Teaching Methods

You and I and a couple million other people have all been in schools for a number of years, and we all have some pretty good ideas about the qualities we feel are important for good teaching. Not surprising, several agencies and organizations have looked into the characteristics of good teachers. One of those is the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC).
The INTASC establishes guidelines for preparing, licensing, and certifying educators. Among other things, they promote 10 standards that should be part of every teacher's classroom practice or personality (after some principles I have listed articles that address the specific topics): • Principle 1. The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students. • Principle 2. The teacher understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development (Effective Learning and How Students Learn). • Principle 3. The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners (How Students Learn and Teaching Special Needs Students). • Principle 4. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills (Lesson Methodologies and Problem Solving). • Principle 5. The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation (What Is Cooperative Learning, and What Does It Do? and Motivating Your Students). • Principle 6. The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom (Lesson Methodologies and Levels of Questions). • Principal 7. The teacher plans instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals (Lesson Plans: Using Objectives and The Question of Homework). • Principle 8. The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner (Categories of Evaluation). • Principle 9. The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. • Principle 10. The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being (Special Projects, Special Events).
It's important to point out that your effectiveness as a teacher depends on much more than your knowledge of one or more subjects. In fact, your success will be driven by characteristics and dynamics that are as much a part of who you are as they are of your classroom behavior.
Conversations with hundreds of teachers around the country indicate that good teachers are effective because they assume five interrelated roles: • You as a person • Student orientation • Task orientation • Classroom management • Lifelong learning
I invite you to consider these roles in terms of your own personality dynamics as well as in terms of your reasons for becoming a teacher.
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You as a Person
The reasons you are a teacher are undoubtedly many. Who you are as a person and how you would like to share your personality with students are significant factors in why you choose to be a teacher. So, too, will they be significant in terms of your success in the classroom. My own experience with hundreds of teachers has taught me that the personality of a teacher is a major and predominant factor in the success of students within that teacher's influence.
Joy to the World
Good classroom teachers are joyful. They relish in the thrill of discovery and the natural curiosity of students. They are excited about learning and often transmit that excitement to their students. They are stimulated by the unknown and are amazed at what can be learned, not just at what is learned.
Students consistently rate teachers high when humor is part of the classroom environment. This humor does not come from telling lots of jokes, but rather from the good-natured conversations and discussions carried on with students. Humor helps break down conversational barriers, establishes good rapport, and builds strong classroom communities.
Secondary Thoughts
Observations of successful secondary classrooms reveal that the teacher's knowledge of the subject is of considerably less importance (to students' learning) than her or his energy for teaching the subject.
You should be passionate. Good teachers are good because they not only have a love for children, but they also have a passion for the subjects they teach. If you're passionate about teaching, your students will know immediately. If you're less than excited about what you're doing, students will be able to determine that very rapidly, too. Your passion for teaching must be evident in everything you do.
I Wonder Why …
Effective teachers are inquisitive. They continuously ask questions, looking for new explanations and myriad new answers. They serve as positive role models for students, helping them ask their own questions for exploration. They are content with not finding all the answers but rather with developing a classroom environment in which self-initiated questioning (by both teacher and students) predominates.
Good teachers are also creative. They're willing to explore new dimensions and seek new possibilities — never sure of what lies around the corner or down the next path. They're willing to experiment and try new approaches to learning — not because they've been done before but simply because they've never been tried at all.
Outstanding teachers seek help from others. They talk about new strategies with colleagues, seek input from administrators and education experts, read lots of educational magazines and periodicals, and access websites frequently. They don't try to go it alone.
Effective teachers are change-makers. They're not afraid of change and realize that change can be a positive element in every classroom. If something isn't working, these teachers are eager to strike out into new territories for exploration. They're never content with status quo; their classrooms are always evolving, always in a state of transition.
Flexibility
I have interviewed scores of teachers all over the United States, from Maine to California and from Oregon to Florida — and a lot of places in between. I wanted to get their thoughts and impressions of good teaching and the characteristics they felt are essential in a quality-based classroom program.
To a person, they all told me the same thing: the number-one characteristic of a good teacher is flexibility or the ability to roll with the punches and not let the little things get you down.
It might come as no surprise to you, but there's no such thing as an average or typical day in teaching. Students come and go, clocks and other machines break, parents drop in unexpectedly, administrators have reports to file, meetings are scheduled at the last minute, you forget your lunch or your car gets a flat tire, the film you ordered didn't arrive, and a hundred other things can — and often do — go wrong.
However, it's the flexible teacher — the one who doesn't let these inevitable “roadblocks” get in her or his way — who survives and teaches best in the classroom. Yes, there will be “surprises,” unanticipated and unplanned events, and glitches along the way. But if you are willing to compromise, bend, and adjust, you will give yourself an incredible opportunity to succeed.

