I feel that an effective teacher should have implemented a classroom routine and then to keep it consistent. An arrangement of getting things out and putting away can be made with children. All the children can be given a responsibility of taking care of a small area of the classroom. Places for resources, books etc should have a permanent place and be clearly labelled to enable the children to tidy up efficiently. I also noticed that the class teacher had seated the children in rows on specific places on the carpet. Bennet and Blunder (1983) found that children got more work done when sat in rows. I found that this is an effective classroom management strategy. There are no arguments of sitting next to friends or lack of space. The children know where they sit and with one glance, the teacher can see who is missing and spot ant disruptions. The children were seated on the table in groups according to ability. Independent work was often completed on the tables, however, the child were always given the chance to discuss ideas with each other before asking the teacher for help.
I have therefore found the importance of classroom routine and management to complement effective teaching in the classroom. Further studies have suggested that many teachers spend a lot of time implementing routines and classroom management to reduce wasted time to the minimum. Teachers have used checklists to find which activities take up too much time and then use the information as an area for development.
I believe that an effective teacher should create a stimulating learning environment in the classroom, as children learn from their environment as well as each other. This enables the children to solve problems independently which may give the a children sense of achievement. In school, the teacher had used the display area and wall space for number lines, alphabet lines, shapes, clocks literacy and numeracy vocabulary.
“Displays should be either encouraging children by showing their work attractively or it should be stimulating materials which invites questions and exploration. There should be a good deal in the classroom which supports independent learning.” (Dean,J (2001) p.75). I have observed the children using the information on display to assist them. I feel that this is an extremely simple yet effective way to encourage independent learning. I observed the teacher using the displays at every opportunity, it supplied the children with a visual aid. I therefore decided to use the surrounding information or resources to support my teaching which I felt improved my teaching.
Something which concerns me about being an effective teacher is planning and executing interesting enjoyable lessons. I initially thought that this could be achieved by the teacher being enthusiastic and showing that he/she is genuinely interested in the lesson. However, so much more is needed to execute an effective lesson. During my school placement I observed the teacher during whole class teaching. I found that a majority of the learning took place on the carpet. I strived to model the teachers strategy. During numeracy lessons the teacher would use a variety of resources to aid learning. These included small clocks, number fans and white boards. Teaching hasn’t just involved the teacher talking and the children listening. It is more interactive which I feel is extremely effective for both the children and the teacher. It allows the children to work at their own pace and the teacher to assess what level the children are at. They will also provide the children with a kinaesthetic stimulant. I feel this is an area which I can develop, to use a variety of resources to assist my lessons which include all the children who learn by different methods.
“Children learn in a range of ways, and so learning requires a combination of different teaching strategies.” (Gipps,C., McCallum.B, Hargreaves.E (2000) p.110). I have therefore found and observed that to maximise learning, lessons need to be interactive. The children must have the opportunity to discuss their ideas to address any misconceptions they may possess. The teacher must be able to meet the needs of all the children on the carpet and I feel that the use of resources aids this. Using a range of teaching materials a teacher can incorporate fun into learning. Collis and Lacey (1996:9) stress that children learn more efficiently when they are actively involved.
Another way to ensure the lesson flows smoothly is to have all resources and planning prepared earlier. I observed the teacher distributing work sheets and preparing resources during her break or dinner. Everything was planned earlier and this contributed to an effective lesson. During my core and foundation lessons, I made sure my resources and worksheets were organised and distributed before the children returned to their tables. I also allocated the other adults where I felt they were needed. A teacher will use many different methods of learning and it is therefore vital to be prepared and note down possible questions and useful information to aid teaching.
“ Questioning should not be left to the spur of the moment. It is wise to prepare some questions in advance so you can give thought to the type of questions you want to ask.” (Dean.J, (2001) p.95). I found this very valuable when planning my own my own lessons. I listed the questions I would ask and already knew what outcome I was expecting. This helped me to stay focused on the topic, yet I allowed some flexibility if the children wanted to explore other ideas. Effective teachers will use “ higher order questions which demand thinking on the part of the children” (ibid p.36). I feel I have been developing the questioning technique quite effectively as the teacher has often commented on it.
An area of concern for me is confidence, especially in standing and teaching in front of the whole class. However, once I was secure with the subject knowledge
and my planning was thorough. I found myself quite confident. The children were in return relaxed and ready to learn.
“ Good teachers are secure in their subject knowledge at a level well above that of the demands of the children they are teaching.” ( ibid p.36).
I have observed that the objectives of the lessons are displayed and verbally shared with the children throughout the school. The children begin the lesson knowing what is expected from them in terms of learning. Edwards and Mercer (1987) found that some teachers didn’t share objectives with the children because they didn’t want to limit the learning. They intended to build on the ideas as well as the planned lesson. However Edwards and Mercer found that if they had shared the objectives, the lessons would have been more focused and affective. Following this I decided to display the objectives during my lessons with the whole class. It helped me to stay focused on what I was teaching. The teaching assistants play an important role in the classroom. They often supported the low ability group as they often needed individual help. I observed them teaching the children again after the whole class session. They provided the teacher with a great deal of support as this group often needed a lot of help. I observed another teaching assistant taking a specific child everyday for additional support with literacy and numeracy. Without this extra help, some children will not be achieving their potential.
