SPCIS Faculty Seminar:
Are you an Effective Teacher?
Unveiling Teaching
Expertise
Dr
Abe V Rotor
Sermon
on the Mount: the Greatest Teacher who ever lived and preached among the people
is Christ. Even with the computer and other means of modern education today,
the philosophy and methodology of teaching laid down by Christ remains as
relevant and forceful as ever. Like
passing on the torch of knowledge and wisdom, Christ has influenced teachers,
leaders, people of all walks of life, particularly at the grassroots, more than
any teacher the world has known.
Lesson: Are you an effective teacher? Please read this article.
Find out the basis and criteria of an effective teacher.
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The characteristics of an
effective teacher are described in a book written by Dr. Flordeliza
Clemente-Reyes, Unveiling Teaching Expertise – A Showcase of 69
Outstanding Teachers in the Philippines. The book summarizes the
results of a nationwide research initiated and funded by the Commission on
Higher Education in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and various
colleges and universities.
Profiling the outstanding
teacher from the 69 finest teachers of the country was conducted on 28 private
and 12 state universities distributed in 12 regions of the country.
Twenty-eight of these teachers are Metrobank Outstanding Teachers and were
automatically included in the list, while the other 41 were chosen by a
composite team from CHED, the National Council of Educational Innovators
(NCEI), with the support of NGOs, with De La Salle University as its research
base. At the time of the study these teachers were handling courses in PAASCU
Level-3 accredited colleges and universities, or Centers of Excellence, or
both, and have earned the reputation of being outstanding teachers in their
respective institutions. The author was chosen among the 69 honorees.
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In a capsule an
effective teacher is generally
§ An expert in all four areas of teaching, namely, subject matter,
classroom management, instruction, and diagnostics in teaching;
§ One who has a personal educational philosophy regarding beliefs,
assumptions and convictions regarding his role as a teacher;
§ Married, and most likely a woman in her middle age – 40 and above;
(Women dominate men in the teaching profession, 4 to 1)
§ A college performer, but not necessarily an honor student and
campus leader;
§ One whose initial career was not set to teaching - in fact did not
take up formal undergraduate education subjects and training;
§ A postgraduate degree holder with a master’s degree at least, in
any specific field in natural and social sciences, and other disciplines;
§ A “mix-brain” that is, a person whose logical and creative
hemispheres of the brain are effectively put to use in tandem;
§ A model person with personal attributes, virtues, and teaching
methods that nurture favorable teacher-student relationship;
§ One who draws inspiration from both within and outside the school,
such as members of his family;
§ A cheerful, willing and motivated person always in pursuit of
continued professional growth.
Four Areas of Expertise of the Outstanding Teacher
The expert teacher has been found to possess four types of expertise,
namely:
1. Subject matter expertise, which means that the teacher has a
mastery of content-specific knowledge and the organization of this knowledge
for effective instruction.
2. Classroom management expertise, that is, the expert teacher
maintains a high level of on-task students’ classroom behavior, which prevents
or eliminates learning disruptions, while it creates an environment conducive
to learning.
3. Instructional expertise, which means that the teacher has
both implicit and explicit knowledge on various teaching strategies and methods
to attain predefined instructional objectives.
4. Diagnostic expertise, which refers to the ability of the teacher
to know both the class and individual needs and goals, abilities, achievement
levels, motives, personality attributes, and emotions, which influence
instruction and learning.
Holistic
Mentor-Learner Interaction
The key to effectiveness in teaching is a holistic approach whereby there
is a mutual and orderly interaction in the teaching-learning process, with the
teacher placing a high premium on the development of thinking and
understanding. Educators attribute teaching expertise to the teachers’
affectionate interactions with the learners, and to their efforts towards
developing learners’ responsibility for learning. There are of course many
other factors that influence effectiveness in teaching because of the wide
diversity in culture, affected by certain economic, ecological and political
conditions.
Attributes of the
Expert Teacher
1. Women dominate the teaching profession. Of the 69 outstanding
teachers, women constitute 74% as compared with that of men which is 26 &,
or a ratio of 4 to 1. The reason for this is that men place less priority to
teaching than better paying jobs. This is manifested in the choice of careers.
