Teacher Professionalism

Professionalism is a broad concept that not one definition perfectly describes it. It is also open to interpretations from both professionals and non-professionals alike. My previous definition of teacher professionalism may be more similar to the traditional definitions. I viewed professional teachers as those who have undergone required years of study to obtain necessary knowledge and skills for teaching and that they are paid for their practice. After reading the resources in the module however, the way I view teacher professionalism has changed. I found myself agreeing to all of the definitions and arguments presented in the readings, and I now bear the sentiments of why we still need to debate about teacher professionalism. Amongst all the varied definitions, there seems to be only one thing that people consider to be a point for debate; teacher autonomy. Yes, school teachers are regulated by a higher body of authority and they are compelled to meet standards, fulfill or carry out mandated curriculums, standardized tests amongst other things, but when it comes to their classrooms, they are their own authority. They teach the way they feel works best for their particular set of students. Teachers set the pace; students sometimes set the pace of their own learning. The state mandated curriculum may set the destination or the target, but teachers pave the way for students to get there. Teachers work as hard as other professionals, they strive to uphold their status in the society, teachers sometimes even sacrifice their personal lives just to make sure that their students reach their potential. Indeed, module 2 stirred the aspiration of promoting a reform to allow teachers to participate in curriculum development at the state level (they hopefully do already). Or better yet, give schools more control and responsibility in developing and implementing their own curriculum where school administrators, together with class teachers and other school personnel such as guidance counselors, all work together in planning a holistic curriculum that accommodate the needs of their specific learning environment.

According to ATL-The Education Union (2012), teacher professionalism is based on six principles.

1. The teaching profession is a learning profession, continually developing deep knowledge of:

– learning

– how the brain works

– subjects and the relationships between them

– pupils, as individuals, and their interests

– the broader context (political, economic, technological, social, cultural and environmental)

2. Teachers’ professional role is based on care for pupils and responsibility for their learning. As part of that, teachers need to build relationships with pupils, families, communities and other professionals.

3. The teaching profession draws on theoretical understanding and knowledge in order to adapt teaching practices and methods to pupil need.

4. Teacher professionalism is about exercising judgment on curriculum, assessment and pedagogy.

5. Teachers have to balance their own professional values against their responsibilities to the organizations in which they work. Further, there has to be a balance between teacher autonomy and appropriate accountability measures prescribed by government.

6. Teachers have a responsibility to debate education practice.

In my opinion, these guiding principles are a simpler but detailed notion of teacher professionalism. Compared to my previous understanding of what teacher professionalism was, this is more in depth and covers all areas of what it means to be a teacher. The definitions provided by the authors in the resources struck me as bullet points standards that are set by others, whereas these principles sound like it is understood by the person (teacher) and he is telling/reminding himself of what he should be doing and what is expected of him as a teacher, an understanding and a desire that comes from within. Now, for me, teacher professionalism means being able to perform and abide to these principles. I certainly hope that I could live by these principles as a teacher in the future, not just so I could be what others think I should be, but for myself and for the sake of my students.

 

 

Resource:

ATL-The Education Union (2012). Teacher Professionalism

Retrieved from: https://www.atl.org.uk/Images/Teacher%20professionalism%20-%20April%202012.pdf

 

 

Learning through Play

“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein

Children love to play. In fact, play is the very first thing that come to mind whenever I think of the life of a child. Running around, climbing trees, playing in puddles or in the rain. Life is just a big playground for children. We all know that children often play simply for fun and enjoyment but we may not realize that play provides immense learning opportunities for children. When playing, children are exploring and learning new things, practicing a skill, and/or building or strengthening relationships. Play promotes the development of children’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive skills. It can also help foster children’s self-esteem and self-efficacy. Educators should help influence a positive change in the way people think about play.

Working with very young children, I always need to set up an environment that is inviting and provides opportunities for learning. Activities which are aligned with the children’s interests are used in class, as well as activities that should peak their curiosity and introduce children to new concepts. In our pre-nursery class, children love role playing, doing puzzles, construction, small-world play, playing with play-dough, painting, mark-making, coloring, cutting, doing art work and sand and water play. They also love going for little adventures in the field where we get to experience nature, and playing in our outside playground.

