Readings and Notes

Steppingstone, chapter 7
This chapter talks about planning classroom units and how to design effective unit. There

are nine steps of designing an effective unit:

1. Consider the suitability of a proposed topic. 2. Brainstorm ideas, possibly

using a planning chart or web diagram. 3. Formulate unit focus (e.g., a thematic

statement, guiding questions, and intended learning outcomes; or Egans narrative

structure with binary opposites or transcendent values). 4. Design, balance, and sequence

learning activities. Include a motivational introductory activity and a culminating

summative one. 5. Review linkages with state or provincial standards and/or curriculum

guides, adding or revising learning activities accordingly. 6. Plan a schedule. 7. Select

resources. 8. Plan student assessment. Throughout the unit, consider what evidence will

show that you have met your intents. 9. Review the effectiveness of your unit. This

chapter also talks about the other sources that can be used to design a unit but it requires

to determine ones own focus and intents.

To reflect on this chapter, I have already chosen relevant unit topic. I am making unit plan

for grade 8 and 9 and the subject is literature. In literature, I will teach the element of fiction.

This subject and topic is relevant for this class because we read fiction and nonfiction stories. So,

the students have to have knowledge and understanding of element of fiction. Without element of

fiction, the story cannot happen. Brainstorm idea is also significant area of making effective unit

plan. In my unit, I will show fantasy trailer to the students so that the students can engage in the

lesson and pay attention to the lesson. I will use a thematic statement (the basic values,

dispositions, and commitments/the enduring understanding, major concepts, and keys kills for
the students to acquire) to formulate my unit focus. Learning activities is also important to make

unit plan because it will help to assess students. I have already planned a schedule for my unit.

Brophy Teaching
Table of contents (Outline)
The effective teaching can be occur by following the principle below:
1. A supportive classroom climate
2. Opportunity to learn
3. Curricular alignment
4. Establishing learning orientations
5. Coherent content
6. Thoughtful discourse
7. Practice and application activities
8. Scaffolding students task engagement
9. Strategy teaching
10. Co-operative learning
11. Goal-oriented assessment
12. Achievement expectations

1. A supportive classroom climate

Practicing this method or principle will help students to learn better and effective

because A supportive classroom climate means caring students. Caring students will

motivate students to grow their learning abilities and students will have positive rapports

with the teachers.

2. Opportunity to learn
 To be the effective teacher and making class effective, giving opportunity for the

students to learn will make students effective. The school may have the curriculum

including opportunities to learn.

3. Curricular alignment

All components of the curriculum are aligned to create a cohesive programme

for accomplishing instructional purposes and goals.

4. Establishing learning orientations

It is about how the teacher make class interesting. Teacher can have brainstorming

to engage students and teacher can tell the objectives to make lesson simple for the

students.

5. Coherent content

Teacher can not only teach the content but need to have the ability to connect with

other things. By doing it, the class will be meaningful.

6. Thoughtful discourse

By simply planning questions for the students to engage in the classroom or

engage in the lesson will enable students to think more.

7. Practice and application activities

Teacher can make it effective just by allowing students to practice the lesson

problems and giving students feedback.

8. Scaffolding students task engagement

 The teaching can be productive when teacher facilitates various kind of support

and help. By doing it, the students can have better engagement in the lesson and it will be

fruitful.

9. Strategy teaching

The teachers are the leaders. Whatever teacher do, students may copy it. What

happens if teacher teach wrong? Students will learn wrong. Teachers need to know what

are they going to teach. So, the teacher should have strategy to teach. The teachers

instruction has to be correct and clear for the students to engage in learning and to make

teaching effective.

10. Co-operative learning

Allowing students to work with their friends can be effective and it will help them

to learn better.

11. Goal-oriented assessment

The teacher will never know the students progress without having test students

and assessing students. So, assessing students can be done by practicing formal and

informal assessment method.

12. Achievement expectations

Teacher can help students in their need and set goals for the achievement

expectations.

Reflection
 After reading this book, I have learned that in my future teaching, I should be

helpful to the students, I should give opportunity for the students to learn, make

students practice the lesson, allow students to think and criticize the lesson, allow

students to work in pair, and teaching meaningfully but not just the content.

Act of teaching chapter 6, Planning Instruction

Outline
Pros and Cons of instructional planning
Planning is especially beneficial for new teachers
Deciding what to teach
Instructional objectives
Writing specific objectives

Instructional Planning
Instructional planning is the process by which teachers decide (1) what to teach,

(2) how to teach it, and (3) how they will determine whether students learned and were

satisfied.

Pros and Cons of instructional planning

Pros good instructional planning results in greater learning. Planning stifles

spontaneity. It helps to manage teaching time.

Cons planning does not necessarily result in better teaching and more

learning.

Planning is especially beneficial for new teachers

 Planning instruction will benefit new teachers because the new teachers are no

experienced and they lack teaching effective teaching skills.

Deciding what to teach

- State standards and how they are developed
- Factors Influencing State Requirements
- Acknowledge Societal Expectations
- Know The nature and needs of learners.
- Professional Societies with Interests in Education.

Instructional Objectives
- The measurable objectives make teaching meaningful.

Writing specific objectives

The objectives should be specific in order to provide clear meaning of the lesson

for the students. it will help students to understand meaningfully.

Reflection
After reading this chapter, I have learned the pros and cons of the instructional

modes. I have learned that the planning the lesson will help the new teacher to teach

thoroughly. It can help to be skillful to teach. In my future teaching, I will write a specific

objective in order to make effective class and meaningful teaching.

