Discussion based learning

http://www.byui.edu/Documents/instructional_development/Instructional%20Tools%20Page%20PDFs/Discussion-based%20Learning.pdf

Teaching Philosophies

Teaching Philosophy Statement

What is a Teaching Philosophy Statement?

A teaching philosophy statement is a narrative that includes:

• your conception of teaching and learning
• a description of how you teach
• justification for why you teach that way

The statement can:

• demonstrate that you have been reflective and purposeful about your teaching
• communicate your goals as an instructor and your corresponding actions in the classroom
• point to and tie together the other sections of your portfolio

What is the purpose of a Teaching Philosophy Statement?

You generally need a teaching statement to apply for an academic position. A teaching statement:

• conveys your teaching values, beliefs, and goals to a broader audience
• provides a set of criteria and/or standards to judge the quality of your teaching
• provides evidence of your teaching effectiveness

Components of a Teaching Philosophy Statement

• educational purpose and learning goals for students
• your teaching methods
• methods for assessing students’ learning
• assessment of teaching

You also may include:

• a list of courses you have taught
• samples of course syllabi
• teaching evaluations
• letters of recommendation
• a video of a class you have taught (asked for by some universities)

Teaching values, beliefs, and goals

You should consider what you believe is the end goal or purpose of education:

• content mastery
• engaged citizenry
• individual fulfillment
• critical thinking
• problem solving
• discovery and knowledge generation
• teamwork
• self-directed learning
• experiential learning

Where can you find your teaching philosophy?

• a syllabus (assignments, format, content, expectations, texts, assignments, grading and assessment)
• in-classroom environment (diversity of methods, level of interaction, quality of feedback, intercultural sensitivity)
• connection to institutional mission and disciplinary trends

What criteria are used to judge your teaching?

• student-teaching roles and responsibilities
• student-teacher interaction
• inclusiveness
• teaching methods
• assessment of teaching
• assessment of learning

How do you provide evidence of your teaching effectiveness?

• peer review
• students comments
• ratings
• portfolio
• syllabi
• teaching activities

Writing guidelines:

• There is no required content, set format, or right or wrong way to write a teaching statement. That is why writing one can be challenging. 
• Make the length suit the context. Generally, they are 1–2 pages.
• Use present tense and the first person, in most cases.
• Avoid technical terms and use broadly understood language and concepts, in most cases. Write with the audience in mind. Have someone from your field guide you on discipline-specific jargon and issues to include or exclude.
• Include teaching strategies and methods to help people “see” you in the classroom. Include specific examples of your teaching strategies, assignments, discussions, etc. Help them to visualize the learning environment you create and the exchanges between you and your students.
• Make it memorable and unique. The search committee is seeing many of these documents—What is going to set you apart? What will they remember? Your teaching philosophy will come to life if you create a vivid portrait of yourself as a person who is intentional about teaching practices and committed to your career.

“Own” your philosophy

Don’t make general statements such as “students don’t learn through lecture” or “the only way to teach is with class discussion.” These could be detrimental, appearing as if you have all of the answers. Instead, write about your experiences and your beliefs. You “own” those statements and appear more open to new and different ideas about teaching. Even in your own experience, you make choices about the best teaching methods for different courses and content: sometimes lecture is most appropriate; other times you may use service-learning, for example.

Teaching Philosophy Statement dos and don’ts:

• Don’t give idyllic BUT empty concepts
• Don’t repeat your CV
• Do research on the teaching institution and disciplinary trends
• Do keep it short (1–2 pages)
• Do provide concrete examples and evidence of usefulness of teaching concepts
• Do discuss impact of methods, lessons learned, challenges and innovations—how did students learn?
• Do discuss connections between teaching, research, and service

Answer these questions to get started:

• The purpose of education is to________.
• Why do you want to teach your subject?
• Students learn best by______________.
• When you are teaching your subject, what are your goals?
• The most effective methods for teaching are___________.
• I know this because__________________.
• The most important aspects of my teaching are______________.

http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/career-development/put-your-qualifications-writing/teaching-philosophy-statement



Examples of different teaching philosophies:


http://ctle.hccs.edu/facultyportal/tlp/seminars/tl1071SupportiveResources/comparison_edu_philo.pdf

MEDIA IN THE CLASSROOM

Did you know that 96 percent of students with internet access report using social networking technologies, and that three in five (59 percent) use these tools to talk about educational topics online?

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/schools-social-media-stats_b46620

Pros:

Educational Tool

Enhance student engagement

Improve communication between student and teacher

Preparing students for successful employment

 

Cons:

Social media can be a distraction

Cyberbullying

Discourages face-to-face communication

 

 

 

 

Media Violence: Statistics’08

~ 61% of TV programs contain some violence

~ 44 % of the violent interactions involve perpetrators who have some attractive qualities      worthy of emulation.

~ Of all violent scenes on television, "86 % feature no blood or gore.

~ Only16 % of violent programs feature long term, realistic consequences of violence.

~ 70 top-selling video games- 89% contained some kind of violence

 

media can cause distorted concepts of:

• love & sexuality

• romance

• success & normalcy

• self image

 

http://www.uni.edu/coe/ci/240-020/documents/diversity.pdf

National Testing Value

The WEST-E (Washington Educator Skills Tests Endorsements) = an assessment of content knowledge required for an endorsement.

WEST-E: The Professional Educator Standards Board implemented the content knowledge test requirement for candidates applying for endorsements on the residency certificate on September 1, 2005. Initially, the Praxis II series tests, administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS), were selected to fulfill the requirement but the Praxis II no longer fulfills this requirement.  (RCW 28A.410.220)

 

WEST-E Extension:  Candidates who are prepared and/or certified out-of-state applying for a Washington State residency or professional teaching certificate have up to one calendar year from issuance of the temporary permit to pass the WEST-E subject knowledge test(s). 