In the case of men, they prefer law, engineering, and applied courses in
industry and technology that offer better professional growth opportunities and
pay as compared to teaching.
2. The median age of the expert teacher is 50. Majority of the experts
(82.6%) are in their past 40. Surprisingly one-fifth of the experts is in the
60 to 79 age bracket. These data point out that teaching – contrary to common
belief – does not deteriorate with age. On the other hand, teaching improves
with time and experience. Distilled and seasoned knowledge is wisdom.
3. Forty-five of the 69 expert teachers are married. The remaining 24 are
single with two of them a nun and a priest. Again at this point, contrary to
common belief, being married and having a family is not a deterrent to being a
good teacher. On the contrary there are many cases where teaching career is
enhanced by an understanding and cooperative family.
4. In general, the 69 outstanding teachers did not choose teaching as
their first career. Only 26 actually set their minds to teaching as early as
upon graduation in high school. For one reason or another the 43 set out for
other careers. Others found teaching compatible with their present professions,
while a good number opted to spend their retirement as teachers or professors.
Among the outstanding teachers are practicing agriculturists, journalists,
scientists, lawyers, doctors, engineers, TV hosts, and the like. This shows
that a good teacher may not have started out early in his career as teacher but
ended up becoming a good teacher. Professions and experiences outside of
teaching greatly contribute to teaching effectiveness.
5. The experts were academic achievers in college. There were only 14 of
the experts who were active in extracurricular activities in college, say in
athletics and campus politics. Fifty-eight are academic achievers, with 33 as
top performers but who did not make it in the dean’s list, and 25 who were
consistent scholars and honor students. Only 11 were average academic
performers.
Dr. Reyes explains the relationship of academic performance and expertise
in teaching this way. “Academic achievers generally have good self-esteem and
exude high self-confidence – personal attributes that are helpful to teachers,
cognitive intelligence as a facilitative factor to subject mastery and
instructional skills, notwithstanding.” An intelligent teacher is therefore
highly desirable so long as he demonstrates humility patience and
understanding. On the other hand, “magtitser
ka na lang,” is an insult to the teaching profession.
6. On the educational attainment of the expert teachers, 35 of them have
doctoral degrees while 26 have master’s degrees. The remaining ones were at the
time of the survey still pursuing their graduate studies. This means that 88.4%
of the expert teachers have at least a master’s degree, which points out to the
importance of graduate education as a factor in effective teaching. Graduate
education is characterized by “extensive professional reading and research, as
well as personal discipline, perseverance, diligence, and a strong motivation to
succeed,” in the words of Dr. Reyes. The pursuit of graduate studies confirms
the strong conviction of the teacher towards excellence and dedication in his
profession. Graduate studies confer the imprimatur of a teacher’s professional
status, and his place among his peers.
7. The expert teachers do not only possess high educational attainment;
they also excel in specific disciplines or fields of study. Here is a breakdown
of the findings:
§ Education and related fields 36 %
§ Applied and natural sciences 26
§ Languages, literature, communication art 15
§ Medicine, nursing and public health 6
§ Political, social science, economics 6
§ Psychology, guidance and counseling 5
§ Philosophy 3
§ Agriculture 3
It is interesting to note that 55 of the experts have either completed or
enrolled in programs that offer rich opportunities for sharing research,
information, and work experiences in the school setting.
8. On teaching experience, the range is wide – 2 to 47 years, with a
median of 25 years. Yes, it takes 25 years to be a model teacher. There is a
saying, “Experience does not only make a good teacher; experience is the best
teacher.”
9. Which hemisphere of the brain is more useful to the expert teacher?
The different specializations of expert teachers attest to a left-right brain
combination or mix-brain, which means that the use of both hemisphere in proper
balance and harmony is needed in teaching - the left for language, mathematics
and logic, and the right which is dominantly for creativity is for intuition,
inspiration and imagination. Majority of the expert teachers are mix-brained
(43 women and 11 men). The rest are left-brained who are experts in the fields
of science, mathematics, language, philosophy, research, nursing and
agriculture. The survey came up with a negative right-brained among the
experts.
