Exam question number 1

Excellence in teaching

Searching for excellence in teaching, to find ways that every student can achieve their fullest ability, John Hattie looked initially at what influences the students learning. His research shows it is the teacher that can make the difference in student learning. Good teachers have positive effects on their students, however, by striving for excellence in teaching outstanding achievements can be reached.

Reflecting on my own teaching, I can identify lessons that run more smoothly than others, usually, this has to do with my preparation for the subject, my feeling for the subject, and how much sleep I’ve had that week. When I know the subject matter really well I find I am much more flexible in absorbing the children’s input into the lesson spontaneously – they always have an idea to ‘help’ the story and if I can bring those suggestions into the story it often becomes more alive and enriched, however, if I’m not as confident with the subject matter the suggestions can be unsettling and the story’s flow interrupted as I try to grapple with the idea put forward. If the subject is really alive for me, my enthusiasm will inspire the children. If I am tired or stressed my ability to maintain flexibility and spontaneity is seriously compromised!

While there are many differences between experienced teachers and expert teachers, the following points alone make a considerable difference:

Challenge
Deep Representation
Monitoring and Feedback.

Put simply, an expert teacher challenges students to learn and master knowledge by being active in their learning, they teach a deep understanding of information by extending ideas and finding meaning by collaboration and interaction with peers as well as their teacher, rather than passively listening to the teacher and memorising information to pass the test. When students are engaged in their learning, they question and collaborate to problem solve allowing the teacher to monitor progress and give feedback.

Further to these findings, my study of Anthroposophy and my classroom experience also shows some vital points for teachers of young children. As young children learn through imitation it is important that my behaviour, words and actions are worthy of imitating. As they experience the world through their senses it is important to help the senses unfold harmoniously – particularly in the first seven years the will senses of touch, life, movement and balance. As they come into the physical world and develop their physical body, in the first seven years of education as a Steiner Kindergarten teacher I facilitate learning in a whole body way – rather than a head (abstract thinking) way. For instance Science and Environment lessons can happen while gardening, on nature walks, in the sandpit. Maths happens in music lessons, their creative play, building and climbing. English is learnt through story, verse, song and Eurythmy.

In my Kindergarten class the children sit at tables of four or six, I allow them to sit where they please with whom they please, only intervening if a child is having particular difficulty settling into their work because they are so busy disrupting their friends. I prefer to help the children sit together harmoniously and will only move one as a last resort. This arrangement allows for peer interaction and on the whole I find the children willingly help each other. Often, when one child asks me a question he/she will be answered by many! Regularly on craft day I have a lengthy queue of children requiring assistance, it is particularly lovely to enlist help by looking down the queue at the problems needing to be solved and saying “Heidi knows how to fix that problem” or “Jarrah has just learnt how to do that – perhaps you could ask them for help rather than wait in the queue”, the children are delighted to help each other and they gain a deeper understanding of the craft by teaching another.
I notice in my daily activities how important it is to find a moment in each day for each child. By noticing and praising the things a child does well or correctly helps them want to achieve a little more next time. It develops a pride in their own work and a willingness to keep trying. It doesn’t need to be a large statement that everyone hears, although it can be, a quiet whisper in a child’s ear “I really love the way you’ve made your colours shine in this drawing” shows the child you notice his work and you are proud of him. Even a secret shared smile or a wink shows the child you’ve seen them, you acknowledge they’re on the right track, and there is a natural affection in the smile or wink that makes them feel loved.

It is important to teach children from something they know, to use their zone of proximal development. Before teaching the children how to do blanket stitch, I introduced them to sewing by using wool as thread and beeswax (to keep the wool from fraying) as a needle. The children learnt a simple running stitch sewing a cardboard folder for their artwork. Next the children were taught running stitch with a real needle and thread to sew together a flag and it was after this, the children were taught the fancier blanket stich on their frog, a little rest time snuggle toy.
Each lesson began with a nature story to stimulate the senses and the imagination; each skill went to short term memory and with rehearsing went to long term memory. This skill was then retrieved to be added to with the next level of skill. The children were delighted with their work because it had meaning for them.

I would like to be a teacher that inspires children to think, feel and do.
I practice being clear with instructions, serious with children’s questions and generous with praise.
I aim to be creative and imaginative in my approach to teaching, developing a lesson plan to suit my class of children rather than teaching what has always been taught.
I am excited about the new things I learn and endeavour to put them into practice.


A CREATIVE KINDERGARTEN

Working with young children provides me with constant opportunities for a creative approach to everything I do.

Children experience maths in building games with wooden blocks – dividing blocks amongst friends, measuring the height of the tower. They experience distance in the obstacle course in the playground. Number patterns are experienced with weaving, music games and climbing. Measurement and weight are an everyday occurrence in cooking class. Water and sand play teaches area and volume.

Science lessons are multi-faceted; children discover their natural surrounding environment and how to care for it through nature stories, gardening lessons and creative play. Children care for the Kindergarten animals each day and from this learn the needs of living things. Chemistry is experienced in a colourful way through watercolour painting.

Our weekly cooking lesson teaches the children nutrition and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Safety issues are discussed every day in the playground, through storytelling and with appropriate classroom behaviour. Everyday playing teaches children respect for their peers, for property and ultimately for themselves.