Furthermore, another area of concern for me is managing behaviour in the classroom. In my opinion, managing behaviour is a partnership between the teacher and the children. The teacher must be the authority figure in the classroom. I feel this is achieved once trust and respect is formed. Once routine is learned and the children know what is expected from them, a lot of pressure is taken off the teacher. In school, the children were constantly encouraged to put their hands up. If they called out the teacher would respond quickly and ask them to put their hand up. Therefore, I have found that unwanted behaviour should either be ignored or dealt with rapidly to reduce further problems. It is they teachers responsibility to decide how to handle a situation. The school has a behaviour policy which the whole school follows. I feel this is a valuable document and offers guidelines to handling challenging behaviour. The teacher uses smiley or sad faces on the board as a management strategy. In my whole school experience only saw three sad faces which was amazing. The Overall behaviour of the children was very good as the teacher used praise, smiley faces, well done points and stickers on a regular basis to encourage good behaviour. The children thought very highly of the teacher and tried hard to please her. I tried to use the teachers classroom management strategies as the children were familiar with them and the children responded to the in a positive wing the very lucky teaching the class as they showed a genuine interest in my lesson and behaved extremely well for me. I feel this was because I tried to make it interesting. I tried to pitch the lesson to their level so they could relate it to their experiences. Meeting the needs of individual children is a constant challenge. Some children may need individual help all the time and there are some children who have special educational needs. Therefore, there needs must be planned for and a lot of praise and encouragement is needed to reward their progress, so they don’t feel excluded from the rest of the class. I believe this is extremely important; an effective teacher must be able to meet the individual needs of every child in the classroom.
At university I particularly enjoy science and English lectures. The tutors are friendly and approachable which I feel is because they make sure we all understand the lesson. They quickly recognise if any students are struggling with their work and offer different methods of learning. I feel comfortable participating in these lessons as I feel quite confident in the subject. These tutors also give us the opportunity to discuss our thoughts and ideas with each other which I also think is an effective method of learning.
I have also found that assessment is a vital part of teaching and this is an area of concern for me. It is especially vital to assess children at the end of each key stage to provide an individual report they can take with them, which highlight their strengths and possible growth points. Although a teacher will know what level their pupils are at, it is now important to have evidence to support their judgments. Assessment is an extremely powerful factor in developing learning, therefore I have found that important factors regarding assessment include:
- Effective feedback to children on their performance;
- Their active involvement in their own learning;
- Recognising that assessment has an important influence on children’s motivation and self-esteem;
- The need to train children to assess themselves. (Dean, J, (2001), p.227)
During my school placement I observed the teacher assessing the children on a regular basis. Questioning the children is an effective method to establish what level the children are at, this is accomplished in an informal manner and the children are not pressured. The teacher built on the results of the assessment during teaching and addressed any misconceptions which the children may have. Another method of testing was seen at the end of each topic, the children answered questions on a worksheet which provided physical evidence to support the teachers judgment. Sometimes check-lists can be used for smaller groups during some activities which have been planned for assessment.
I observed year one and year three and upper key stage two. I saw the same behaviour management in all the classes. Year six children were given more responsibility over their time management and behaviour as the expectations were shared with them from the beginning. Year six did not sit on the carpet, all teaching took place at their tables. It helped to see how the children progress and the NNS and NLS is a valuable document which tells teachers how to develop the children’s learning.
I am concerned about becoming an effective teacher, and it is vital that all teachers should recognize their strengths and weaknesses. They should reflect on previous lessons and be able to set targets. I feel that teaching is an occupation where the teachers are also learning alongside the children. Sometimes lessons may not go as well as we anticipate or sometimes they may be better than previously thought. All this should be recorded by evaluating our progress after each day and building on our professional development. It is crucial to act upon areas which need improvement.
In conclusion, I have highlighted my concerns of becoming an effective teacher. I have included possible ways to improve areas such as classroom management and behaviour. I have also included my school observations for examples of the teacher giving and receiving respect from the children. I have also included forms of assessment and self reflection which are crucial aspects of teaching. In my opinion, teaching is not simply a career, it becomes part of your life. A creative and stimulating teacher would gain great personal satisfaction from this profession and my school placement has confirmed my desires of becoming an effective classroom teacher. It is important for a teacher to be happy, organised and enthusiastic in school, knowing that they are making a difference to a child’s future.
Bibliography
Collis, M. Lacey, P. (1996), Interactive Approaches To Teaching, London, David Fulton.
Dean, J. (2001), Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom, Third Edition, London, RoutledgeFalmer.
Edwards, D. Mercer, N. (1987), Common Knowledge, London, Methuen
Gipps, C. McCallum, B. Hargreaves, E. (2000), What Makes A Good Primary School Teacher?: Expert Classroom Strategies, London, RoutledgeFalmer.
Hay McBer, (2000), Research into Teacher Effectiveness, London,
Mortimore, P, et al, (1988), School Matters, London, Open Books.