Things that work well

Week 4 Things that work well in classrooms:

One of the biggest changes to the way I teach has been the use of a digital projector. This includes the use of the web. Having a student ask a question I don’t know and being able to find it almost instantly is such a great resource. The digital projector is invaluable tool for a visual education teacher. Not only do you have the projector aspects, which help to display images on a scale suitable for a class, but you also have almost unlimited options for imagery and instruction through the use of the web. Having this resource makes it much easier to find works of art, which reflect the medium, concept, or time being discussed. You can also then create relevance by looking at modern versions of the mediums and concepts. The opportunity to create more detailed instruction can be done through the use of multiple applications such as slide shows, movies, and even interactive creations.
Something, which is has particularly been successful for me, is the collaboration between teachers on a particular subject or event. Whenever a topic is discussed across disciplines it seems to create a more lasting effect. This is something, which has been discussed in this class already as a direction our curriculum should be working toward. It is almost like pooling our resources to create the best or most inclusive information presentation for our students. It also helps them make connections through the different particular subjects, which creates more meaning. It is something I would like to see even more of.
Another aspect I have seen to be very successful in a classroom is the collaboration between teachers and support staff such as Educational Technicians. Having the extra set of eyes, hands, and instructional support seems to really help within a specific group of students. There seems to be much more student engagement and productivity with the extra support.
Positive reinforcement also something I have seen which seems to be much more beneficial for students. By focusing on the positive aspects of what students are doing they don’t get caught up in or stuck with the things that aren’t working. Even if the positive aspects are not part of what the problem is trying to tackle it can be very helpful. Students particularly at a young age can “shut down” quickly. By using this positive reinforcement we can avoid them using this mechanism. This is more encouraging for them and because of that they continue working and still try to figure out the things they don’t understand. It also helps to create a stronger self-respect, which is also very important to their well being and success in school.
Something else I have seen to be successful is making students more responsible for their learning. I have recently worked in a middle school classroom where the assignments are given and then the teacher works with students at a center. This allows students who want help or want to make sure they are doing the work correctly to work with the teacher and students who aren’t going to do the work anyway are not distracting from them. It started off with only a handful of students working with the teacher. Now, almost all of the students are working with the teacher. This is particularly interesting as only a few of the students have much support from their parents to do well in the class. I don’t think this would work for every class but it seems to be working well in this one.