Weekly Writing #10

Classroom Management

How do I, as a first year teacher, gain my students respect and listen to me without being the "mean teacher"? Am I gonna be able to manage my classroom effectively? These are two questions that I often catch myself asking. This weeks writing really focused on how we can effectively manage student behavior. 

One of my favorite things that this week's writing talked about was how the teacher is the key ingredient for an acceptable classroom atmosphere. Without an environment that is acceptable it is almost for students to learn effectively. This means that if the students are behaving and focused its gonna be really hard for any learning to take place. Likewise, if the teacher can't involve the students and have a clear and organized lesson the same thing will happen. 

Not only is managing the classroom important for effective learning it is important for the satisfaction of the teacher and the students. If they aren't able to manage the behavior of the students they are probably not going to enjoy going into the classroom each day and wont be able to perform to the best of their ability. 

The writing also gave guidelines to follow in promoting acceptable behavior that I found very beneficial. All of these tips are simple but really effective ways to manage your classroom

   1. Start out firm

   2. Be prepared to teach well

   3. Have a definite routine by which each class is started

   4. Make generous use of praise

   5. Do not have favorites

   6. Be consistent, yet not predictable

   7. Take action whenever a problem arises

   8. Learn to separate the action of the student from the person of the student

   9. Never make threats, only make promises

   10. Set a good example

   11. Be sure the penalty fits the offense

   12. Be attentive to all behavior in the classroom or laboratory

   13. Learn to forgive and forget

The readings this week gave me a whole new view on classroom management. When I would originally hear those words I would think about ways to enforce good behavior and punish bad behavior. However, I now see that its so much more than that. It's about making a solid environment where students can learn as effectively as possible!

"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can."

Weekly Writing #9

Inquiry Based Instruction

Teaching in a way that reaches all of the students is important but can be really challenging. One method of teaching that can reach a lot of students in a fun and effective way. I have always heard about inquiry based instruction but honestly never totally understood what it was. This week's readings really helped me to understand what inquiry based instruction was and also gave me some great ideas on how I can implement it in my future classroom.

Inquiry based instruction is a teaching method that combines the interest and curiosity of the students with the scientific method. It also helps to enhance the development of critical thinking skills. Students are able to identify a problem and observe, formulate questions and apply new information to gain a better understanding. 

Inquiry based instruction involves five activities that students engage in using the scientific method. 

1. Learner engages in scientifically oriented questions

2. Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions

3. Learner formulates explanations from evidence

4. Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge

5. Learner communicates and justifies explanations

This method of instruction is great for agriculture education because we play a vital role in the integration of science, math, reading and writing in our classrooms. When students are active in the inquiry based instruction they are able to utilize skills from these many other areas. Inquiry based learning also requires students to use their hands and minds which allows them to create their own understanding. This adds to the learning by doing method of agriculture education. 

In order to effectively implement inquiry based instruction in the classroom, teachers should use a six step cycle shown below. 

"The art & science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge."

-Thomas Berger

Weekly Writing #8

Evaluation 

How can we assess our students learning without boring them to death or stressing them out about an exam? I can remember hating tests for end of unit assessments in high school. I either stressed out trying to study or felt like the exam really didn't measure what I had learned. 

So as I have been working on lesson plans and unit plans, I have been trying to figure out what type of evaluation would be the most effective. Throughout this week's reading assignment I was able to learn and different ways to evaluate learning and the advantages and disadvantages of each method!

The most interesting part of this week's readings was the section about how to effectively evaluate supervised agricultural experiences. This is such a integral part of an agriculture education program and it is important to measure the student's achievement. I found it interesting to read that teacher's should take into account the size or scope of the project, the student effort, and the condition or quality. 

"Empower everyone to be the best version of themselves"

Weekly Writing #7

Problem Solving 

Problem solving is a skill that today's learners need to know. These skills are ones that can be transferred across all subject matters. Math, Science, Technology, Engineering and even English all require an aspect of problem solving. We know these skills are important but how can we teach them in our classroom? Or how can we help students to use the problem solving skills they already have?

