Helping Children Ask Good Questions University of Massachusetts, The Wonder of It: Exploring How the World Works, Neugebauer, B., Redmond, Washington: Exchange Press, Pg. 21 - 24, 1989) [Online] Available from: http://www.bucklemyshoe.org/downloads/good_questions.pdf (Accessed: 10 February 2014).

Havinghurst, R., (1952) Human Development and Education

MacBeath, J., (2012) Future of Teaching Profession, Education of Research Institute, Cambridge

MacBeath, J., (2014) Questions for Learners, Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1: Introduction, Week 1, Lecture 3, Commonwealth Education Trust

MacBeath, J., (2014) Distinction of human learning, Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1: Introduction, Week 2, Lecture 1, Commonwealth Education Trust

Maggitt, C., (2012) Understand Child Development, pp.96-99, Hodder Education, London