Within a practical theory framework, consisting of components and structure, which is personally meaningful to you, and which reflects a critical appreciation of the literature on teachers’ practical theories, outline your own practical theory. Indicate clearly the context to which this theory of practice applies.
Being a teacher has always been my dream. Being a teacher who makes a difference, I believe, is my goal. That is precisely the reason why I pursue studies in becoming an effective teacher.
The readings in class have made me realize a lot of things about teaching. Being a teacher with teaching experience, I became aware of the fact that I learned more in hands-on practice in a school year than theoretical information I learned when I was learning to be a teacher.
There are just too many things books or even eloquent professors do not teach explicitly (Loughran, 2006) that I had to learn the ropes when I encountered a particular teaching circumstance in my practice. In getting together with my colleagues, I also learn a lot from their own accounts of their teaching successes or failures (O’Connell Rust, 1999). Somehow, the vicarious experiences derived from listening to their stories planted seeds at the back of my mind of how to deal with the situation they were in, in case I got into it in the future.
My experiences as an early childhood education for three and a half years in Bangkok, Thailand have contributed much to the formation of my personal ideals in the field of education. It has been a very rewarding career that provided me with deep insights into what I really want as a teacher and, if opportunity permits, the kind of education I shall provide in my own ideal school. For now, this is the kind of education I would like to be known for as a practicing teacher. In this paper, I shall be outlining essential points that I think and feel are important components in teaching and in education in general. I feel validated in these beliefs because my readings have supported most of them, and I shall give credit where credit is due.
The Ideal Teacher
Professionally, I am aware that teachers need much training for all the tasks expected of them when they begin work. Being an effective teacher encompasses a wide spectrum of responsibilities – from designing an environment conducive to learning to planning appropriate lessons for students and implementing them with effective educational strategies to being able to manage the class well and instilling discipline in the students, to involving parents and coordinating with others regarding the provision of quality education for the students.
An effective teacher is a good planner. She anticipates everything and anything that can happen to her classroom. Thus, it is essential that she comes up with a classroom management system to cover everything she needs to do and remember.
Part of classroom management is the designing of a learning environment suitable for the students. In a particular research, it was found out that when the quality of the physical environment declined, teacher restriction and control increased, the teacher’s behavior became less friendly, the students became less interested and involved, classroom rules increased, and conflict among children increased. It was likewise observed that the learning environment influences, and directly contributes to, children’s behavior and levels of learning. The physical environment should reflect the goals and expectations of the teacher. It will also dictate somehow to the children how they will behave in the classroom (Brewer, 2001).
Classroom management involves not only the management of student behavior but everything that goes on in the class… from preparation for the class day, to what transpires during the day and even up to when the students leave, to the nitty-gritty of the physical environment which must be conducive to maximize the learning of her students (Crosser, 2002). Of course, a teacher can only do this if she is adept in developing a program developmentally suited for the age and grade level of her students.
An effective teacher encourages her students to direct their own learning. She is there to whet their appetite for learning and nudge them to move towards pursuing knowledge. She also finds ways to keep their thirst for learning unquenchable so they develop into life-long learners.
Effective teachers use authentic assessment strategies to evaluate student learning and performance. Wiggins’ (1991) description of what authentic assessment should be is that it involves “engaging problems and questions of importance and substance in which students must use knowledge (and construct meaning) effectively and creatively” (p. 39). In terms of implementation of such methods, students of any age or any educational level will benefit much from authentic approaches to assessment.
The case studies of schools that implemented authentic assessment methods discussed in Darling-Hammond et al’s (1995) works highlighted the use of different strategies for customizing instruction, deeply involving students with the subject matter, and assessing the assessment support changes in the curriculum, teaching, and school organization. The basic premise of the vision of authentic achievement as proposed by Newmann, Secada, and Wehlage (1995) outlines the creation of more interesting yet challenging assessment tools for students.
Teachers can encourage students to produce more intellectual work in the form of real-world applications, and hence increase their performance. Darling-Hammond et al (1993 a) identified authentic assessment activities that effectively display students’ knowledge and skills as well as prove to be more interesting for students to engage in.
Performance-based assessments such as science experiments, oral presentations, essays, video documentation of performances, etc. show evidence of students’ use of various strategies to solve problems rather than merely seeing the right answer asked for on a test (Darling-Hammond et al, 1993 b). Personally, I find performance-based activities more exciting not only for the students to do but likewise for the teachers to plot in their lesson planning.
