Introduction
The statement ‘Teaching – reflections, questions, decisions’ sums up what it means to be an effective teacher. Teachers are constantly making decisions about professionalism and ethics, teaching strategies, classroom management, and how to keep their students motivated. These decisions can have a major impact on student learning and how effective they are as teachers. Questioning is an essential—and one of the most important—instructional skills that a teacher can possess. Teachers need to be able to ask the appropriate types and levels of questions, such as the high and low order questions based on Bloom’s taxonomy, as well as being skilled in responding to students answers. Teachers also need to be constantly evaluating and reflecting on the curriculum, the teaching process, the learners and the diversity of their backgrounds and how it can affect their learning process.
Discussion
Decisions
Professionalism and Ethics
‘Teacher professionalism’ has played a significant role in improving the quality of student learning in Australian schools (Preston, 1993, p. 5). Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Sinclair & Nanlohy (2010, pp. 49-60), divided the standards of teaching into six categories: academic – formal academic qualifications needed to become a teacher; ethics – behaving ethically with the right conduct and practice; legal – total compliance with child protection requirements, laws on working with children and duty of care; professional – lifelong learning and professional development by reading, research or study; personal – appropriate personal presentation and personal development; and cultural – accepting and respecting all cultures and everyone in the school community.
Teachers need to make decisions on h...
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An outstanding educator possesses unique qualities that set him or her apart from others in the field. Ask any student about a favorite teacher and listen intently as he or she describes that person with a smile. Ask a parent of a child who will enter first grade in the fall about the teacher choice for their child. The parent would describe the outstanding educator in their desire for that special teacher. The qualities of an outstanding educator are easily recognized by those whose lives they touch, shape, and change on a daily basis. It is in this writing piece that they will be described and discussed.
The dual professionalism of Education and Training teachers and trainers is a core concept at the heart of these Professional Standards. Teachers and trainers should know and be able to apply teaching skills that are appropriate to diverse contexts and types of learners, as well as give their learners the benefit of expert subject knowledge and skills.
Chapter 5 in the class text gives imperative information about professionalism. Teachers always have to present themselves as professionals in a crucial field. In addition, there are guidelines set by the NAEYC in which teachers should follow. These guidelines include seven standards which are promote child development and learning, build family and community relationships, observe, document, and assess to support young children and families, use developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families, use content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum, becoming a professional, practicum or field experience (Gordon & Williams-Browne, 2015). These guidelines help a teacher know what to expect when becoming a teacher and as
Teaching in schools, and being ethical while teaching have been complex activities that occur within different and entangled webs of ethical, moral, social, historical, cultural and political relationships and settings. We need to redefine the role of teacher and a valuable way to think about the ongoing education of teachers...
This ideology was founded on the premise that an occupation ought to have certain features in-order to hold the title of a ‘profession’ (Whitty, 2006; Swann et al, 2010). Whitty (2006) cites that the work of sociologists during the 1950’s and 1960’s sought to establish the set of characteristics that a profession should have, typical examples of these features included: the use of skills based on theoretical knowledge, a code of professional conduct oriented towards the ‘public good’, education and training in those skills certified by examination, and a powerful professional organisation (Millerson, 1964). Occupations such as teaching and nursing, did not meet these strict criteria (Whitty, 2006; Demirkasimoglu 2010), leading to teaching being labeled as a ‘quasi-profession’, and therefore having a lesser status than the aforementioned occupations. Despite this discord over whether teaching should be classified as a profession, several important developments occurred during the 1960’s that raised the professional status of teachers.These included more lengthy periods of study for trainees in 1960 and in 1964 the responsibility for setting the curriculum and teaching methods being laid at the feet of schools, and the educators working within them (Gillard, 2005). Some have referred to this time as the
As I contemplated on the possible key issue I wanted it to be one that focused on early childhood education, since I am currently a preschool teacher. I wanted to ensure that I truly felt passionate about the key issue I selected because I comprehend that the purpose of comparative education is to enable me to view education from an alternative perspective. After careful consideration I decided that the key Issue I would focus on would be professionalism in early childhood education. Also I would like to obtain a deeper understanding on the differences and similarities on this key issue in the United States, New Zealand, and Italy. "What are the similarities and differences in teacher professionalism
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In a book written by Farr (2010) book, Teacher as Leadership: the Highly Effective Teachers Guide to Closing the Achievement Gap, effective teachers are ...
Marsh’s book explores the different theories that have been discovered into how students develop and learn. Taking a more theoretical approach to becoming a teacher, marsh’s book goes into difficulties a teacher could encounter and gives an insight into preparing pre – service teachers for the challenges they may face in the 21st century classroom. As well as giving an understanding on teaching itself, Marsh’s book focuses on the students in the classroom and how they adapt as they grow by ultimately changing from one stage to another. This allows the reader to learn not only about the classroom but learning how to adapt their teaching methods when it comes to a different variety of students learning abilities and the change throughout the learning stages.
Whitton, D., Barker, K., Nosworthy, Sinclair, C., Nanlohy, P. (2010). Learning for teaching: Teaching for learning. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning
Killen, R. (2007). Effective Teaching Strategies, Lessons from Research and Practice. (4th .ed). South Melbourne: Thomson.
Dr Dennis Francis Commonwealth Education Trust Week 1 and 2 “Teacher training or education is something that can be managed by others; Teacher development is something that can be done only by and for oneself” Wallace, 1991.