Becoming an Accomplished Teacher

Accomplished teachers have a great impact on student performance!

What is the purpose of accomplished teaching anyway? Quite simply, accomplished teaching is the type of teaching that is focused on excellence in the practice of teaching, and is  teaching that results in student achievement. This definition is not easy to get across, especially if you have been teaching for a while. So, in order to break down the different elements of  accomplished teaching and explain each element, I like to refer to the core propositions of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. My experience with the National Board has shown me that to provide excellence in teaching, these key components (or propositions) are essential:

• Knowledge of your students: 
• Knowledge of your subject content, 
•  Monitoring and assessing student performance,
• Reflecting on your practice, 
• Being a member of a professional learning community. 

I want to share information about how to use these core propositions in future blog entries. I think that that these conversations will help reinforce my thinking and understanding, and perhaps will help other teachers, too.

Please look out for a future blog that's dedicated to learning about getting to know students and how that knowledge is translated into your practice.

  

End of the Year Student Reflections

How reflective are your students?

Here are some ideas that you can use during the closing days of the school year. I found that it's  great to have students reflect on what they've done, and plan for how they can improve their learning:

• Have students grade their progress and learning for the year and prove why they should receive a specific grade.

• Give students the responsibility of trimming down their learning portfolios and creating a folder of their best work.

•  Have students write a letter at the start of the year, predicting what they think they will learn. Then at year’s end, have students revisit their predictions and reflect on what happened.

• Have students write letters to next year’s class, advising them about what to expect.

• Let students create a time capsule that includes memorable moments  from the school year.

These are a few ideas to get students thinking about their work. In my humble opinion, introspection is a great student activity, and if you can have students create a written record of that reflection - what a bonus!

 Your friend,