Although teachers are expected to know what to teach children in general, they also need to be able to adjust to the individual needs of their students, as not all students learn the same way at the same pace. Trafton (1975) suggests that individualization must include “acceptance of each child as an individual worthy of adult respect,” and that to this should be added, “an acceptance of the child’s ideas, a provision of opportunities for pupil input in developing and selecting learning experiences, a concern for the quality of the child’s intellectual development, and a willingness to take time to know the child as an individual” (p. 39).
The example of the new teacher, Christie, in O’Connell Rust’s (1999) article clearly embodied what Trafton suggests as the ideal teacher. She made efforts to truly get to know each of her students not only academically, but also as individual persons.
The effective teacher can discern which learning strategy would be most appropriate on a case-to-case basis. Imbedded in her are hidden agendas for making her students reach their optimum learning potentials and in effect, the development of healthy self-esteem. She is aware that she is just an instrument in assisting the students to gain knowledge and not the source of knowledge herself. I was inspired by Dusting’s (2002) chronicle of her attempts at becoming a better teacher by trying out various strategies with her students. In the end, it was worth the risk of deviating from long-held learned teaching techniques because the students were likewise invigorated to learn more.
Teachers are considered lifelong learners and are expected to model such qualities to inspire their students. Judith Little (1982) recommends teachers collaborate with each other to come up with more effective instruction.
They should engage in frequent, continuous, and increasing concrete and precise conferences on their teaching practice and be able to reflect if these practices are working to encourage success in their students. They should be open to feedback and allow frequent observation of their teaching performance. Together, they should plan, design, research, evaluate and prepare teaching materials. They should also support and coach each other on other practices of teaching.
An effective teacher does not sit on her laurels. She constantly reflects on her teaching in pursuit of excellence. According to Osterman (1990), “reflection is the essential part of the learning process because it results in making sense of or extracting meaning from the experience”. Thus, on her own, a teacher becomes aware of her own merits and mistakes to be rectified. Posner (1996) emphasizes the need for reflection of teachers no matter the time constraint due to the multitude of roles they play because it will only make them more effective teachers to complement reflection with experience.
They go hand in hand. Experience with no reflection can be shallow. Teachers who merely relish their experiences without thinking deeply about their significance and how to make the experience better next time may have limited growth. Bullard (1998) gives a number of methods for teachers to reflect on their professional practice using self-evaluation techniques which include teacher journals, teaching portfolios, performance appraisal programs, peer coaching, among many others.
Francis’ (1995) article provided a guide for personal and professional empowerment as follows:
It is a basic formula for reflective thinking which can be used as a template for a reflective journal. This would be manageable for me to follow in my own reflective practice.
The Ideal School and Curriculum
A learner-centered program becomes meaningful when it draws from the children’s needs and learning styles, life experiences, interests, and ideas. Content areas in an integrated curriculum largely stem from the children themselves – their interests, questions, and passion. This gives children the opportunity to become active partners in curriculum planning and the learning process; in effect, this departs from the traditional notion of a student’s role of passively listening to a teacher.
The emphasis of the educational process then shifts from teaching to learning. This is the kind of curriculum in the constructivist approach. It premises on the belief that learners “construct” their own learning, and in effect, have better retention of it. “In the Constructivist theory the emphasis is placed on the learner or the student rather than the teacher or the instructor. It is the learner who interacts with objects and events and thereby gains an understanding of the features held by such objects or events. The learner, therefore, constructs his/her own conceptualizations and solutions to problems. Learner autonomy and initiative is accepted and encouraged.” (Van Ryneveld, n.d., n.p.).
“Piaget believed that children create knowledge through interactions with the environment. Children are not passive receivers of knowledge; rather, they actively work at organizing their experience into more and more complex mental structures.” (Brewer, 2001, p.6). He insists that children need to use all their cognitive functions. These theories were designed to form minds which can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered. Such beliefs reflect his respect for children’s thinking.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences (1983) has impacted education ever since it was publicized. It has been liberating to finally accept that all people have something to excel at, and being smart above the rest is not limited to those who do exceptionally well academically. Schools have adapted Gardner’s views of searching for competencies that each student is strong at and maximize his potentials for such skill so he gets to join the circle of the “smarts”.