Due to a lot of research done in the last 20 years, we know that problem solving involves a complex set of cognitive, behavioral, and attitudinal components. Based on this information, Mayer found three characteristics of problem solving

1. Problem solving is cognitive but is inferred from behavior
2. Problem solving results in behavior that leads to a solution
3. Problem solving is a process that involves manipulation of or operation on previous knowledge. 

These three characteristics can be applied to this model of the problem solving process. 

One thing that I found really interesting was the Problem-based learning strategy. This strategy includes problem solving, inquiry based learning, project-based teaching and case studies.

To effectively use problem-based learning there must be a focus on problems that:

1. provide new learning experiences

2. lead to new knowledge

3. reinforce existing knowledge 

This all applies to Agriculture Education in many ways. John Dewey contended that learning from experience helps people solve future problems. Agriculture educators have drawn heavily on the work of Dewey in shaping a problem-solving approach to teaching. I am interesting in learning more about problem solving skills and the problem-based learning strategy. 

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

-Albert Einstein 

Weekly Writing #6

When is the best time to use group teaching techniques and when is the best time to use individualized teaching techniques? After reading and studying group teaching techniques these last couple weeks this is something I was asking myself. Well after my reading this week I have found the answer!

Every student has different needs, different personalities and learn in different ways. Their goals differ and they all have unique interests. Sometimes using individual teaching techniques can help students learn better.

Individualized teaching techniques can be beneficial because they
1. Help student learn to inquire subject matter
2. Promote independence
3. Learn to make use of more than one opinion
4. Learn how to evaluate and apply information
5. Teach students how to learn

All of these factors are beneficial and make individualized teaching a great technique but what are ways that we can effectively use this technique in the classroom?
This weeks reading talked about 5 different ways.

1. Supervised Study:
I really liked this idea but it truly gives the students the chance to work on something they are interested in. One thing it mentioned was for the supervised study to be effective the teacher must plan all the parts of it just as an other technique requires teacher planning.

2. Experiments:
Experiments are always interesting because whether the students are working alone or in a group there is a degree of real involvement. This often makes students more interested in the experiment and the subject matter.

3. Independent Study:
The role of independent study is to meet the needs of individual students. The teacher will take on more of a facilitator role during this individualized teaching technique.

4. The Use of Student Notebooks
Student notebooks have always been something I've been a fan of. The important thing is that teachers must be committed to using them but to also show the students that keeping good notes and an organized notebook has value.

5. Using Information Sheets, Assignment Sheets and Skill Sheets
These sheets are designed to guide student's learning experiences. They are valuable because they allow students to learn at their own rate.

This week's readings were really valuable to me because I wasn't really familiar with individualized teaching techniques. I felt like the information was definitely beneficial and it got my wheels turning on how I would be able to implement this during my student teaching experience.

"Be yourself. An original is always worth more than a copy."

Weekly Writing #5

Effective Questioning 

Effective questions are something I have struggled with. How can you use questions to be beneficial and not dreadful to the students? I can always remember doing anything to not be called on by the teacher to answer a question. Not making eye contact or trying to answer the first question I knew the answer to so I wouldn't get called on later. 

The article by James E. Dyer was incredibly beneficial at addressing many of my questions about effective questioning in the classroom. One of my favorite sections was when he listed many tips on how to maximize student participation which was one of my biggest fears. I don't want my students to be afraid to answer my questions and be active in class. 

One of the first tips was to call students by names instead of pointing in their general direction. I thought this was a great idea and something I really want to strive to do. Along with calling them by name you should be intentional about your nonverbal communication. Looking them in the eye when saying "good point" instead of looking at your notes is so beneficial. 

He went on to give many useful tips including calling on the class as a whole, randomly selecting students, repeating the responses and even giving the students a chance to ask the questions. 

The article also gave effective ways to handle the students responses. You never know what students are going to say. I am always nervous I will not know how to respond to a student and will end up embarrassed in the situation. My favorite part of this section was when he gave tips on how to rephrase or redirect your questions to get a better response from the student.

The final part of the article by Dyer was about answering student questions. I loved the strategies they gave for answering these questions. 