To better understand children’s play, let us first identify the different types of play. The first type is solitary play. Very young children often play on their own which may be because they haven’t developed the social skills necessary to play with others. The next type is spectator play, where a child starts to take interest in other children’s play and observes others, but doesn’t join in. The third type is parallel play where children start playing alongside their peers, but are still not playing together. They may play with the same toys or share resources in their play but they are not engaged with each other. The more mature type of play is called associative play. This is the first category where children start interacting with one another in their play. The last type is called collaborative play. Children play together and communicate with each other to accomplish a shared goal as a cohesive group. The ongoing development of social skills is evident in each type of play discussed above.

In an early years’ classroom setting, as with other levels, we recognize the importance of organizing the classroom environment and providing valuable learning opportunities which should promote children’s development across the different areas of learning, as well as encouraging purposeful play. In my personal experience working with children between 2 and 3 years old, I find that the physical classroom environment plays an important role in children’s learning: the colors we use, the arrangement of the furniture, the lighting in the room, and especially the arrangement of the different areas of learning. If the reading corner is placed too close to the music area, then children’s concentration is disturbed. If the construction area is too tight, then children’s imagination is hindered. Another fundamental aspect which I have observed in our classroom is the freedom to access resources on their own. Allowing children to use whatever resources they require in their play enables them to further their learning, using their understanding of a concept, imagination and creativity, as well as finding out on their own what works and what doesn’t work. For example, in class we made collages using smooth, rough and bumpy types of paper. Although I allowed the children to make any patterns they wanted, I failed to encourage them to see other similar materials that were present in the classroom. This may have prevented some students from grasping the concept and applying it to their environment. Another way of enhancing children’s learning during play is through talking to them. For example, a boy in my class was playing with a toy truck and was pretending that he was driving to work. Suddenly, one of the truck’s wheels came off and I asked him what he should do. He said he would take it for repair. When I reminded him of the missing wheel, he thought for a minute then took the phone and ‘called’ his mum to come pick him up. Then he went to get a bigger truck and put the smaller one in it. As he continued playing, I talked to him about driving fast and slow, up and down the hill, turning right and left, blowing the horn, stopping at an intersection, and so forth. It taught him some driving vocabulary as well as helping him think critically and make decisions. It also informed me how he could relate his play to his real-life experiences.

Understanding the children’s ability and level of play helps us guide and enhance their learning. It is our responsibility to help the children develop their skills by allowing them to move freely from one area to another, by giving them the opportunity to select and extend their learning experiences and providing them with the necessary support as they move forward in their learning. We teach them how to learn by encouraging them to play!

What is ZPD and Scaffolding

Vygotsky defines the Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD as “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). It basically means that ZPD is the gap between not having the ability or not knowing something without help and gaining that ability to perform a task independently. Understanding the learner’s ZPD is crucial in determining the right support that fits his needs and utilizing specific teaching strategies that will guarantee success. Many teachers in the past did not take into consideration the students’ current abilities and were not able to provide enough opportunities for them to nourish what they already know as well as learning something new. It reminds me of when I was in primary or elementary. Teachers back then were not aware of how important the ZPD was and did not know how to address it properly. They had their lesson plans ready, they went and taught their classes the way they always did without realizing that it was insufficient to ensure that learning did happen. Without acknowledging what it is the learners could already do, what it is they still need to know and what it is that they are not ready yet, then teachers are just teaching without appropriate aims and objectives that address the actual needs of the studets. Identifying your students’ needs is the basic step in teaching. We won’t know how to help them appropriately without knowing what kind of help is needed.

Vygotsky also emphasized that roles of the more knowledgeable others or MKOs in teaching and learning. The MKOs need to be aware of the learners’ ZPD so they could give them the suitable environment for learning and provide them with the right opportunities for mastery of skills. According to Vygotsky, MKOs are not always teachers. They could be parents, friends, peers or anyone who is competent or expert in the specific area that learners need to learn. And since the constructivist believe in allowing the learners to construct their own knowledge rather than it being handed to them, it is important that the MKOs provide the right activities or instruction that will stimulate the learners’ thinking and problem solving skills so they could create their own conclusions or understanding of specific information or of situations that they are exposed to. Scaffolding is one of the most important factors in ensuring that students achieve their learning goals. Both students and teachers, or the experts, must understand that they have a common goal that they need to achieve so they could work together, effectively collaborate with each other in achieving that goal. Teachers’ scaffolding would serve as a guide for the learners and should never influence their thinking with their own personal opinions or values to ensure that students are able to utilize and develop their own mental processes towards accomplishing the desired goals. So how does scaffolding work? Sadhana Puntambekar listed four key elements of scaffolded instruction in her article on scaffolding;