10. The effective teacher draws inspiration from his or her family.
Almost one-half of the expert teachers consider the supportive role of family
members who understand the nature of teaching as having greatly contributed to
their success. Twenty of the expert teachers mentioned of a family member as
their mentor and source of inspiration. On the other hand the role of school
administrators is very important, with almost 70% of the participants attributing
the administration’s support to their success. The ambiance of teaching is
equally important whereby the school is one large respectable family with a
community atmosphere.
11. The 69 experts are divided according to the following philosophies of
education, namely
v The majority of the participants (29 women and 6 men) are
experimentalists. They uphold the experimental educational philosophy. This
means that these teachers are flexible and open to educational change.
v Twelve are advocates to eclectic educational
philosophy, which means that they do not subscribe to just one philosophy,
and they shift their roles from being facilitators of learning to transmitters
and interpreters of knowledge.
v Twelve are perennialists, that is, they perceive themselves
as authority figures in the classroom, transmitting and interpreting knowledge.
v Nine are realists. They tend to focus on the here and
now. They stress knowledge as how it is applied or observed. For example the
laws of nature are better understood through observation and research.
v Only one among the expert teachers is an idealist. She views
education as a means of developing students’ intellectual abilities. Influenced
by the Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato, she stresses the importance of logic
and philosophy.
Given these premises, the expert teacher is motivated to learn more, to
expand his horizon as new things evolve – in science and technology,
management, education, research, and in the many ways the world and human
society are changing. His love for his profession takes him to a higher realm
of continuing professional growth, his love for knowledge itself, which is the
primordial tool in teaching, and in sharing them to the younger and future
generations in the wisdom and humility of the Good Shepherd. ~
About Plato's
Academy
Ruins of Plato's
Academy in Athens
"Academy was a suburb of Athens,
named after the hero Academos or Ecademos. The site was continuously inhabited
from the prehistoric period until the 6th century A.D. During the 6th century
B.C., one of the three famous Gymnasiums of Athens was founded here. Moreover,
it is recorded that Hippias, the son of Peisistratos, built a circuit wall, and
Cimon planted the area with trees which were destroyed by Sulla in 86 B.C. In
387 B.C. Plato founded his philosophical school, which became very famous due
to the Neoplatonists, and remained in use until A.D. 526, when it was finally
closed down by emperor Justinian."
Plato established a very special school 2.380 years
ago. He named his school The Academy, built on the idea far
ahead of its time, on the belief that every person has the potential for
mastery and greatness.
Influenced by the philosophy of Socrates, Plato and his associates
posed questions and problems which the group would then discuss and
solve. Thus they gained knowledge, developed character and friendship, as
they pursue truths and insights. This collective and integral approach - rather
than individual - is the key in elevating the academy on the highest plane of
learning.
Plato’s Academy became a beacon of wisdom and development throughout the
ages. Its tradition was preserved and carried on by many, starting from
Aristotle who studied in the Academy for twenty years (367 BC – 347 BC) before
founding his own school, the Lyceum.
Albert Einstein was so inspired by Plato’s approach that with a group of
friends he founded his own school – the Olympia Academy.
(Reference ISOD -
Integral School of Organization Development, Internet)
Are You an Effective
Teacher? An Evaluation
Opposite each item, indicate your score based on the Likert Scale (1 Very
Poor, 2 Poor, 3 Fair, 4 Good, 5 Very Good).
Rate each item accordingly.
1.Subject matter expertise
§
Thorough/excellent knowledge of content
§ Being
up-to-date with the latest developments in their fields
§ Knowledge
of the interrelationships among the structural elements or concepts of the subject
matter -
§ Knowledge
of the relationship of the lesson with other courses or disciplines
§ Knowledge
of practical application and concrete, interesting examples to clarify abstract
ideas/concepts
2. Classroom Management Expertise
§ Efficient
handling of routine activities and time management
§ Maintenance
of students’ on-task behavior
§ Absence of
class disruptions
3.Instructional Expertise
§ Use of
varied teaching strategies
§ Use of
varied instructional equipment and materials to enhance education
§
Instructional clarity
3.Communication Expertise
§ Expressive
non-verbal or body language.
§ Excellent
oral communication skills
§ Provision
of two-way communication
4. Diagnostic Expertise
§.
