Observations on Teaching

Here is where I will write my observations on teaching...


Reading notes, aha moments, school observations and future questions... etc.


          One of the things I have observed again and again in every teaching situation I have witnessed is this: the most important thing to your success as a teacher is the relationships you build with your students. Without strong, trusting relationships, your students cannot have confidence in you, and when they cannot have confidence in you, they cannot learn from you. I have been told repeatedly that you cannot be their friend, but I think the opposite is true; you need to be that friendly face they are happy to see. If they cannot trust you, then they cannot trust what you are saying. Yes, you still need to be able to draw the line in terms of behaviour and discipline, but that does not mean you cannot forge a strong relationship with your students. It should not have to be one or the other.
         Another observation I have made is that students perform well when they are engaged. Being the "talking head" at the front of the room day in and day out will rapidly lose the attention of your students and they will not be absorbing the material you are trying to impart. It is far better to lead them in their discovery.
As mentioned in another section of my blog, I strongly believe in the ideas taught to us in another class by Mike Ward of the OCDSB, who follows a weekly research plan: Day one is library & research time, Day two & three are teacher led instruction, Day four is library & research time, and Day five is time in the computer lab to enable students to either continue their work, put together what they have already collected, or spend the period collaborating and peer editing with their class mates. This form of instruction allows students to pursue a chosen subject of interest and put together their findings into a comprehensible format - it also helps them to get the most out of the work they are doing because they are the driving force behind their discovery.


         Another observation is that hands-on learning, inquiry, and collaboration within the classroom are key to the success of your learning environment. These skills transcend into their personal lives and their home lives, helping them to develop strong abilities they can use later in life. It is more important to teach your students how to find answers than it is to teach them the answers themselves. With this key skill they will be able to open doors and pursue different paths of inquiry on their own.




         Future question; if you get hired on to a board to teach French, are you then permanently stuck as a French teacher, or can you branch out to other subjects?