What is Good Teaching?

1. What is Good Teaching? The student will learn what educational research shows are good teaching practices.

2. Introduction A vignette from “Animal House” with Donald Southerland as an English Professor. Discuss the teaching activity shown.

3. Something to Think About. Effective teachers are those who can stimulate students to learn mathematics. Education research offers compelling evidence that students learn mathematics well only when they construct their own mathematical understanding. continued

4. To understand what they learn, they must enact for themselves verbs that permeate the mathematics curriculum: “examine,” “represent,” “transform,” “solve,” “apply,” “prove,” “communicate.” This happens most readily when students work in groups, engage in discussion, make presentations, and in other ways take charge of their own learning. Everybody Counts (National Research Council 1989, pp. 58-59)

5. NCTM Teaching Principle The NCTM Teaching Principle will be covered in MAT355 in the next few days.

6. NCTM Learning Principle The NCTM Learning Principle will be covered in MAT355 in the next few days.

7. “Motivation Counts”Dave Johnson Chapter One Motivation through classroom routine. Mr. Johnson’s background and foundations for the text.

8. Traditional Classroom Routine What are some of the characteristics of a traditional classroom routine? Work in pairs and come up with at least 5.

9. Traditional Classroom Routine • Take roll, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • ask if there are any questions, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • ask if there are any questions, • introduce a new topic, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • ask if there are any questions, • introduce a new topic, • show several examples, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • ask if there are any questions, • introduce a new topic, • show several examples, • give an assignment, • Take roll, • hand back previous work, • read the answers to homework, • ask if there are any questions, • introduce a new topic, • show several examples, • give an assignment, • wait for the bell to ring. continued

10. Traditional Classroom Routine How many of you were taught in this manner? Was it effective? What worked? What did not work?

11. Traditional Classroom Routine Understanding how students feel from page 6. • When lectured to, students have no chance to think for themselves or try out ideas. • When they don’t understand they believe they can’t understand. • They are scared to be wrong – so they don’t feel safe in our classrooms. • They believe mathematics is nothing but manipulation of meaningless symbols.

12. Research Findings that Learning Improves when students are: • active in the learning process; • provided with constant feedback; • work together; • challenged; • interested in the material; • shown unusual teaching techniques; • Not using rote memory as a primary tool.

13. Hence we need a new classroom routine!

14. New Classroom Routine What are some of the characteristics of a “new classroom routine”? Work in pairs and come up with at least 5.

15. A New Classroom Routine • TBWA – Teach by walking around. • Classroom designed for student learning. • Have a desk-top code. • Have a meaningful opening activity. • Lesson centers on student activities. • Appeal to student interest. continued

16. A New Classroom Routine • Pay special attention to questioning methods. • Have students work cooperatively. • Use manipulatives and technology. • End with a strong closing activity. • Make homework a part of each lesson.

17. Be Consistent • Assign homework. Know who does it and give penalties for not attempting homework. • Determining during class if students are learning. Modify class if they are not. • Make it possible for students to ask and respond to questions without fear of being wrong or being embarrassed.

18. Be Inconsistent • Vary class openings and closings and the order of activities in between. • Vary problem types and interject unusual problems to spark interest. • Students should work alone, in pairs, in groups. Students should work at their desks and at the board. Students should sometime use a computer, calculator, pencil, and sometime none of the above. Students should be willing to communicate daily in writing, orally and with drawings, sketches or model building.

19. Lessons not Lectures Distribute handout and cover the content. Students should read “Lessons not Lectures”.

20. Background Needed for Effective Teaching What math students should learn? How can they best learn? How do I know if they learn? Mathematics Courses Education Courses Psy/Soc Courses

21. Dr. Anthony FrederickFive Roles of Good Teachers • Good classroom teachers are joyful. They relish the thrill of discovery. They are excited about learning. They are passionate. • You as a Person • Good classroom teachers are inquisitive. They continuously ask questions. • Good classroom teachers are creative. They are willing to explore new possibilities. • Good classroom teachers are flexible. They have the ability to role with the punches and not let the little things get them down.

22. Dr. Anthony Frederick Five Roles of Good Teachers • The best teachers are those who try care for their students. They exhibit empathy and try to see the world through their students’ eyes. • Student Orientation • Good classroom teachers have positive attitudes and never embarrass or ridicule students. • Good classroom teachers listen. • Good classroom teachers have high expectations for their students. • Good classroom teachers increase student engagement by incorporating students’ ideas.

23. Dr. Anthony Frederick Five Roles of Good Teachers • Good classroom teachers concentrate on the instructional activities that cause learning to happen. • Task Orientation. • Good classroom teachers handle administrative and clerical tasks without disrupting learning. • Good classroom teachers present logical, clear lessons including review, practice and feed back. • Good classroom teachers are in control of their classrooms. • Good classroom teachers invite student activity by ask probing questions.

24. Dr. Anthony Frederick Five Roles of Good Teachers • Good classroom teachers provide opportunities for students to make decisions and follow through on those decisions. • Classroom Management • Good classroom teachers establish routines. • Good classroom teachers know that a quiet classroom is not necessary for a productive classroom. • Good classroom teachers establish expectations and consistently uphold these expectations throughout the school year.

25. Dr. Anthony Frederick Five Roles of Good Teachers • Good classroom teachers are those who keep learning, who continually add to their knowledge base.. • Lifelong Learners • Good classroom teachers keep current, stay active, and continually seek out new answers or new questions for exploration.

26. Assignment Read: • Posamentier Chapter 2, pages 18-28 & 32-54. • Johnson Appendix A.