1. Common goal refers to the combined ownership of the task between the adult and the child, and setting a shared understanding of a common goal.
2. Ongoing diagnosis and adaptive support means that the adult is constantly evaluating the child’s progress and providing support that is appropriate for “thistutee, in this taskat this point in task mastering” (Wood et al., 1976, p. 97). This results in interactions that are different in “content and form from individual to individual” (Hogan & Tudge, 1999), and for the same individual at different times. As Wood and colleagues (1976) described, scaffolded interactions comprise of a theory of the task and a theory of the tutee. The adult needs to have a thorough knowledge of the task and its components, the sub-goals that need to be accomplished, as well as knowledge of the child’s capabilities as they change throughout the instruction.
3. Dialogues and interactions. A critical factor in the ongoing diagnosis and calibrated support is the dialogic nature of scaffolding interactions, so that the learner is an active participant and a partner in deciding the direction of the interaction, and not a passive recipient. The dialogic nature of scaffolding is best illustrated in the reciprocal teaching studies of reading (Brown & Palincsar, 1985; Palincsar & Brown, 1984), in which students took turns leading the group discussion, engaging in comprehension monitoring strategies.
4. Fading and transfer of responsibility. The final feature of scaffolding is reducing the support provided to learners so that they are in control and take responsibility for their learning. The best scaffolding will eventually lead learners to internalize the processes they are being helped to accomplish (Rogoff, 1990). In the original description by Wood and colleagues (1976), the important aspect of the transfer of responsibility is that the child has not only learned how to complete a specific task, but has also abstracted the process of completing the particular task.

On a more personal level, I believe that ZPD and scaffolding both play major roles in the learners’ learning processes. Mutual respect and understanding is required for the teachers, or the experts, and the learners to build a supportive relationship and effectively work together for a successful learning experience.

 

Reference:

Lev Vygotsky – by Saul McLeod

http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Scaffolding – by Sadhana Puntambekar

http://www.education.com/reference/article/scaffolding/

 

Success in Distance Learning

Students in a distance learning setting are required to take a more active role in their learning than traditional students in a face-to-face classroom environment. We are responsible for what we are learning; how much we actually learn as well as how to use what we are learning now as building blocks for what we will learn in future topics or subjects. We have to rely on our own initiative to study the course materials posted online as well as being proactive in searching for other helpful resources not identified on the course sites. We also have to rely on other means of communication like written messages or posts from our professors or faculty members and from other students. As we all know, students in distance learning are mostly practicing professionals in a given field and are not always in the same country, messages or replies are not read on the same day that it was written. It is one of the biggest challenges of distance learning. We haven’t got the privilege of being able to approach our professors about matters that we need clarifications on right after the class. And for some people, they find it hard to express themselves in writing.

To ensure that we accomplish our goals in distance education, one must be fully committed to it. Being committed to our decision to embark on this journey is the most important attribute that we must have that can guarantee success.  We mustn’t procrastinate or allow ourselves to lose focus. We are doing these courses for a genuine desire to become more skilled in our chosen field, but we still find ourselves getting distracted at times. We benefit from the flexibility of distance learning so if we don’t make strategic decisions in how to manage our time and organize our priorities appropriately, then we are very likely to struggle or find this experience unsatisfying. It probably doesn’t matter as much to some people, but for most of us who are mindful of our financial and time investments in doing the course, we intend to make it all worthwhile.

In my experience so far, I find that reading and understanding the course guide is very useful. It contains all the necessary information about my teacher, schedule of activities, assignment schedules, grading requirements as well as information or instructions on how to access forums and course materials. It helped me organize, plan and prioritize which enabled me to complete activities on time. Learning how to navigate the course site as soon as possible was also of great advantage. I didn’t have to waste time having to do it when I was already supposed to focus on studying. Another important thing that I find very helpful is reading the posts or answers of my classmates. Admittedly, I am not as active as I should be in contributing to discussions but I always make sure that I read what the others have to say and they usually have some profound ideas and insights on things which inspire and influence my own thinking on the topic. Lastly, as I have already mentioned above, I try to start on my work on time, if not well ahead of time. I find that this helps me focus as I don’t get distracted by worrying about finishing tasks on time. This also allows me to review my work thoroughly and send them to grammar and plagiarism checkers online and still have enough time to make any necessary changes before I have to turn it in.