1. Have the instructor answer

2. Redirect the question to the class

3. Help the student answer their own question

4. Ask the student to see you later

5. Defer the question to a more appropriate time

6. Redirect the student to a resource

7. Admit you don't know and work together to figure it out.

Effective questioning was something I worried about but I really feel like I have a better grasp on it after reading this article. 

Weekly Writing #4

Last week we got to write our first lesson plan and our first unit plan. I don't know if I was more stressed or excited as I worked through both assignments. We always hear about how important objectives are but as I working on these assignments it all really clicked for the first time. Objectives are the road map to each lesson. They keep you on track and everyone is on the same page when it comes to the end destination. 

Not only is it important for the teacher to create solid objectives for each lesson, it is important for these to be shared with the students. Listing the objectives and stating them aloud to the students gets their brain going and they know what to expect that day. It is also important to make sure the verbs you are using in the objectives are measurable and attainable. There are verbs that fit perfectly with the various cognitive levels (remembering, processing, creating and evaluating.)

Our readings for this week also focused on group teaching techniques which I found very interesting. I thought that the basic group teaching techniques were something I can definitely see myself using in the future. 
1. Lecture
2. Discussion
3. Demonstrations
4. Field Trips
5. Role Play
6. Resource People
7. Cooperative Learning

Out of the seven, field trips is the one that really stood out to me. We often think about lecturing, having discussions in class and doing demonstrations but I haven't really thought about taking my students on a field trip. 

The article from the University of Florida was really beneficial in breaking down how to have the most effective field trip for your students. I enjoyed how it broke the whole trip into three parts: pre-trip stage, trip stage and the post-trip stage. Each stage is equally important to the success of your field trip. The one that really stood out to me was the post trip stage. I believe that it is so important to debrief from the trip with the students and reflect on not only what you did but why you did it!

"A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination & usually the best way to get there."

~H. Stanely Judd

Weekly Writing #3

The semester has just begun but we have already learned so much! We are beginning to work on developing lesson plans. This has always been a scary task for me but I am excited to learn how to make my lessons the best that they can be. 

Every lesson must have a killer beginning in order to get the students interested, paying attention and motivated to learn. Our reading for this week talked about interest approaches. I think this is going to be challenging because every single day you are going to have to find a way to reel the students in and get them ready. 

Over the summer, I read "Teach Like A Pirate" by Dave Burgess. There was an entire section of this book dedicated to interest approaches! One of my favorites was the real world application. This hook shows students the real-life importance of the lesson, in hopes that this will motivate them to become engaged in the content. I think that this hook can be effective in an agriculture education classroom because the things students are learning can truly be transferred  into real life situations. 

Another hook that I think is incredibly interesting and would be beneficial for students is the Techno Whiz Hook. I think that technology is something that is going to become more and more useful in the classroom. Students are so connected to technology, why not make it a helpful tool in the classroom. One of the super cool tips was using QR codes throughout the classroom. Students can just scan the code to get the information. You could even have them scan the code as they walk into their classroom to get there "Do Now" assignment. 

Also, social media is huge in the lives of students. There are many useful ways to use social media instead of it being a distraction. For example, you can have students tweet questions or fun facts they find about a topic you are studying for extra credit. Also, having a chapter Facebook page can be beneficial to inform not only students, but parents as well. 

Some of the other hooks include: the kinesthetic hook, the safari hook, the Picasso hook, the involved audience hook and the contest hook just to name a few. I definitely recommend "Teach Like a Pirate" for anyone who is interested in teaching. 

Lesson plans are key to a teachers success and one of the most important parts of a lesson is the interest approach. I think it is important to always have an interest approach and also important to mix up the type of hook you are using in the classroom! 

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure"

~ Colin Powell

Weekly Writing #2

“Proper planning prevents poor performance.”This was one of the first things I read during this round of weekly readings. I think that this quote shows how important planning ahead is. Planning out the courses, the units and the lesson plans are all crucial to how successful you are in the classroom.

I have never really thought about how important the curriculum, course plans and unit plans were to a program. I always just focused on the lesson plan! After class and reading about planning, I now realize that you can’t have a great lesson plan without all of these other components.

So after thinking about how important all of these components are, I started to think about how I could ever create this entire plan and make it realistic and useful. The readings were great at breaking everything down and explaining how important the whole plan is.