Some schools have simplified the intelligences to capture children’s interest in their own intelligence and motivate them to optimize their gifts. Terms such as “body smart”, “music smart” or “people smart” are held in equal esteem as “word smart” and “number smart”. That way, no one feels left out and self-confidence is generally boosted. It is comforting to think that if one has an aptitude for music, for instance, and is weak at math and science, then he can still excel at something creative and non-academic. For teachers, knowing the special intelligences of their students will enable them to adjust their teaching methodology accordingly.
Math and Science may be taught using strategies that involve music, games, literature, and the like. It also makes learning so much more fun because aside from the variety of experiences the students encounter, it considers every student’s intelligence profile. Ideally, it creates a stimulating learning environment that is conducive to optimal learning and full development of human potential (Gardner, 1983).
The principle of curriculum integration pertains to a form of instruction that provides learning experiences which combine content areas across multiple disciplines collectively. The initiative to integrate curriculum began when John Dewey proposed that curriculum be linked to real-life experiences and organized around activities that interest and engage children actively. Dewey asserted that children’s interests naturally progress into appropriate learning activities and extend to various areas of study.
As implied by the guidelines for appropriate curriculum, the concept of integration can also be attributed to the integrated nature of development; that is, development in the different domains does not occur in isolation; rather they influence one another (Bredekamp and Rosegrant, 1992).
An integrated curriculum allows the young child to perceive the world around him more clearly. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for in-depth exploration of a topic and learning that has a thorough coverage; more choices and therefore more motivation to learn and greater satisfaction with the results; more active learning; an opportunity for the teacher to learn along with the children and model lifelong learning; and a more efficient use of student and teacher time (Brewer, 2001).
Curriculum integration helps students recognize connections between curriculum areas. These connections are essential to the brain in order to learn effectively. Integration changes the emphasis from the instruction of discrete academic subjects to activities that promote learning through real-life tasks. It blends academic disciplines into integrated topic studies which support creative thinking and problem solving, as opposed to rote memorization and teacher-directed instruction of isolated skills and bits of information.
There are several positive effects of integrating creative activities in the curriculum. Firstly, creativity enhances each child’s skills and abilities. It boosts the self-esteem of a child especially when he or she does not succeed in academic areas. Creativity develops the child’s flexibility of thinking and broadens his or her imagination through self-expression. Expression of creativity is non-threatening and non-evaluative. It acknowledges the fact that each child’s work is different from one another (Woods, 2003).
Secondly, it promotes positive attitudes towards learning. Children are more involved if the approach is interesting and presented in a creative manner than by merely presenting the topic. They are not passive and non-responsive students. Instead, they are active learners and participants of the learning process.
Thirdly, children learn concepts and ideas from creative activities. They experience pure enjoyment in such activities because these are retained in their memory. In addition, it provides numerous interactions with other children and promotes socialization among peers. Most importantly, learning through creative activities will develop a well-rounded child. Other children who may not succeed in academic subjects may find it successful in creative arts.
My view of Learning and Children
It is important to consider how young children learn and process information. Experts agree that children learn best through exploration, hands-on experiences, and purposeful play. Young children develop concepts deductively through first hand experiences (Lawton, 1987). They learn skills and acquire deeper understanding of concepts when these are embedded in personally and socially relevant activities.
Young children build knowledge as they interact with the world around them by combining new data with previous knowledge and perceptions, to clarify or modify current understandings which they later utilize in absorbing new ideas (Hunt, 1961). They construct, adjust, and expand their concepts over time as they organize a variety of experiences and make connections among them (Kostelnik & Howe, 1991).
Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Model (1979) explains that the behavior and development of an individual is an interplay of the individual’s biological and personality factors, his environment and the society and culture he was born into. Brofenbrenner also claims that effects of interactions between the individual and his environment are two-directional or characterized by reciprocity.
Chronosystem refers to the time that transpires as the child relates in his various environments.
This means that while a child’s development is influenced and molded by his family, school and peers, he likewise influences and molds the behavior of others. The growing child moves through five systems that inter-relate and affect his development. I wish to be the kind of teacher who affects her students in the most positive way and myself affected by their own persons in a most fulfilling manner that I am encouraged to be better at my craft.
About My Own Theory
I was truly touched by a quote I read from Palmer (1998) which stated: “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique. Good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” Young as I am in the field, it is heartening to read such words from a seasoned teacher, as it gives me hope that my blunders are salvageable, as I know I am a good person… not perfect, but trying my best each day to be kind and considerate. I always have the students’ best interests in mind.
