Creating Effective Teachers Directions: Create a presentation explaining foundational beliefs about education for a new teacher orientation in your school system. Foundational is the operative word here. The goal of the presentation is to help new educators think critically about important issues related to teaching and learning before their first day with students. In this regard, you should rely heavily on the reading and lectures of the course. Your presentation is more than a “how to survive” for beginning teachers. It is intended to give them a sense of the history and philosophy that has guided this noble profession. Meagan Andrews Kyra Stenslie Cristina Roberts

Need for Great Teachers “We need bright, energetic, young teachers in the profession today. Teaching can be a very rewarding career, but I must warn you that it is a challenging time for teachers, especially beginning teachers. Teachers are under tremendous scrutiny. There are also increasing concerns about the deplorable condition of our schools, the lack of parental support, the disturbing behavior of the children, and the general disrespect for teachers by the public at large.” (Canestrari and Marlowe, 2010, p.1) Canestrari and Marlowe, the author’s of Educational Foundations: An Anthology of Critical Readings provide this general description of today’s calling for teachers. Teaching is a profession, that if you are passionate enough, committed enough, and determined enough will bring you countless rewards. Yet, you must arm yourself with enough knowledge and pedagogy to not only speak as an advocate for today’s students, but as a professional member of society. The education you receive, the stories you read, the cases you study in your preparation, only begin to prepare you for the children you will encounter in the classroom. However, by giving yourself as much prior knowledge, theory, history of education, strategies, and staying focused on the best interests of the students, you will be more prepared to help each and every child be successful, which is our ultimate goal as educators: both in their academic lives and personal lives. Throughout this presentation we hope to provide you with points for reflection that enable you to consider your own ideas about teaching, education, today’s students, and your role as a professional educator. We also hope to provide you with information that will either support your current thinking or give you new considerations. 2

To be or not to be… “Great” “Death at an Early Age” by Jonathan Kozol Meet Stephen No advocate No protection Fell through the cracks Incredible influence Responsibility to create well-educated, empathic students Develop self-starters who can contribute to a group Change the outlook of today’s education system YOU are the single, most important factor The need for great teachers is unfortunately apparent in many of the sad educational stories told of how students were either humiliated, mistreated, uninspired, or fell through the cracks. This is not our societies educational system at it’s best, however it happens more than we’d like to admit. Jonathan Kozol wrote an article called “Death at an Early Age” about a little boy, Stephen who was, in every sense of the word, disgraced, by our educational system. Stephen was an odd boy with no family structure. A great teacher would recognize his need for structure and support and do everything in her power to create a safe environment for him. A great teacher would see his interest in drawing and cultivate that talent so he felt accomplished in at least one area of his life. A great teacher would lift him up, instead of pushing him down. Instead of constantly yelling at him and belittling him, as was the case in Kozol’s article. The teacher saw no hope for him, and as a result he saw no hope for himself. This is not a boy who will grow up with a sense of pride and will be a positive contribution to our society as a result of this teacher’s mistreatment. The power teachers have over the lives of their students is incredible. It is our responsibility to make sure that power influences positive results. We are challenged to inspire our students to become successful members of the community by teaching them to not only self-starters who can problem solve and think critically about tasks, but who are empathic to the needs of others and can work in a group. Of all the factors influencing today’s classrooms and the ability for a child to achieve success within them, teachers remain the most important factor and therefore the need to establish great teachers is paramount. 3

What Will Your Influence Be? “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” -Henry Adams Henry Adams once said this quote, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never know where her influence stops.” Yet it is more than just where your influence ends. It is also what type of influence you will have on your students. The teacher described earlier by Jonathan Kozol in his article “Death at an Early Age” will leave an impression on the young boy and had tremendous influence on his development and self-worth. Yet, in looking at this teacher, we would all agree that type of influence is not what we hope to achieve and is hopefully not what we enter teaching thinking our lasting marks on our students will be. As part of discussion portion of presentation: Prompt listeners to turn to a neighbor and share the answers to the following questions: “Why do you want to teach? What influence do you hope to have on your students?” 4

Why Teach? Love of education Value for society Pass on great education Stop negative educational experiences Genuine belief in purpose So, why do we choose to teach? In looking at the teacher from Kozol’s article, it is easy to wonder why someone who showed no empathy or understanding of her students, chose a profession where that understanding is vital to the success and development of each child. There are many reasons why people get into the field of education, take a moment to reflect on the reason(s) you chose this field. Some choose the field because they have a love for education and see it’s value in society. Others choose the field because they had a great education and wanted to give those same opportunities to children. Others had a more negative educational experience and want to allow students a more effective and positive experience. Whatever the reasons, great teachers are often driven by very similar beliefs and passion for the purpose and vision of education. Great teachers also dream that they will inspire students to gain confidence and the intrinsic motivations to continue to pursue knowledge, learning, and moral decisions once they graduate from the walls of the teacher’s individual classroom. 5

