SPU Program Standards

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Mission Accomplished: The Reflective Teacher

Accomplished Teaching




Prior to classroom, my only experience I had with understanding teacher instruction was from my own personal experience as a student and then observing teaching when I inquired about becoming a teacher myself. To be honest, the term “accomplished teaching” was not on the forefront of my vocabulary bank. I was just looking into seeing how teachers do it. I didn’t realize there was a term for “just good teaching.”
I was lucky enough to be able to observe some real good teachers when I first began my journey as a teacher. One was inquiry based and on direction instruction. Both were equally good at their craft. I could only hope to take what I learn from them and make it my own and develop into a really good teacher.
In the beginning of the quarter, I was a teacher still learning the ropes of teaching grasping for ways to improve my instruction. I have had a tough time with a basic lesson design. Particularly, I had a tough time with transitions to between the new learning and independent practicing. I have learned as an accomplished teacher to reflect on how to approach my planning of the lesson segments. Before, my lesson planning felt rote and not meaningful. I was just going through steps making sure I hit every point of emphasis of a direct instruction instructional model. Now, I feel a little more liberated from the chains of direction instruction because I now know that I have a little flexibility in how I get my students the new knowledge. For example, I tend to allow more time for students to express their understanding of lesson targets.           
 The problems that occurred the most as with almost everything was time. Most of the time the instructional block doesn’t allow for instructional deviations which is why direct instruction works well. It gets the students the most information in the shortest period of time. However, I feel like the information doesn’t stick as long as it would with giving the students more time working with the new learning. The solution to this is devote some time during the day for interventions. As it is now, I work with a 30 minute block for each core of reading and math.                                                       
The Marzano Framework is used to document and show my proficiency as a complete teacher. The Marzano Framework breaks down research-based practices in 8 criteria and is used to compare and contrast my professional practices. My area of practice is best observed in Criteron 1 Providing Clear Learning Goals and Scales and 2 Demonstrating effective teaching practices.
            If anything, this quarter has provided me with a skill I have never thought would impact my skills as a teacher. It seems so simple, yet a little complicated if approaching it on my own.

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