Module 2, page 1 Melanie DeBord ELED 300 Module 2

I am a planner by nature which I feel will be a very helpful attribute to my teaching career. Teachers must think ahead and make many different plans in order to help each school day flow smoothly. Plans are made to ensure that supplies are accessible for the lessons and plans must be made for ways to motivate all the students in my classroom to engage in learning throughout the lessons prepared and presented. While planning for each lesson, I will consider all the unique learning styles that are represented in my classroom and seek to ensure that all students can engage in the lesson. I like the quote on page 112 that states Dont plan any single learning activity longer than the age of your students. (Kauchak & Eggen, 2012) This lesson idea ties into Competency 3 where it talks about the teacher creating plans and determining the level of difficulty and skills that the students should have already achieved prior to the lesson. After the lesson has been prepared and delivered, the teacher must ensure that the students learned from the lesson by using assessments. Instructional alignment helps a teacher know that learning objectives, learning activities and assessments are all working together in a way that helps the students retain the information that has been taught. p124 (Kauchak & Eggen, 2012) Effective teachers are able to wisely use their time and positively influence their students to seek knowledge. Effective teachers also create a positive environment in their classroom where students feel encouraged and appreciated. I think this positive environment helps students

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want to learn and engage in discussions because they feel more comfortable. This idea ties into Competency 4 in many ways but I wanted to highlight the idea of allowing students to reflect on their personal experiences which can relate to the lessons being taught. I feel this helps the students make a personal connection to the lesson being presented. Motivating the students is a good attribute of effective teachers and it aids in student involvement. One way to get the students involved in a lesson is through teacher questioning which is the single most effective and most generally applicable strategy teachers have for promoting student involvement. p184 (Kauchak & Eggen, 2012) In Competancy 8, it states that motivation is enhanced when students recognize the importance and value of a task. When students can connect with the lesson and see its importance, they will understand why the teacher chose to teach them that particular lesson. The teacher must seek to call on students evenly and allow the same amount of time for each student to answer. I feel that students quickly understand the expectations of their teachers. If the expectation is low, the student will not try very hard, but if the expectation stretches their comfort zone just a little, they will grow as a student and a lifelong learner. The 3 assigned chapters along with the competencies taught me that as a teacher, I need to use my time wisely, create lesson plans that include all the learning styles represented in my classroom and find positive ways to motivate my students to learn. I want to learn to me an effective teacher so that my students will enjoy a positive learning environment and be inspired to be lifelong learners.

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Reference:
Kauchak, D., & Eggen, P. (2012). Learning & teaching research-based methods. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Class Schedule 8:00 Community Carpet 8:15 Reading 9:15 Spelling 9:45 Snack 10:00 Math 11:00 Lunch/Recess 12:00 Science 1:00 Social Studies 2:00 Specials (Teacher Planning) 2:45 Community Reflection 2:50 Pack up & prepare for dismissal