What Are the Qualities of a Great Teacher? Have an unyielding belief in students ability/potential Utilize differentiation strategies to help students meet expectations See value in students and communicate student’s worth Create inclusive classroom atmosphere Practice positive strategies Get to know students Employ diverse methods to inspire students Model enthusiasm and love of learning Discard old ways As considered, people become teachers for a multitude of different reasons. Unfortunately, there is a discrepancy in the type of teacher each becomes. It is very easy to become a bad teacher. As mentioned by Canestrari and Marlowe, the environment of today’s classroom can often be hostile and the expectations today’s teachers are supposed to meet while often facing budget deficits, lack of resources, lack of support, crowding of classrooms, and pressures to make sure that every child pass every assessment can weigh heavily on new and veteran teachers alike. Therefore, how do you prevent yourself from falling victim to these negative aspects of teaching. How do you keep the hope, the dreams, and the goals of your positive influence in the lives of your students present each and every year? Prompt listeners to think of/write several qualities they feel comprise a great teacher. After a minute or two, prompt listeners to share their qualities as a table/person sitting next to them. Ask listeners to consider the similarities and differences in the qualities shared. One of the most important qualities a great teacher can possess is the ability to see the good and value in their students and to be able to have their students see that in themselves. Dr. Ellis (2001), a professor at Seattle Pacific University, wrote that if students feel they are important and value themselves they will, “look forward to class and genuinely want to do their best and to reach out to others to help them do their best.” (pg. 45). One of the ways teachers can cultivate this belief is to create an inclusive and open classroom environment. In her article, “Racism, Discrimination, and Expectations of Student Achievement”, Nieto (2004) described effective teachers as those who believe their students are capable learners and communicate that belief to them (Canestrari, et. al. 2004, p.44-63). Teachers can also practice and develop strategies that reach every child and allow for equitable learning. Other qualities of great teachers include modeling your enthusiasm and love of learning, as Ellis, 2001, states, “Behaviors are better caught than taught”. Modeling this enthusiasm will inspire students to do their best and realize that learning is important and fun. Inspiration begins from within. It requires teachers to share a general feeling of excitement for learning that is infectious, and that enthusiasm inspires students to become interested, intrigued, and enthusiastic about the learning as well. "The teacher must be an enthusiastic learner.” John Dewey noted that it is necessary for the teachers to become learners and for learners to become teachers." (Ellis, p. 46). Teachers also inspire their students simply by building off the trust and respect they have built into the environment of the classroom.   A teacher inspires her students by making them feel good about themselves and modeling respectful behavior for all. Students feel inspired by kind people they trust and look up to, so teachers need to be that model for them.   If a teacher is going to inspire their students, this requires taking the time to get to know them on a personal level. Gaining an understanding of how students learn, what their family life is like, what experiences they have had, and what background knowledge they arrive to school with will enable teachers to form a positive relationship with their students. By focusing on student needs and interests, teachers are able to find inspiration that is meaningful and authentic to students. They are also able to address learning through strategies and methods that reflect the diverse needs of each student. 6

A Good Classroom A “good” classroom provides: A place to successfully develop social/academic skills An environment of trust, inclusion, and respect Democracy and allows freedom Extends its reach beyond the classroom walls The next aspect of becoming a positive influence in the lives of your student is creating a classroom environment conducive to not only academic development, but personal growth. Discuss: Setting up a classroom is one of the most exciting things about being a new teacher…illustrate the trip to the teaching store to pick out themes, colors, posters, etc. However, the set up of a classroom includes a lot more than the decorations on the walls. Prompt listeners to turn to a neighbor and share what they hope their classroom will look and feel like. In an effective classroom, students are given opportunities to develop both academic and social skills. This can be accomplished through a variety of teaching strategies as well as cooperative learning and discussion. School serves as a location where people come together to share and learn what it means to be a citizen (Ellis, module 5 lecture, slide 5). Interacting with peers and developing social skills will contribute to a students' awareness of others' feelings, needs, and concerns (Ellis, 2001, p.51).   Students are more likely to feel comfortable in a classroom that promotes an environment of mutual trust and respect amongst the teacher and students. As Ellis outlined, “…the primary issue in classroom life is trust. When teachers trust their students, a different kind of environment emerges, one in which there is far more freedom accorded the individual to initiate, choose, pursue, and reflect upon his/her learning” (Ellis, 2001, p. 55). All students feel a sense of inclusion, belonging, and importance. A motivating factor of many students is the capability of making their own choices. This means that all students input is valued in creating a democratic classroom structure. Students are also provided structured and personal choices in their behavior and learning. 7