After looking at different teaching methods and experiencing the twentieth century model, I can see as a prospective teacher how the twenty-first century model of teaching is very important for students to be immersed in. With society and the workforce changing, the curriculum needed to change to meet the needs of our new world. Keeping these shifts in mind when teaching our own students later on will be beneficial for them as well as ourselves.
The shift in the Ontario curriculum since 2010 is very important to the teaching of the students. In the Arts curriculum, the Dramatic Arts section focuses on not only the fundamentals that existed when the course was taught to me, but also more developed aspects such as new experimental theatre, improvisation being taught beside the groundbreaking works of Brecht and other post-modernist artists.
Utilizing twenty-first aspects just as Assessing for and as the curriculum as well as the backward model will allow for teachers to be able to focus their lessons around society's growing demands and changing atmosphere. Utilizing these methods in a theatre setting will allow a teacher to see where each of their students are and how they learn best. Keeping this in mind, the teacher can adjust the lessons and gear certain lessons to the interests of the students, such as focusing in a tactile fashion for the production section of theatre.
Also utilizing the power bases, such as referent power in theatre, allows for students to be able to relate to their teacher and learn from them in a safe environment and allows for different learning styles to flourish under this teacher regulation, unlike the twentieth century legitimate power style which contributed to the Fordian assembly line mentality.
Finally, with the Know, Do, Be criteria, teachers will be able to figure out what their students should be able to accomplish and organize their work and lessons so that each individual student can reach their full potential under this umbrella.
Having this style of teaching to draw from allows teachers to be able to make a more student-centered education model that will allow students to be able to succeed and pursue their own paths instead of streaming them into categories based on the curriculum. Having options like this will also allow for students to be able to pursue any career path without the societal pressure of being bound to a certain institution. Twenty-first century teaching is providing a more optimal solution for the future which can only become even more beneficial to students as time progresses and this method is tried.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Being Human
During this most wonderful crunch time of the year reminds me as a student how important it is as a prospective teacher to be human. When I say this, I am referring to how over many years in the system, I noticed that many teachers didn't seem to care about their students' well-being and more importantly their stress levels. Over fifteen years in the education system, majority of the teachers I spoke with wanted me to perform and get the work done because "my class is the most important" despite the other 4-6 credits I was taking. Very few teachers actually recognized and acknowledged that as a student's stress level was reaching capacity and asked how they were fairing.
Although marks can be important and making sure every student passes is crucial, it is also important as a teacher to be able to see when a student is struggling academic or mentally in order to offer them the assistance they need. In the case of stress, it might not seem like a big deal to some teachers, but to that particular student, it's their everyday life, and that student's peaking stress level could majorly affect their marks or even the rest of their life.
In other education classes, people talk about power, motivation and behaviour among students but what the classwork does not go into depth about is the experience or how the student feels. Mental health and stability are huge factors in a student's commitment to their work as well as how they are going to behave in class. Often times, teachers see a student misbehaving or not motivating themselves to start an in-class assignment and immediately assume it to be bad behaviour, unless it is a usually well-mannered and motivated student who's outlook has changed. What needs to be considered is that the reason a student might not be motivated or might act out is because their stress level is too high for whatever reason.
As someone who is looking at teaching high school, I realize the implications placed on teenagers in the Ontario academic and applied streams and how through the tests, assignments, exams, term projects and the regular stress of biologically transitioning from prepubescent to adulthood can be too much for some students. It is very important to have measures in place for when students reach these critical moments so they can have the relief and support they need and still be able to succeed. As a teacher, I would make sure to discuss plans with other teachers to make projects due at a time where other classwork will not get in a student's way, or organize more in-depth subject matter to be learned during a less stressful time in the semester. That way when that time of the term arrives where students are up to their necks in work and tests, my class wouldn't be one they would have to worry about. As for the system, there should be methods in place to help students with organization, one-on-one help, extra class or project time or even some in-school counselling so students can speak with a professional they can trust about situations that a teacher may not be qualified to handle. Although a school's budget can always get in the way of these suggestions.
During this time of stress for a lot of students, being human and showing that you care as a teacher can make or break a student's day and help them feel a lot more at-ease with their situation than just pretending it isn't occurring. Students recognize when a teacher genuinely cares for them as well and returns the respect in kind. Thus, it also proves to be a good motivator to get students to work in your classes.
Although marks can be important and making sure every student passes is crucial, it is also important as a teacher to be able to see when a student is struggling academic or mentally in order to offer them the assistance they need. In the case of stress, it might not seem like a big deal to some teachers, but to that particular student, it's their everyday life, and that student's peaking stress level could majorly affect their marks or even the rest of their life.
In other education classes, people talk about power, motivation and behaviour among students but what the classwork does not go into depth about is the experience or how the student feels. Mental health and stability are huge factors in a student's commitment to their work as well as how they are going to behave in class. Often times, teachers see a student misbehaving or not motivating themselves to start an in-class assignment and immediately assume it to be bad behaviour, unless it is a usually well-mannered and motivated student who's outlook has changed. What needs to be considered is that the reason a student might not be motivated or might act out is because their stress level is too high for whatever reason.
As someone who is looking at teaching high school, I realize the implications placed on teenagers in the Ontario academic and applied streams and how through the tests, assignments, exams, term projects and the regular stress of biologically transitioning from prepubescent to adulthood can be too much for some students. It is very important to have measures in place for when students reach these critical moments so they can have the relief and support they need and still be able to succeed. As a teacher, I would make sure to discuss plans with other teachers to make projects due at a time where other classwork will not get in a student's way, or organize more in-depth subject matter to be learned during a less stressful time in the semester. That way when that time of the term arrives where students are up to their necks in work and tests, my class wouldn't be one they would have to worry about. As for the system, there should be methods in place to help students with organization, one-on-one help, extra class or project time or even some in-school counselling so students can speak with a professional they can trust about situations that a teacher may not be qualified to handle. Although a school's budget can always get in the way of these suggestions.
During this time of stress for a lot of students, being human and showing that you care as a teacher can make or break a student's day and help them feel a lot more at-ease with their situation than just pretending it isn't occurring. Students recognize when a teacher genuinely cares for them as well and returns the respect in kind. Thus, it also proves to be a good motivator to get students to work in your classes.
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