The aspects of the teaching-learning theory I have specifically conceptualized reflect a philosophy that is respectful of children’s learning. It does not impose unreasonable expectations that traditional philosophies may have, that of teachers being the sole “dispensers of learning” while the students are open vessels or “blank slates” for them to write on. On the contrary, this theory empowers children to be bold enough to initiate their own explorations and discoveries. It builds up their self-esteem that adults around them consider their contributions to their own learning, and that it is what truly matters.
It may be difficult for some teachers to adopt this theory at first, especially if they are used to designing one at par with traditional adult standards that are usually printed out to comply to. It may be challenging to share the reins of planning a curriculum with the children. It takes a mature teacher to eventually pass to students the responsibility of learning for themselves. Of course she is on hand to supervise and provide gainful learning opportunities to them. It shows that she puts great trust in their ability to learn and confidence in herself that she has trained them well.
I personally believe that an ideal curriculum for very young learners should be planned with a lot of care and consideration of the needs of the children. After all, the foundation for all learning is in the earliest stages of an individual’s life. A child’s learning experiences in that stage may very well spell his success or failure as he grows up. The following diagram represents my personal ideal of an effective curriculum for children:
John Dewey (1916) believes that quality education stems from how children are trained to think. Dewey claims that learning must be experienced by the learner if it is to be effectively retained. He does not agree with teaching students via lectures about things children have no direct experience with and reliance on mere textbooks. Dewey advocates active learning to stimulate a student’s thinking on his own. Teachers should recognize and respect that children are capable of coming up with their own opinions, and conclusions and ideas.
Allowing students to explore their own ideas gives them more power in the acquisition of learning. Using information they have previously acquired, they are encouraged to invent their own solutions and try out their own ideas and hypotheses with the able support of their teachers. This way, they can indulge in concrete experiences that focus on their interests. The learning that they acquire from their experiences are retained within them, accessible to draw from when needed in future learnings when they grow older. For example, being able to do simple experiments such as blowing bubbles will be an experience they can refer to when they study air pressure in elementary school. The process of searching for information, analysing data and reaching conclusions is considered more important than learning facts.
The proposed theory envisions children who will grow up to be well-rounded, implanted with a deep love for learning, as their interests and needs were addressed. They will become creative thinkers who go beyond borders of accepted ideas and come up with their original ones that are pursued with passion. Gaining enough support and respect for their learning initiatives, and having been provided with the right opportunities and challenges while they were very young will most likely develop them to be lifelong learners and productive members of society.
Using clearly specified criteria, make an assessment of your practical theory outlined in Part A, indicating clearly and with ample justification
- areas of strength,
- areas of concern and
- the possible nature of revisions in two or three of the areas of concern requiring most urgent attention.
Although I can claim a few years of teaching experience, I know I am far from considering it as a feather in my cap. The personal theory I have meticulously outlined have been conceptualized out of my desire for delivery of a heightened standard of education and teacher competencies. That is why I have covered a multitude of topics from my concept of the ideal teacher to my perception of how an ideal school and its curriculum should be, to my views on learning and learners. With this extensive personal theory on pedagogy, the following criteria shall be used to assess its viability to be translated into practical use in the classroom:
- Does the theory and its components reflect significance for the teachers’ personal and professional growth and the students’ academic performance and positive effects in their practical lives?
- Does it encourage the optimization of students’ learning and development?
- Is the theory internally consistent with all the other components?
- Is the theory updated or at least consistent with current trends in Education?
- Is theory flexible enough to accommodate various students with different needs and potentials or to switch to a better approach if the situation calls for it?
- Does it offer fulfillment to both teacher and learners?
- Is the theory dynamic or can be revised based on feedback about its effectiveness?
- Is it efficient in deriving the best possible outcomes given available resources?
Areas of Strength
This personal practical theory is based on research and accepted practices in teaching. Hence, it is armed with evidence of effectiveness in the teaching-learning process. The theory bespeaks of newness and freshness of perspectives and checks out on the criteria of being updated with current trends in education.
With regard to the description of an effective teacher, no doubt, she embodies the ideal educator. The enumerated qualities are traits that beginning teachers strive do gain or develop in their practice. Those qualities elicit the most learning from the students because the ideal teacher seems to know exactly how to handle students and how they turn on their learning. The theory emphasizes that such an ideal teacher deems herself as far from perfection, and feeds her lifelong hunger for excellence by continuously reflecting on her practice and how to make it better not only for her students but also for herself to reach her goals. She is continually growing personally and professionally, and in her journey to more growth, she takes her students along.
