Attitudes to education, teachers’ roles, and teaching method have changed drastically in general and school classrooms in the past decades. The advancement in technology expanding what should or should not be taught in the classroom has put new challenges on all who are accountable for the education of learners, including teachers and parents (Kirschner & Hendrick, 2020). However, the best way of teaching has remained whole class teaching, which implies that teachers teach a class of kids simultaneously, and place and every person is focused on similar learning goals. In this teaching mode, a teacher faces the class, and the class faces the teacher (Chu et al., 2021). Teaching in the classroom purposely introduces pupils to diverse topics of different subjects. When students are taught together, they feel a sense of fascination and urge to learn more. Therefore, use of whole class teaching, concentrating on the foundations of the subject is regarded as the best way to ensure that learning takes place.
Whole-class teaching brings together students, teachers, techniques, and a shared learning goal through explicit, direct instruction. When this form of learning is implemented artfully, it creates a greater sense of community in the classroom. During the learning process in the classroom, children learn how to construct and ask questions (‘‘Whole class instruction,’’ n.d.). Teachers carefully listen to questions and answer them with utmost respect and patience for the learner. Whole-class teaching uses structured inquiry where the whole class engages with the teacher in control of the inquiry process. Students all demonstrate their comprehension in the same manner. Using structured inquiry assists learners in becoming familiar with the process of inquiry that facilitates their understanding of the subjects being taught (Black & Wiliam, 2018). Using an inquiry-based learning approach in whole-class teaching assists foster more curiosity regarding the materials and teaches skills students can apply to continue exploring the most exciting topics (Chu et al., 2021). Since inquiry-based learning encourages learners to think critically about the presented information, ask questions, and develop their solutions, they can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
My personal beliefs about teaching and learning consist of four fundamental values: fairness, truthfulness, dignity, responsibility, and freedom. I understand that all teaching is founded on ethics. As a teacher, I respect everyone regardless of their abilities, achievements, social class, gender, age, and opinions. By being truthful, I can steer students in navigating life and their environment. Honesty with self and others results in mutual respect across communication and promotes learning. I am also fair in my practice as I advocate for equality and non-discrimination; this has assisted me in encountering individual groups and learners. My personal beliefs relate to theories and practices of whole class teaching that requires good professional ethics as the utmost resource for promoting learning and teaching. Upholding these professional ethics and beliefs assists in fostering teaching and learning in the classroom as teachers directly interact with students and are a source of their learning development.
In conclusion, the classroom offers more inspiration, rational debates, and education than other teaching methods. Students feel a sense of motivation and need to learn more when they are with others. In the whole class teaching, each lesson holds to an unbiased educational standard and brings transparency to learning and teaching. Whole class teaching also brings cohesion to a learning experience and makes the best use of time. Through this teaching, pupil gain independence of thoughts and rational thinking. Therefore, I strongly agree that whole-class teaching concentrating on the foundations of the subject is the best way to ensure that learning takes place.
References
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575. Web.
Chu, S. K. W., Reynolds, R. B., Tavares, N. J., Notari, M., & Lee, C. W. Y. (2021). 21st century skills development through inquiry-based learning from theory to practice. Springer International Publishing.
Kirschner, P. A., & Hendrick, C. (2020). How learning happens: Seminal works in educational psychology and what they mean in practice. Routledge. Web.
Whole class instruction. (n.d.). Resources & guidance from The Learning Accelerator. Web.