The one thing that really stuck with me was how effective curriculum is planned backwards from long-term desired results. It broke this down into a three step process (desired results, evidence and learning plan). If you follow this process it will help avoid treating the textbook as the curriculum rather than a resource.

Each of the readings talked about working backwards to achieve success. It is important to set goals and have the end in mind. I think this can apply to the entire curriculum but also the daily lesson plans. One way to do this on a day to day basis would be to make sure your lesson has clear and attainable objectives so you can achieve them by the end of the lesson.

The other key parts of the readings were Bloom’s Taxonomy. I have learned about Bloom’s in many other classes but really enjoyed the chart that broke down each level. I especially thought the questioning strategies were very beneficial.

Overall, the readings taught me how important planning is. It also gave me great tips and advice on how to make sure my curriculum, course plans, unit plans and lesson plans with be successful. 

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

― Benjamin Franklin

Weekly Writing #1

This is the first of my Weekly Writing assignments for AEE412: Methods of Teaching Agriculture. These writings will allow me to reflect on the readings and share my reactions to them as well as the class activities and discussions. 

Wong, Part A

Reading about the basic understanding to being a successful teacher was very beneficial. The reading started out talking how important it is to have a great first day of class. It talked about have control of the classroom is crucial to the success of the school year. Control of the classroom means that as the

teacher, you know what you are doing. You also know your classroom procedures and all of your professional responsibilities. Along with this it is important that your students know that you know what you are doing.

I also learned about the four stages of teaching from this reading. The first stage of teaching is the fantasy stage. In this stage teachers believe that they cannot fail. They also believe that they need to relate to students and be their friends in order to be successful. The second state of teaching is the survival stage. In this stage teachers rely on ineffective practices just to help them get through the day. They often are more focused on the paycheck they will receive rather than what they are actually teaching. The third stage is mastery. In this stage teachers know how to manage their classroom and they have higher expectations for their students. They teach to make a difference.

The final stage is impact. In this stage you will fulfill your dream of making a difference in the lives of your students. You will also have a sense of pride knowing that you affected your students’ lives. I feel that I am somewhere between the fantasy stage and the survival stage. I am just getting started on my teaching journey and I can’t wait to see how I work through each of these stages.

The reading then went on to talk about the difference between being an efficient teacher and being an effective teacher. Efficient and effective are very similar but have different meanings. Being efficient means you are doing things right. Being effective on the other hand means that you are doing the right thing.

An effective teacher has positive expectations for student success, is an extremely good classroom manager, and knows how to design lessons for student mastery. I think that I will struggle most with classroom management. I am looking forward to learning more about how to be an effective classroom manager this semester.

Along with being an effective teacher means having an effective classroom. In order to have an effective classroom you must have a well ordered environment + positive academic expectations. I think having positive expectations are incredible important. I also think it is interesting how discipline has little to do with classroom management. “you don’t discipline a store; you manage it”

Enhancing Student Learning Through Teacher Behaviors

This article began by talking about how agriculture teachers are some of the best teachers in the world. But why? Rosenshine and Furst reviewed fifty studies and identified eleven teacher behaviors that were associated with student achievement.

From their studies they found five behaviors that provided the greatest opportunity to influence student achievement. The first behavior was clarity. To achieve clarity teachers should be sure that what they are teaching has organization and structure. I think that clarity is especially important when giving instructions to students.

The second behavior is variability. Teachers should working in a variety of teaching methods and techniques to ensure that the students are learning to their full potential. Every student learns in a different way and having different methods of instruction can be very beneficial!

The third behavior is enthusiasm. This is one that I feel is very important. “Enthusiasm is contagious.” Teachers who are enthusiastic create a student interest in learning. I think that this is especially important in subjects where students might not be as interested.

The fourth behavior is task oriented and or businesslike behavior. Rosenshine and Furst reported that teachers who were characterized by task-oriented behavior were more concerned with student learning rather than students enjoying themselves. I think that when teachers are more task-oriented students know what is expected of them and they know what to do.

The final behavior recognized by Rosenshine and Furst is the extent to which teachers provide opportunities for students to learn the curriculum material as prescribed by performance objectives and included on students evaluations.