The theory is consistent with constructivist philosophy in terms of respecting the learner’s capability to construct his own learning. Being so, relevance and significance to their personal lives is viewed as a priority. When students’ leads are followed, it gives them positive feelings that make the experience memorable, hence, retention of learning is most likely.
The development of high self-esteem in the students should not be discounted due to the feeling of fulfillment they shall derive from being capable to learn on their own with the guidance of their able teacher and the feeling of being in control of their learning, and being trusted by their teacher. The same would go for children with special needs. They are included in class and may receive everything their regular needs classmates have in terms of quality education.
Upon analysis of the whole picture, the components of the theory seem to fit and flow with each other. The review of literature show that the proponents of the various components of the theory would seem to agree with one another, so I have found kindred spirits in my personal beliefs, whom I shall refer to when I am implementing the theory I have conceptualized.
Generally, the principles I have included in this theory are all reflective as my values as a person. Remembering Palmer’s (1998) passionate tribute to the heart of a teacher, I am inspired to go on with open eyes to see what’s ahead while armed with my own selfhood and integrity.
Areas of Concern
The development of this personal theory entailed much reflection on my part as well as remembering my own teaching experience no matter how limited it is. Perhaps that is one area of concern for this personal theory. I have had a taste of teaching in the real world, while still being groomed to be a teacher in this course, hence, a sense of idealism might cause internal conflicts within me. I become aware of what should be yet I could see some inappropriate educational practices which are in existence in schools. For some teachers who do not possess the strength of conviction needed to be a teacher, this conflict may completely turn them off.
They may be disillusioned by the harsh realities in schools that they are not ready for. It is a pity that teacher schools may not present the real picture in a balanced light. Some schools focus on theory rather than practice and the student teachers may not be armed well enough with the necessary skills to teach their students. Some schools romanticize teaching by letting their student teachers view the world with rose-colored lenses. I believe there should be a standardization and upgrading of the curriculum of teaching courses. This way, new teachers gain a better perspective of what it takes to teach and if they are truly cut out to be a teacher.
The components I have filtered from my research should be taken up in teaching schools, with a more practical view on hand. Not only shall teachers learn that education has many avenues to be gained, but also how to fit such avenues to reach their own learners.
My personal theory may be over-stimulating to implement. I have concucted a cornucopia of major theories put together to support my own. However, area of concentration may be challenging to find. I notice that in my excitement to come up with a personal theory of pedagogy, I pulled all my favorite theories together to string up my own. For me, I can use what I need from them, but to novice teachers I may train someday, this theory may seem to be muddled with too many concepts!
Another concern is the open-mindedness of most traditional teachers from traditional schools. They have been so comfortable with what has been familiar and practiced all these years that proposing another novel theory may only be rejected. It is human nature to want to stay in one’s comfort zone and be defensive against newcomers.
Possible Revisions
It has become a cause for concern the way new teachers are being assigned to posts they are not yet ripe for. Yes, my theory has emphasized reflective teaching practice as part of the ideal teacher’s duty. However, I think it would be wiser for such teachers to be mentored by a veteran teacher to scaffold her teaching practice.
The Education Commission of the States (ECS, 1999) defines teacher mentoring as:
“a formalized relationship between a beginning teacher and a master teacher (mentor) that provides support and assesses teaching skills. Duties of the mentor may include advising about instructional content and strategies, demonstrating classroom instruction, observing the beginning teacher’s instruction, consulting about lesson plans and objectives, advising about school/district resources and student and parent relations, and informing the new teacher about the expectations of the school, the district, and the state”, (I)
My take on creativity development may also be ignored by schools, as it has been a practice to emphasize academic learning. In spite of this possibility, I shall continue to advocate for the inclusion of creative activities in schools, but might find a way around the strict traditional school systems.
The novelty of the principles included in this theory may just be taken advantage of by some teachers who will justify themselves as following constructivist views and letting their students do everything while they merely supervise. This maybe revised with specific steps to clarify the constructivist learning principles so that all teachers will be clear in what to do or not to do with their learners.
Education today has undergone various transformations from days of old. Schools at present may have similar goals of optimizing students’ learning and maximizing their potentials but may have differing philosophies, approaches and educational strategies in fulfilling these goals. I presented my own personal theory of pedagogy. I put emphasis on the importance of the teacher, being the main resource of learning facilities. She is on hand to ignite the spark of interest and motivation of her students. It is now up to the students themselves to turn that spark into a burning flame that would keep them fired up for more learning.