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CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The toughest challenges become easier when you have the resources to support you — and TeacherVision® has hundreds of resources.

[pic] The Art of Teaching Find resources to implement great teaching in your classroom, as well as advice from experienced teachers.
|The Art of Teaching |Personalizing the Secondary Classroom |
|Teaching Methods |Elementary Teacher Survival Guide |
|What I Wish I'd Known When I Was a New Teacher |Multiple Intelligences Resources |
|Educator's Calendar |Inclusion Resources |
|General Advice for Teachers Slideshow |ELL |
|Lesson Planning Advice Slideshow |Bloom's Taxonomy |
|Professional Portfolios |Differentiated Curriculum |
|Favorite Icebreakers Slideshow |The Basics of Centers |

[pic] Assessment Discover ideas for boosting high-stakes testing results, materials for authentic assessment, strategies for accommodating students of diverse abilities, and more.
|Assessment Forms |Journal Assessment |
|Report Cards |Assessment & Accommodation |
|IEPs and Beyond |Assessment Accommodation Types |
|Portfolios |Quiz Library |
|Rubrics |Customizable Charts & Forms |

[pic] Behavior Management One of the hardest aspects of teaching is knowing how to effectively manage your students.
|Behavior Management Resources |Positive Behavior |
|Behavior Management Forms |Awards and Certificates |
|Behavior Management Tips Slideshow |Awards, Certificates, and Notes Slideshow |
|Social/Emotional Issues |Special Needs |
|Rules, Consequences, and Rewards List |Conflict Resolution Resources |

[pic] Classroom Organization Find ideas to help you get yourself, your classroom, and your paperwork organized.
|Classroom Organization Resources |Physical Setup of Room |
|Classroom Organization Tips Slideshow |Classroom Arrangement Checklist |
|The Ultimate Organized Classroom |The Basics of Centers |
|Bulletin Boards |Substitute Teacher Kits |
|Bulletin Boards Slideshow |Class Forms |

[pic] Working with Parents Check our library of materials to send home to parents on a variety of topics and issues, as well as suggestions on ways to work effectively with parents.
|Advice for Parents |Parent-Teacher Tips Slideshow |
|Teacher-Parent Collaboration |Open House |
|Parent Conferences |Developmental Information for Parents |
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Bulletin Boards