So how can I use what I have learned from studying the social learning theory to encourage my fellow students in distance learning to be committed to their courses? I think that posting my answers ahead of time is a kind of modelling. Other students would see it and hopefully inspires them to do the same. Although I understand that some students could also see it as being too eager, I probably am in a certain degree, but I am hoping for a positive response. Also, I will try to nourish a positive atmosphere with my classmates that will help us figure out the best ways to be supportive of each other through written texts and indirect communications. After all, the social cognitive learning theory is more about learning from having discussions with others. We all need each other in creating an online learning environment that is respectful of others’ ideas and at the same time encouraging one another to improve by making constructive comments or feedback on our posts. I am hoping that by practicing these things I get to encourage others to display commitment to their respective learning goals and help them realize that active engagement will pay off in the end.

How People Learn

Learning starts almost immediately after birth. Babies learn to cry when they’re upset or hungry or as their way of communicating their needs. This kind of learning is what we call innate and no one has to teach them to do it, it just comes naturally. But there are other things we call acquired learning where we actually have to be taught in order to know them or we need experience to teach us how to deal with them correctly. Now, learning must be simple yes? Parents and teachers have really good advice on how to learn well, and they have done it before so they must know what they’re talking about. But no, learning is a complex process and no single piece of advice or strategy is going to work for everybody or for everything every time!

Our own experiences have shown us that learning can be tricky. We think that we’ve done our best and still we don’t feel satisfied with how much we have learned. Or better yet, our test scores don’t reflect the efforts we’ve done to prepare for them. It’s hard work really. Now as adults, we understand what students are going through. So how can we assist them in their learning? Understanding how learners learn best is central especially to an aspiring teacher like me because it can help us give them suitable learning opportunities to ensure that they become successful in their learning journey.

I find this module, particularly about the learning styles, fascinating. I already knew about the different types of learning styles even before I started the module and I even know what type I fall into, but interestingly, it is not after I have read the articles that I came to wonder how important it is to learn about them. A bigger part of me still think it is helpful and I get that as a teacher, you’re expected to know your students well so you can teach them well. The most effective teachers are those who know and understand how their students learn effectively and support them appropriately. But does it really matter whether or not we know what type of learner our students are? Wouldn’t it just influence us to put labels on them and unconsciously treat them according to the type of learner we presume they are? This is why I like Dunn and Dunn’s learning styles theory. It doesn’t say outright that students are one type of learners, rather, it is more of an information on the different factors affecting how students learn. Dunn and Dunn’s theory lists stimuli that influence learners’ behaviour when they are learning such as environment, emotional, sociological, physiological, and psychological elements. It gives me a clearer picture of what really helps students learn best. Learning about all these factors will help me differentiate and innovate in my teaching methods and plan classroom settings purposely. And because I now have a wider understanding of why students behave or perform in certain ways during learning, I can plan lessons that will cater to their needs. Teachers don’t necessarily have to use multiple types of teaching methods in one session, 2-3 maximum, but because lessons run over 2 to 3 sessions then we have the opportunity to make sure that we provide our students with a number of different ways to deal with and process new information and keep them motivated and be actively engaged in their learning.

This module is also helpful for me as a learner since I still find myself struggling to understand things when I am studying. I just think it’s because I’m tired from work, or because I’m distracted by whatever is in my environment as I’m learning. Yes of course these are factors as well but just knowing that there are other important things affecting the way I feel when I’m learning is helpful so I can try and find ways to lessen them or cope with them strategically so I can get on with my studies. I can practice differentiating with myself as a learner first so I can really be effective as a teacher to a number of different students. You can’t teach or employ what you don’t know yourself, they say.

EDS 113 Module 2: Frameworks for Assessment

The Purpose of Assessment

Learning about assessment and why it’s important made me think of my physics teacher back in high school. She was very smart and knowledgeable of her subject, but she never made her students feel comfortable with her. She wasn’t very accommodating with students who had trouble catching up, and whenever she did give us time to talk to her she seemed somewhat condescending. It didn’t help a lot of students to perform well in the subject.

