Module 11

Focus question number 1 on page 428 says, 'Are teachers born, or made?' In my opinion, effective teachers are made. I do think that some people are born and they are sure that they want to become teachers but taking the classes in college to prepare a teacher is where they learn many of the successful techniques. In the text on page 429 it says many teachers possess natural talent, but most teaching is based on "tried and true" practices. Trial and error is a good way to find out if a strategy will be successful. While I was conducting my field experience at Southview Middle School, in Hopemills, Ms. Harmon showed me many successful strategies. One of the most important things that she told me was to keep the students interested and motivated, a teacher should let them stand and be involved as much as possible. In my opinion, the games that they played seemed to be fun and educational. I think Ms. Harmon was the type of teacher that was born to teach, but her life experiences by trial and error have helped her to become the successful teacher that she has become.

Focus question number 4 says, 'What are the roles of teacher and students in the pedagogical cycle?' The teacher instructs the class and teaches them a new topic. He or She, then, asks the students' questions about the material. The students answer the questions and their responses are then followed by feedback from the teacher. The teacher, in a way, is like an interventionist. They know what exact questions to ask to get the 'wheels' turning. The feedback is also scripted. Teachers know what final outcome they are trying to achieve and their questions and responses help lead to those outcomes. Again, in Ms. Harmon's class she taught a fun lesson that that incorporated this cycle. She taught a lesson, asked the students to write down something they remembered from the lesson, ball up the papers and throw them around the room and reenact a 'snowball fight.' She then had the students pick up someone else's paper and read it out loud. Ms. Harmon would respond with feedback and praises about the individuals responses. I think this lesson was an exact replica of the pedagogical cycle. It was not necessarily the typical lecture with questions and responses, it actually seemed to be more enjoyable for the students.