|[pic] |[p|Improve effectiveness and enjoyment of lessons with these bulletin board ideas and examples. They'll make your classroom |
| |ic|visually appealing and stimulating to your students. Below, you'll find bulletin boards for a wide range of topics, from |
| |] |cookies and ecology to measurement and diversity! Whether you teach science, reading, art, or social studies, you're sure to |
| | |find the perfect bulletin board to fit your current theme or topic of discussion. |
|Top 20 Bulletin Boards |Measurement Bulletin Board |
|Use our Top 20 Bulletin Board Ideas to organize and decorate your |Reinforce measurement concepts with this math bulletin board idea |
|classroom while also teaching and reinforcing skills. |and related activities. This packet includes bulletin board |
|Bulletin Boards: Themes and Tips |instructions, math activities, word problems, calculator problems,|
|Included in this article are plenty of creative tips for decorating |and a measurement game. This is a great bulletin board idea for |
|bulletin boards for your elementary or secondary classroom. New |February or anytime of year. |
|teachers will find this resource particularly valuable. Bulletin boards|People Who Build Our Homes Bulletin Board |
|make a great teaching tool for your students. |Use a printable that contains instructions for creating a bulletin|
|Amphibians and Reptiles Bulletin Board |board to accompany a unit on construction careers. |
|Here's a great bulletin board idea focused on the life cycle of a frog.|People Who Help Us Learn Bulletin Board |
|Apple Bulletin Board: Responsibility |Create a back-to-school bulletin board that familiarize students |
|Create an changeable bulletin board that helps teach responsibility by |with the teachers, volunteers, and librarians who will support |
|assigning students to classroom duties. |their learning. This printable contains easy bulletin board |
|Back-to-School Math Bulletin Board |instructions and templates. You can also use it to accompany a |
|Create a student-centered bulletin board based on a numeration theme. |unit on teaching careers. |
|Bear Theme |People Who Keep Us Safe Bulletin Board |
|Motivate students to read with these bear-focused ideas and bulletin |Use a printable that contains instructions for creating a bulletin|
|board example. |board to accompany a unit on public safety careers. |
|Bulletin Board Tips |People Who Help Us Stay Healthy Bulletin Board |
|Use these helpful hints to improve your classroom bulletin boards. |Use a printable that contains instructions for creating a bulletin|
|Career Bulletin Board |board to accompany a unit on health careers. |
|Create a "Career Collage" and display it on a bulletin board. |Favorite Places Bulletin Board |
|Cat Bulletin Board |Allow your students to decorate the classroom with pictures and |
|Use colorful cat cutouts to create a bulletin board that helps your |words about their favorite places. |
|students learn colors and counting. |Probability Bulletin Board |
|Cookie Day |Create a probability bulletin board with this packet. This May |
|Fun ways to use cookies in the classroom: build a bulletin board with |bulletin board idea includes instructions, activities, word |
|paper cookies, create a cookie class book, and enjoy some fresh baked |problems, calculator problems, and a game. |
|cookies. |Rainbow of Flowers Bulletin Board |
|Circus Theme |This multifunctional bulletin board is an eye-catching display as |
|Use these suggestions and the bulletin board example to bring the |well as an interactive teaching tool. |
|excitement of the circus into your classroom. |Sailing Bulletin Board |
|An Ecological Bulletin Board |Establish an atmosphere that encourages reading with this nautical|
|Use this bulletin board to introduce and reinforce the concept of |bulletin board. |
|recycling. |Save the Earth Bulletin Board |
|Ecology-Themed Bulletin Board |Use this bulletin board plan as a visual enhancement to your |
|Teach your students about environmental waste and responsibility with |class's study of ecology. Ideas for the board include creating a |
|this activity and bulletin board. This is a great activity to celebrate|food web or making a layered mural to simulate the rain forest. |
|America Recycles Day (November 15) and Earth Day (April 22). |Spring Theme Bulletin Board |
|The Family: A Theme for All Seasons |Use a printable that contains spring ideas and an example bulletin|
|Great for all seasons, this printable outlines an activity about family|board for your classroom. |
|and a bulletin board idea. |Story-Time Garland Bulletin Board |
|Farm Theme |Put up a fun colorful bulletin board for sharing book reviews. |
|Incorporate a farm theme or a farm-inspired bulletin board into your |Tips on Creating Art Bulletin Boards |
|lessons with this printable. |Create a bulletin board full of impact with these hints and |
|Friends Are Fun! Bulletin Board |themes. |
|Make a bulletin board for managing a class unit on friendship. |Evergreen Tree Bulletin Board for Winter |
|Greenhouse Bulletin Board |Explain evergreens and create a forest in your classroom with this|
|This stunning display is sure to capture students' interest! Although |bulletin board idea for winter. |
|it looks best on windows, the Greenhouse Bulletin Board can also be |Turkey Bulletin Board |
|built on a regular bulletin board background. |Help your students discover whether a turkey is a bird while they |
|Habitat and Animals Theme |color, draw, and decorate. This bulletin board is a great way to |
|Teach your students about interdependence in the natural world with |decorate your classroom during the Thanksgiving season. |
|this activity and bulletin board suggestion. |Under the Sea Theme |
|Immigration/Ancestry Bulletin Board |Use an ocean theme in your science lessons with this printable |
|Students can track their ancestors' travel route to the United States, |ideas and bulletin board example. |
|using an immigration bulletin board. |United States Flag Bulletin Board |
|Insects Bulletin Board |Work this bulletin board idea into your lesson plans by letting |
|Encourage educational conversation about insects with this ladybug |students create flags and discuss their origins. This patriotic |
|bulletin board. |activity is great for Veterans Day, the Fourth of July, and Flag |
|Make a Rainbow Bulletin Board |Day. |
|Students describe their helpful behaviors and create a bulletin board. |Weather Forecast Bulletin Board |
| |Create a weather-themed bulletin board for your classroom. This |
| |packet includes bulletin-board instructions, weather symbol |
| |templates, lesson-planning ideas for math and science, and |
| |seasonal suggestions to keep your bulletin board relevant year |
| |round. |
| |Who's in the News Bulletin Board |
| |This bulletin board is a great way to introduce your students to |
| |current events and learn about the people who are making a |
| |difference in the world. |
| |Winter Geometry Bulletin Board |
| |Create a student-centered geometry bulletin board for winter. This|
| |packet includes bulletin board instructions, December activities, |
| |geometry games, and word problems. |
| |Winter Math & Art Bulletin Board |
| |Use geometry and art to create a student-centered bulletin board |
| |for winter. This packet includes bulletin board instructions, |
| |January activities, worksheets, and a mathematical art project. |
| |Winter-Themed Bulletin Board |
| |Warm up your classroom with these winter ideas and a reading |
| |bulletin board example. |

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