Dr. Lorna Earl talked in her webcast ‘Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind’ about teachers needing to create an environment where students feel comfortable and know that it’s alright to make mistakes. Teachers must encourage students to take more chances and ask questions because it is then that they actually do learn. Assessments are meant to help students learn not discourage them, so it is important that there is a supportive learning environment in the classroom.  A supportive learning environment helps build student’s self-esteem and keep them motivated which then help them become efficient. Assessment must be done with this in mind in order for it to serve its purpose.

There are three main reasons why assessment is done. One is assessment for learning, the second one is assessment as learning, and the last one being assessment of learning.

Assessment is done to check what the students have understood at the very moment of learning in order to make necessary changes in teaching strategies and teaching materials to help facilitate learning better. Constantly checking student’s progress and supporting those who need a little bit of help decreases the chances of students having misconceptions leading to a less productive result. The ultimate aim of assessment of learning is to help students improve their performance.

Assessment as learning is when students are involved in assessing their own learning. It helps students set learning goals for themselves and decide what to do to achieve them. Assessment should help students become self-reliant in determining their strengths and weaknesses and create plans on how to address them on their own, with the teacher’s guidance.

Assessment of learning is used to measure student’s level of performance. It is used to gather information in order to give students grades that represent their level of achievement and to communicate student’s progress/results to parents and/or the school.

But in the end, no matter what the purpose of assessment is, it has to be done where students feel comfortable and respected.

 

Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purposes in Mind-Dr. Lorna Earl

http://www.curriculum.org/k-12/en/videos/rethinking-classroom-assessment-with-purpose-in-mind

EDS 113: Principles and Methods of Assessment Module 1: Assessment Basics

The first section of my entry will focus on the meaning of assessment and why it matters.

If you asked me what assessment is before I started the course I would have said, “It’s how teachers know where students fit in the learning bracket, and to assign them grades.” But it is way more than that.

Assessment is the key aspect linking curriculum, teaching and learning. It is defined by the Assessment Reform Group (UK 2002) as ‘the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there’.  This definition is very straight forward and easy to understand.

This would seem to be an important aspect and may be incredibly beneficial for those who are training to become qualified teachers.  Developing the best methods of doing assessment can help teachers identify levels of understanding, see which students need intervention, improve instruction that would result to improved learning, supporting administrative task of making data-driven decisions on curriculum, usage and student progress against standards.

With an aim to have a positive impact on education, assessment should help bridge the gap between the learning goals (content) and the learning outcomes so that students can achieve at their best. One of the challenges of effective assessment is ensuring that the learning goals, the teaching and learning activities and the assessment tasks used are closely aligned to help attain significant learning outcomes.

Next, I will move on to the best ways of doing assessment.

Implementing ways of doing assessment is not an easy task.  Teachers must be able to set attainable and relevant goals for student learning. What kind of learning should be set as goals and what concepts and principles should students be able to apply? The answer will form the basis for measuring attainment of course goals, for assessment and the overall teaching and learning process.

Teachers also need to be able to develop an instructional program that reflects the learning objectives and include a systematic way of documentation and reporting, and continually review the effects of classroom assessment to students to ensure that teacher’s methods are steering them towards the desired direction.

One may use a variety of assessment methods that they believe work for them, but the key thing to remember is that the purpose of assessment is for students to develop and improve in their learning and for teachers to plan and teach effectively.

 

Reference:

Assessment for Learning 10 Principles- Assessment Reform Group 2002

http://cdn.aaia.org.uk/content/uploads/2010/06/Assessment-for-Learning-10-principles.pdf

Center for Teaching and Learning-Berkeley University of California

https://thisiselaine0310.wordpress.com/2016/01/14/assessment-the-first-and-the-last/

Core Principles of Effective Assessment – Assessing Learning in Australian Universities

http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/assessinglearning/docs/CorePrinciples.pdf

Using Evidence in the Classroom for Professional Learning-Helen Timperley University of Auckland New Zealand

https://cdn.auckland.ac.nz/assets/education/about/schools/tchldv/docs/Using%20Evidence%20in%20the%20Classroom%20for%20Professional%20Learning.pdf