Angela Tarver

10/16/2014
ELED 300
Module 3 Writing
Introduction
An effective teacher has a positive attitude towards teaching in every aspect of education.
If the teacher displays a passion for her topic, the students will be already be more interested. An
effective teacher uses social interaction in group work, as well as direct instruction to deliver
important lessons. An effective teacher utilizes diverse strategies and differentiated learning
techniques to reach every student. Like it or not, we are in the 21st century and this generation of
students was born in the digital age, which means an effective teacher uses a variety of media in
their lessons. Overall, the most effective teacher finds a way to relate to his or her students. Even
when you have nothing in common with your learners it is important to establish a relationship
with each one of them to encourage and inspire them in a safe learning environment.
Direct Instruction
Direct instruction is a strategy used to teach skills and concepts. This type of instruction
is extremely important when the teacher wants to be the center of attention while the students are
the observers, which is similar to the principle of behaviorism. Behaviorism recognizes the
teacher as the main dispenser of information; this differs from constructivism where students are
active, engaged, and encouraged to construct their own knowledge. Within direct instruction,
teacher characteristics include but are not limited to: 1) Goal oriented, 2) Focused and aligned, 3)
Scaffolding, 4) Practice and feedback. Direct instruction is most effective when lesson content
has one or more of the characteristics incorporated (Kauchak 250). When planning for direct
instruction, teachers will want to determine prerequisite knowledge to serve as a foundation for
new knowledge. Getting to know the students and their personal interest in order to make the
lesson relatable is a prime example. A best practice of competency 7 says, It is more effective to
call on students randomly [during direct instruction discussions] so all participate and are kept
attentive during teaching (comp 7). The last ingredient in direct instruction is assessment, which
goes hand-in-hand with practice and feedback. There are two different types: informal and
formal assessment. Informal goes along with interactive questioning to allow teachers to monitor
progress throughout the lesson. Formal assessment is a final check to provide teachers with
feedback about their learning progress.
Teaching and Learning in Groups/ Lecture Discussions- Interactive Instruction to Promote
Learning
Teaching and learning in groups can be a scary thing for someone who is inexperienced
with this type of participation. However, both kids and adults prefer to talk than to listen as it is
a natural human tendency, which provides reason to why social interaction works in the
classroom (Kauchak 209). Discussions are great because they stimulate thinking and challenge
students to expand on their ideas and open up to new ones while developing interpersonal skills.
From a developmental perspective social interaction promotes learning because it encourages
students to re-evaluate their own views in the world (Kauchak 209). These groups can be built
in small or large amounts of students, mixed by ethnicity, gender, and ability, while capitalizing
on diversity. Diversity offers improved attitudes and increased interethnic friendships. Smaller
groups are less threatening than whole class discussions, especially for shy students (comp. 7).
Lectures are easy to plan and can be applied to most content taking less energy from teachers.
This can be either good or bad. Good, if the teacher can use relatable material and allowing time
for moments when the students want to reflect and comment on their own experiences. Bad, if
the teacher uses discussions to display a huge chunk of material without allowing proper
processing time for the children to learn the information. PowerPoints that lead to vicious note
taking is not a good way to assess ones learning. PowerPoints that allow moments for open
discussion can make the lesson enjoyable and provide teachable moments. This goes back to
classroom management. Lectures need to be organized and the teacher needs to be flexible to
maintain classroom management.
Guided Discovery/ Problem-Based Instruction
Guided discovery happens when the teacher presents concepts, abstractions, and
information while guiding students through objectives by questioning. The ability to promote
student motivation is one of the major strengths of guided discovery (Kauchak 315). Students
begin with a problem to solve, which creates a stimulus of curiosity. When they are active
throughout the questioning, they are motivated as they make sense of the problem. Competency
9 states, technology typically increases motivation and in todays society it is more than
obvious that technology addresses strengths, styles, modalities, and interests (comp. 9). With
technology, we have to make sure it is being used for educational purposes only; this could be
the most controversial topic aroused by the parent population. A best practice of competency 9
says teachers must ensure equity in access to technology because some families do not have
access to the internet for information or communications, nor do they access to a home computer
for creating and developing projects (comp 9). Transitioning into problem based instruction is
very similar to guided discovery, yet different at the same time. The teaching strategies, like
guided discovery, use a problem or question as a focal point for student learning. The goal of
problem based instruction is to build learners into self-directed learners, as well as teach critical
thinking skills. This type of instruction also builds self-esteem and most important, critical
thinking involves the development of attitudes and dispositions, like guided discovery (Kauchak
368).

Conclusion
Living in a technology-prone world, kids are smarter than what we give them credit for. An
effective teacher is careful to assess each childs wants and needs. Direct instruction is great for
delivering information in either a formal or non-formal way. Although it is usually connected to
lectures, they should not be limited to ordinary PowerPoints and note taking; lectures can be
media driven and relatable to student interests. Learning in groups, big or small, is a great tool
because every student is given an equal opportunity to speak up. It is also a gateway for new
information. When a student goes into a discussion and they hear something that triggers a new
thought or they hear something that now makes sense whereas maybe it didnt before, their
knowledge can increase exponentially. Children need group work for the light bulb to go off.
Lastly, we discussed guided discovery. The problem and solution strategy increases student self-
esteem. Even if you lead them to ask the question and hint at an answer, they still believe they
came up with it and that they are the genius. The moment the teacher steps down and acts as a
learner alongside of her students, the children immediately feel less stress and more engaged in
the lesson at hand. An effective teacher always finds a way to relate to every student in his or her
classroom.

References
Kauchak, D. & Eggen, P. (2011). . Learning and Teaching: Research-based Methods. Newton,
Boston, MA: Pearson. ,
10 Ways to Become a Better Teacher. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2014.