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Philosophies that Shape My Teaching
"Traditional" and "modern" pedagogies are defined by their differences from each other; modern or progressive methods lead to student-centered, active and concrete or practical learning, while traditional methods lead to teacher-centered, passive and abstract learning.  Traditional teachers rely on recitation, questions seeking facts, worksheets, and textbooks in their classrooms, while modern teachers use discussions that will lead to critical thinking, cooperative group learning, and literature and primary source documents to reach their students.  Modern methods are thus framed as superior to traditional methods.  My classroom practices are more complex than this schema implies; children sitting in-groups may not effectively work together just as lectures can be highly engaging.  In other words, an observer in my classroom has to look at factors such as the engagement of learners and quality of their work to determine the effectiveness of my methods.

           In my teaching I use a variety of assessments and activities to engage students, all of them learn in different ways, an idea derived from Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  Gardner argues that because standardized tests focus on reading, writing, and mathematical skills, they do not measure other types of intelligences (an intelligence defined as "the biological potential to process information in certain ways in order to solve problems or make valued products") that children may use to understand concepts.  Thus, in order to develop interpersonal or musical-rhythmic intelligences, students should perform role-plays or analyze song lyrics in addition to writing essays and solving math problems.
          I am also influenced by Bruner's Theory on placing students in learning environments in which they are encouraged to "discover" knowledge on their own.  According to Bruner, "The quest is to derive materials that will challenge the superior students, while not destroying the confidence and will-to-learn of those who are less fortunate."  In order to do this I attempt to scaffold learning by providing step-by-step activities that help all students develop the necessary problem-solving skills.  For example, before having students write a play, I may have students read and analyze different plays, model how to choose a topic, etc.  In other words, learners should see different models and practice the stages of a task so they have the skills and confidence to begin and complete any project set before them.

           A similar way to build understanding through scaffolding has been adopted from Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.  When leading class discussions I begin with lower-order questions to get students thinking about a topic.  From there the questions become increasingly difficult in order to induce higher levels of thinking.  For example, I will begin with a "recall" question to elicit facts from students, "What kind of democracy does the United States have?" then test their comprehension of concepts by asking students to compare or summarize information, "How does a representative democracy differ from a direct democracy?"  Finally, I ask students to apply their knowledge to a problem, "Who is not represented in U.S democracy?" or "Should our democracy be more representative?"  The overall goal is to slowly bring students into higher levels of thinking so they may develop their own strategies to solve problems.
          When looking to manage behavior in my classroom I look to follow the concepts presented by Canter's Assertive Discipline.  The main tenets surrounding this idea is that both students and teachers have rights once they enter the classroom.  Students have the right to a caring teacher who will work in the best interest of the student.  At the same time teachers have a right to a classroom free from disruption, receiving support from parents and administrators as they work to help students achieve their desired goals.  I look to apply negative consequences only as a last resort, instead trying to focus on the positive behaviors students demonstrate. My hope is a classroom where student and teacher are willing to trust the other to act in the best interest of all members.

           If you were to observe my lessons, you would see a variety of methods designed to address different learning styles, higher order questions to stimulate thinking, relating to students' lives as well as global issues, involving students in creating meaningful products, or teaching their peers.  When teaching a lesson I watch the students: are they alert? Are they laughing? Are they answering and asking questions?  I realize that as a teacher I am pressured to cover a lot of material for state tests.  It is often quicker and easier to give information rather than helping students discover knowledge on their own.  In the end I choose to follow the challenging path and assist students in self-directed learning.



References:

Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Eveyrone.  Education World.  16
     Feb 1998.  http://Education-World.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml.

Constructivist Theory by Jerom Bruner.  Theory Into Practice
     Database.  http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html.

Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning.  Learning Skills Program.  3 Sept
     2003.  http://coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html

The Canter Model.  Humboldt State University.  http://humboldt.edu