Act of Teaching Chapter 7 Four instructional Alternatives

Outline
Presentation: Teaching as telling and showing
Discussion: Learning through informative interaction
Independent study: Teaching as giving guiding seat work and homework
assignments
Individualized or Differentiated instruction: Tailoring Teaching
 Presentation: Teaching as telling and showing
What is presentation?
- A presentation is an informative talk a more knowledgeable person makes to less

knowledgeable persons.
Purpose and characteristics of teacher presentations
- The purpose of a presentation is to inform an audience of certain facts, ideas,

concepts, and explanations.

- The characteristics of presentation; - Teacher or other person may present,

presentation may be live or recorded, presentation may vary in length, presentation

may be formal of informal.

Good presentations should have good presentation and good delivery. Visual aids can be

useful for both teachers and students because the students can easily engage in the lesson and

have clear understanding of the lesson. Teacher delivery of the lesson is also important because if

the teacher knows the lesson but he does not know how to deliver lesson, it will be not effective

teaching.

Discussion: Learning through informative interaction

Discussion: A discussion is a situation wherein students, or students and a teacher,

converse to share information, ideas, or opinions or work to resolve a problem. Conversely, a

discussion is not a situation wherein a teacher asks a question, a student or students answer, and

then the teacher asks another question.

The purpose of discussion is to rehearse and review information, to reflect on and

examine ideas, opinions, issues, and events, to resolve problems, and to improve oral

communication skills.
 The characteristics of the discussion: - Teacher-student or student-student interaction,

whole or small group, homogeneous or heterogeneous participants, and physical arrangement:

circle, fishbowl.

Qualities of good discussion leaders: - Believe students want and need to engage in

purposeful talk, control their own talk, get students thinking, and skillful in teaching

communication skills.

Qualities of good discussions: - when preparing; establish the general purpose, set

specific learner objectives, and consider the readiness of the class and individuals for

discussion.

Independent study: teaching as giving and guiding seat work and homework
assignments
- Independent study is self-study.

The purpose of independent study is to rehearse practice and to provide opportunity to

learn how to learn.

The characteristics of the independent studies are learning assignment is designed by

teacher or selected by studies and teacher serves as facilitator, and guide.

Good independent study leaders and study: -

- Good leaders: Believe independent study enhances learning through

rehearsal/practice Believe independent study enhances learning how to learn

Believe students can work successfully independently Exhibit clarity, valence and

challenge arousal, variety and challenge, wittiness, and overlapping.

- A good independent study, establishes general purpose, get students attention, and

provide feedback to students.

Individualized or Differentiated Instruction: Tailoring Teaching
 What is individualized instruction? Individualized instruction and differentiated

instruction are terms used to refer to any instructional maneuver that attempts to tailor teaching

and learning to a learner's, or a group of like-learners', unique strengths and needs.

Purpose and characteristics of individualized instruction:

- Purpose: To tailor teaching and learning to individual strengths and needs.
- Characteristics: Teacher knows and cares about learner diversity.

Reflection

After reading this chapter I have learned that the different instruction can have

different effect on the students. I will be using the instructions like Presentation,

discussion, independent studies in my future teaching because these instructional

modes are very useful for the students. As a result, students can grow deeper in the

academic performance.

Act of teaching chapter 8, Four more instructional alternatives

Outline
Cooperative Learning: Teaching Learners to Like and Care for One Another
Discovery Learning: Figuring Things Out for Yourself
Constructivist Teaching and Learning: Problem Solving under Teacher Guidance
Direct Instruction: Teaching in the Most Efficient and Effective Way

Cooperative Learning: Teaching Learners to Like and Care for One Another

Cooperative learning- students work and learn together as a group. The purpose of the

cooperative learning is to learn collectively and caring one another. The characteristics of this

learning are Heterogeneous (mixed) groups and group tasks, usually either mastery or project

work. The cooperative learning requires to know and trust one another, communicate clearly

and accurately, support one another through praise and encouragement.

 Discovery Learning: Figuring Things Out for Yourself

Discovery learning is that the students works and find out the things that have been asked

by the teacher. The purpose of this learning is to get learners to think for themselves, to help

learners discover how knowledge is formulated, and to promote higher-order thinking skills.

The characteristics of discovery learning are teacher sets the stage for knowledge discovery,

teacher rewards exploration and independent thought, and learners participation and interaction

are high.

Constructivist Teaching and Learning: Problem Solving under Teacher Guidance

Constructivist learning is like discovery learning. In this learning, students learn from the

experience. Constructivism is a way of teaching and learning that intends to maximize student

understanding. The purpose of constructivist teaching and learning is to help students to

acquire information in ways that make that information readily understood and usable. The

characteristics of this learning are active learning in groups, authentic and situated learning,

bridging, scaffolding, reflection, and resolution.

Direct Instruction: Teaching in the Most Efficient and Effective Way

Direct Instruction is like a presentation. This is teacher centered teaching. The teacher

speaks most of the time. The purpose of the direct instruction is to directly cause students to

learn academic content or skill. The characteristics of this instructional mode are teacher

provides strong direction, orientation is very academic, and students behavior is controlled. The

good direct instructors are enthusiastic, war, accepting, humorous, encouraging etc. There are

two kinds of direct instruction: research-based (derived from observations of effective

teachers, including basic practice, expect teaching, and active teaching) and learning theory

based (derived from what is known about learning including mastery teaching).

Reflection
After reading this chapter, I have learned the meanings and useful of cooperative

learning, discovery learning, constructivist learning, and direct teaching. In my last teaching

practicum, I had used direct instruction more than other. In my future teaching, I will try to use

all of these instructional mode acknowledging the situation and I will use it by knowing students

interests and behaviors.