Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses in Teaching Strategies

Post-Observation of Field Teaching Experiences
The purpose of this paper is to provide a description concerning what was learned about teaching and learning in the course in general and through the observation of real-world classroom teachers as well as how this author plans to implement the lessons learned in his own teaching practice. To this end, a series of major take-aways on teaching and learning are discussed together with supporting examples, followed by a description of selected learning strategies and evidence-based practices that were observed which the author intends to implement to support student learning. Finally, a summary of the teaching experiences and the findings that emerged from this reflection are presented in the conclusion.
Major take-aways
The four field experiences completed during this course yielded a number of significant take-aways that provided valuable insights and exemplars, but the following observations represent those that had a particularly significant impact:
· Young learners are not “little adults”; lacking real-life experiences, the world they live in is still full of wonder, mystery and magic and they are full of questions about everything. It is easy to slip into a mindset that assumes young learners know far more than they actually do, so teachers must ensure that all students receive the individualized attention they need. For instance, one observed teacher distributed books to her students based on her knowledge of their personal interests and comprehension abilities and takes the time to ask each student questions about their selected book including any questions they had as their reading progressed.
· Teachers are just human and naturally prefer their own teaching style, but if students are not effectively learning the way they are being taught, they need to be taught they way they learn. A good example of this take-away was a post-interview with a teacher who explained that he had come to better understand that all young students are unique and learn in different ways at different paces. Although these learning tendencies may change over time, it is essential to provide students with curricular offerings that motivate them to learn.
· Youthful exuberance for learning should not be discouraged, but effective classroom management strategies are essential for creating and maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. A good example of the source of this take-away was an incident involving a pair of students that intentionally and repeatedly disregarded the paraprofessional’s instructions to stop leaning on a hot radiator during a book reading. Absent active interventions, these two students eventually started fighting, resulting in a disruption of other classroom activities. The classroom teacher explained that it is vitally important to administer effective classroom management practices, but to also ensure that all students are engaged and there are some fun elements incorporated into each lesson.
· It is possible to more fully engage young learners by making reading more interesting through the careful selection of books, the appropriate use of voice, and animated gesticulations. For example, after reading a story about good and bad things for children to eat (“A Busy Creature’s Day Eating” by Mo Willems), the teacher presented an alphabet-driven exercise in order to illustrate some salient examples of dangerous foods that children should avoid even if they appear especially tempting and delicious. The students responded to this exercise enthusiastically and it was clear that they were inspired to conduct additional independent research on other dangerous foods in the future.
· Teachers should make an extra effort to ask all students questions rather than just those that routinely answer. During a post-classroom interview, one teacher explained that it is easy to slip into a habit of asking questions of bright students that always know the answer rather than ensuring that all students are actively involved in the process. This is a tall order, especially in larger classrooms, but this take-away represents a vitally important component of effective teaching practice.
Observed learning strategies and evidence-based practices
Two of the most effective, evidence-based strategies that I observed and plan to include in my own teaching practice included the manner in which the classroom was managed by one teacher faced with disruptive students using a contingent instructions strategy while another involved using an adaptation of the Danielson Rubric to help young learners better understand what they are reading. In both cases, the respective teachers and their assistants relied on strategies that have proven efficacy in primary educational settings.
In the first instance, two students who were self-segregated from the rest of the class during a book reading by the teacher used the opportunity to engage in horseplay that quickly escalated into a physical confrontation that required the intervention of a paraprofessional. In response, the teacher ensured that both of these students received additional attention following the reading exercise, not to discipline them but rather to motivate them to more actively participate in classroom activities.
. In the second instance (observed remotely through Zoom due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic), a bilingual teacher (i.e., Russian and English) prefaced her lesson by going over new vocabulary words to ensure that all of the students understood what was to follow. In addition, she used various open- and closed-ended questions to encourage greater discussion, critical thinking and classroom participation by all students.
In addition, the teacher used various aids to good effect in ways that connected the discussion topics with corresponding visual cues which promoted relevance, memorization and future application by the students. In sum, although confronted with a mix of new and old students with learning abilities that exist along a stark continuum, this teacher still succeeded in delivering a reading lesson that was effective in actively engaging all of the students in visible ways.
Summary of plans to learn and implement these lessons to support student learning
It is axiomatic that no battle plan survives the first shot, so it is essential that any plans to pursue additional learning concerning the teaching strategies and techniques observed during the field visits and implement them in my own teaching practice remain sufficiently flexible to accommodate the unique situations that will invariably present themselves in the future. Indeed, during all four of the post-observation interviews, each teacher conceded that he or she would have done some things differently if given the opportunity, suggesting that not only is there no “one size fits all” teaching strategy that is equally effective for all students, the same teaching strategy may not even be effective more than once, especially in schools that routinely experience high percentage rates of new students.
Notwithstanding the foregoing constraints, it is possible to identify optimal teaching strategies and pursue additional learning opportunities to help prepare for future classroom teaching practice. It is important to note, though, that rather than being a one-time exercise, this is a dynamic process that requires ongoing vigilance to ensure that the most appropriate evidence-based practice are used and that individual student learning needs are taken into account during the curriculum development process.
Finally, another significant issue emerged from the field observations that reinforced the need for a collaborative, teamwork approach to classroom instruction that draws on all of the resources that are available to teachers, including paraprofessionals, support staff, the school district’s leadership team and most especially parents. In sum, classroom teachers only have a few minutes each day to actually engage young learners in ways that promote learning and critical thinking so it is essential to use evidence-based teaching strategies that are most effective for a given set of students at a given point in time.
Conclusion
Reflection is an important part of the learning process, and this paper provided a valuable opportunity to revisit the examples from field observations made during the course that especially stood out as good and bad teaching strategies. Although there were only a few instances of the latter, even then, the teachers that were involved recognized that they could have done some things differently to achieve a better learning outcome. As a result, it became apparent that even seasoned teachers are not perfect although they continuously strive for perfection. In truth, I was highly inspired by the teachers I observed in action, providing their young learners with new knowledge and helping them gain a better understanding of the world around them. Moreover, the behavior of the students in these classes made it clear that they were accustomed to high quality classroom instruction as evinced by their active questioning and participation.