Chapter 1 summary: Defining the Best
Bain concludes the first chapter with a summary of the major conclusions of the study he is writing on. As I mentioned two posts ago, deep, critical thinking is necessary on the part of the instructor. Here are the other questions their study asked and their conclusions from the responses:
1. What do the best teachers know and understand?
a. Their subject matter
b. Have an interest and can think critically and creatively about their field
c. Can think “metacognitively”
d. Understand human learning
e. View learning as having a “sustained and substantial influence on the way people think, act, and feel.” (p. 17)
2. How do they prepare to teach?
a. Start with the learning objectives
b. Focus on what the student will do, not the instructor
3. What do they expect of their students?
a. Expect a lot but it is related to real life thought and actions
4. What do they do when they teach?
a. Create a “natural critical learning environment”
b. Use authentic problems and tasks
c. Give learners control over their learning
d. Encourage collaborative work
e. Provide feedback
5. How do they treat students?
a. Have a strong trust in students
b. Are open, share their journey and inquiries
6. How do they check their progress and evaluate their efforts?
a. Use a systematic approach
b. Student assessment flows from learning objectives
Other thoughts:
Even the “best” teachers will fail or not always hit the mark
Best teachers take responsibility for themselves and their situations
Best teachers are committed to the learning community at large, not just their own classroom success
I like the list. Does the author give examples? Sometimes I am weary of advice on teaching and how to apply it; it can be so general. Here's what I mean....."Create a natural critical learning environment". Just wonder if the author gets to the classroom level.
ReplyDeleteThe ideas Bain gives are noteworthy but basic. The list helped illustrate his thoughts but it was a little difficult to follow; maybe it was just my computer that changed the font/setup.
ReplyDeleteNice summary!
At this point in the book, the author is just summarizing trends seen in the best teachers; common threads. He gives examples from specific classrooms but the idea is that it would translate to any classroom.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out what caused the font problem. It looks ok on my browser, but I know browsers vary.