 

WEST-E Exemption:  Individuals who hold a certificate through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) are exempt from the WEST-E requirement if there is a direct equivalency between the endorsements sought and the national board certificate. 

WEST-E Test Objectives: Investigate the Objectives
Beginning September 2014, a selected group of WEST-E exams will no longer be administered and the National Evaluation Series (NES) will replace the WEST-E. Other endorsements will transition from the WEST-E to the NES. For more information; visit NES transition.

"WEST-E - Professional Educator Standards Board Assessment." WEST-E - Professional Educator Standards Board Assessment. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. <http://assessment.pesb.wa.gov/assessments/weste>.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Taking the NES for State Certification

The NES is an educator certification testing program aligned to professionally accepted subject and pedagogy standards, including the Common Core State Standards. Learn more.
NES test scores are currently accepted for certification in the following states:

• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Oregon
• Wisconsin

"Taking the NES for State Certification." Taking the NES for State Certification. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.




"State-by-State Chart for Policies on Reciprocity." Http://www.lakeforest.edu/live/files/1495-state-certification-reciprocity1pdf. Lake Forest College, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lakeforest.edu%2Flive%2Ffiles%2F1495-state-certification-reciprocity1pdf>.

learning letter

This has been one of my favorite classes at EWU.  Not because it was the most fun but because I have learned the most in it.  Everything we did in this class had a purpose and was directly related to the class.  Many class I have taken have had so much busy work or assignments that didn't relate to what we should have been learning.  Teaching literature to adolescence was always the focus. 

We got to work with a lot of adolescence literature.  We all got to pick one book and present it to the class.  Not only did this help me get in the mindset of figuring out how to use the book I picked in a classroom, but also we got to learn about so many more books we maybe hadn't read.  It gave us exposure and knowledge of books that are available out there.  

There were five books that were assigned as text books.  Each student picked a book and had to present a lesson on that book.  We all had to read each book though, and participate in each lesson.  This was another great way to think about how we can use each of those books in the classroom.  I especially liked the variety of the books.  The lessons and reading opened my eyes as to what can be used in a classroom.  I had never read a graphic novel and never would have guess that I would like it, but I did! 

I really liked the beginning part of the quarter that got us thinking about different educational theories.  I don't think I have had that much exposure to that many theories in any other class.  Usually the only people we hear about in education classes are the old theories such as Blooms taxology.   This was a good chance for us as future teachers, to know what we want out of our classroom.  My favorite theory was on differentiated instruction. 

From this class I have gained a lot that I will be able to take to my classroom with me.  I really want to focus my efforts on using differentiated instruction in my classroom.  I think that learning juts a little bit in our classroom has got me reading on my own about approaches other teachers have used.  It still isn't going to be easy to me or always make sense but the more I work at it the easier it will get.  By coming to class, reading the texts, and participating in the discussions I have learned a lot for my classroom.  I will have a better understanding of what I want to happen.  I will have a bigger repertoire of books to choice from for my students.  If I have a particular student looking for a book I will know a special book for that student. 

 

 

 

What a terrible story!!!  To me reading this book was like sitting through several hours of the commercials of the kids who are malnourished in Africa, or the dogs and cats that have no homes.  This book really did give me bad dreams.  I haven't read a lot of novels about concentration camps.  Of course as a history major, I do know the awful things that happened.  I didn't enjoy reading this book.  I do agree with all the critics that it is a good book.  To me this was like how Kirsten explained that she can faint when things get too graphic.  This was that kind of book to me.  The worst part about this book was that you can't tell yourself that it isn't real. 

I was amazed my the love Elie had for his father.  Even when people told him to stop taking his father food when he couldn't move, Elie still took him food and coffee.  I would like to think I would do the same, but even in the book there are parts where sons give up on their fathers. 

I don't know if my instinct to live would be strong enough to live through something like that.  I would have given up early on in the beginning.  The fear of being burned or beat to death would consume me.  There was one part where they had to run so much in a blizzard and they had to keep each other awake so they didn't freeze to death.

I just can't fathom how people could treat each other like that.  I don't allow my husband or son to kill bugs.  I can't stand people who make their animals sleep outside.  I want to have a pet cow and let it in the house and I would give it baths.  This book is just scary!  I really hope nothing like this ever happens again.   

romeo and Juliet

Confession:  I have never read Shakespeare! 

To read this story I had to read each scene with a scene by scene summary.  I really struggle with the language.  I even struggle with just British literature.  I could be confused by a southern accent:)This is so difficult for me.  I have avoided Shakespeare all my life, and until this class I have succeeded!

Sure I know the story of Romeo and Juliet.  I haven't seen the movie,s but I have been alive long enough to hear the story from others.  I have to admit though I was checking my Netflix and HBOgo account to see if it was available.  I can't even imagine a high school class reading this. It would have to be done with a movie for me to understand any of it.  I really wonder what the Hell is wrong with me and why I can just figure it out.  It seems funny to me that I will have a minor in English and be able to teach it but can't figure out Shakespeare.  I don't know what I will do if someone asks me to do a unit on him.  I guess we watch the movie!!!! :) 

My reading the summary with the text I at least understood what was happening but I still wouldn't be confident that I could read any other Shakespeare without an aid.  When I read the summary, it was just your basic love story.  They love each other, but shouldn't or can't and he dies.  Just like the Notebook... He loves her and her parents won't allow it because he's poor.  They find each other and she looses her mind.  I guess we do know Romeo and Juliet's love didn't take them together. I guess there must be a reason why almost every high schooler has read Shakespeare's stories.  I just though it was another love story and love stories are so predictable!