6 | 1 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning What Makes a Teacher Effective? Chapter Six

6 | 2 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Questions Reflective Teachers Ask What am I doing and why? How can I better meet my students’ needs? What are some alternative learning activities to achieve these objectives? How could I have encouraged more involvement or learning on the part of the students?

6 | 3 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Three Stages of Decision Making Planning decisions Implementing decisions Evaluating decisions

6 | 4 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Aspects of Reflective Decision Making Attitudes that foster learning and genuine human relationships Knowledge –Subject Matter Knowledge –Theoretical Knowledge –Personal Practical Knowledge Teaching skills that promote student learning

6 | 5 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Teacher-Competence Areas and Instructional Decision Making

6 | 6 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning What Attitudes Does the Effective Teacher Possess? Attitude toward self - achieved through reflection, study, and participant observation Attitude toward children - positive attitude toward children; high expectations for students; willingness to examine own negative attitudes Attitude toward colleagues and parents - collaborative Attitude toward subject matter - enthusiasm

6 | 7 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Teacher Expectations Influenced by race, social class, gender, other teachers, and more May be unconscious Communicated to students Affect student behavior & performance –Self-fulfilling prophecy

6 | 8 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning What Subject-Matter Knowledge Does the Effective Teacher Possess? Discipline content - structure, elements, logic, possible uses, and social biases of subject content Curriculum content - school and district curriculum and standards Pedagogical content - best practices for teaching particular content

6 | 9 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Theories v. Theories in Use Theory Unproved explanation of why something happens the way it does Basis for hypotheses, further study, research Theory in Use Idea held by a person and used as basis of dealing with others Often unexamined, but assumed true

6 | 10 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Approaches to Classroom Management

6 | 11 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Kounin’s Research on Effective Classroom Management Effective teachers use these skills: Withitness Smoothness Momentum Effective teachers avoid these slow-down behaviors: Overdwelling Fragmentation

6 | 12 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Guidelines for Effective Classroom Management Establish rules and routines –Define them clearly –Have students help Ensure students’ compliance –Establish positive relationships –Be willing to administer consequences Involve families –Communicate –Make sure they understand rules

6 | 13 © Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Effective Questioning Techniques Phrase questions clearly; ask brief questions. Link questions to lesson objectives. Ask thought-provoking questions. –Avoid yes/no and leading questions. Question a range of students. –Balance volunteers with non-volunteers. Extend wait-time. Encourage students to respond in some way to every question. Probe & provide feedback on responses.