Sensitivity to students’ learning problems/difficulties
§. Anticipation
of probable problems or misconceptions
5.Relational Expertise
§
Non-threatening disposition
§ Enthusiasm
§ Providing a
psychologically safe learning environment
§ Making
learning pleasant and enjoyable
§ Classroom
humor
§
Magnetism/Charisma
§ High
rapport with students
§
Affectionate interaction with students
6. Responsible Teaching
§ integrate
values in teaching
§ communicate
their belief in the students’ capacity for learning
§ facilitate
development of understanding and draw out generalizations and insights
§ provide
students opportunities to assume an active role in the learning process and to
be responsible for their own learning
§ select and
implement teaching strategies, learning activities and instructional materials.
§
Learner-centered teaching
§
Learner-centeredness
§ Developing
students’ responsibility for learning
§ Values
integration
(NOTE: Rating to be set by the lecturer. Reflection follows.)
NOTE: We are all teachers in our own rights - at home, in our community, in the
office, and the like. This evaluation applies to all of us. ~
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Published
by ADMIN Internet
Education is just impossible without
a proper and appropriate teacher and the present world that we are looking
around would not be possible without an appropriate and right teacher. However,
the great teachers of time had their own methods to teaching and learning and
put through the foundation of present contemporary world. Below are mentioned
some of the greatest teacher of our times who shaped the civilization to a
greater extent.
1.
Confucius: He was a Chinese thinker and
social philosopher whose teachings have influenced Chinese, Korean, Japanese
and Vietnamese life to a greater extent. In his philosophies, he advocated
personal and governmental morality. His teachings developed into a system of
philosophy known to be as Confucianism.
2.
Aristotle:
He was a Greek philosopher, student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the
Great. He has written over a good number of subjects like physics, metaphysics,
poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, biology and zoology. (photo)
3.
Johann Amos Coménius: He was a
Moravian teacher, scientist, educator and writer. He was a Unity of the
Brethren/ Moravian Protestant bishop, a religious refugee, the earliest
champions of universal education and a concept set forth in his book Didactica
Magna
4.
John Locke:
He was an emphatic follower of the belief that knowledge is needed to be
taught. He insisted on teaching of character first and academics
later. He was of the belief that good character far exceeds the value of
learning to read, write, and complete calculations and other uses.
5.
Friedrich Froebel: He was a
German pedagogue, a student of Pestalozzi who put forth foundation for modern
education on the basis of research that students have their own specific need
and capabilities for learning. He created the concept of kindergarten and
coined the word as well for use in English language
6.
Henry David Thoreau: He was an
American poet, author, surveyor, historian, philosopher and leading
transcendentalist. He is better known for his book Walden, about simple living
in natural surroundings. His articles, essays, journals and poetry total over
20 volumes. (photo, right)
7.
Booker T. Washington: He was a
noted and renowned American political leader, educator, orator and author. He
was a prominent personality in the American- African community from 1890 to
1915 in the United States. He was from the last generation of those black
leaders who were born in slavery and fought for the civil rights of their
brethren.
8.
Noah Webster: He was an American lexicographer,
textbook author, spelling reformer, word enthusiast and editor. He is known to
be the Father of the American Scholarship and Education. His “Blue-Backed
Speller” books have used for five generations in US to teach children English.
9.
Albert Einstein:
He was a theoretical physicist and his contribution to the physics is known
from the special and general theories of relativity, the founding of
relativistic cosmology, the first post-Newtonian expansion, explaining the
perihelion advance of Mercury and others. He is best known for his
theories of special relativity and general relativity. In 1921, he received
Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to Theoretical Physics and his
discovery of law of photoelectric effect.(photo,
left)
10.
Ayn Rand: She was a renowned Russian-
American Novelist, philosopher, playwright and screensaver and is known for her
two best selling novels and starting a philosophical system that is known as
Objectivism. She came into the fame with her novel The Fountainhead in 1943 and
again she became immortalized with her philosophical novel Atlas Shrugged in
1957.
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Quotations:
“The one
exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of teaching.
“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” Aristotle
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The
superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William
Arthur Ward
“When you want to teach children to think, you begin by
treating them seriously when they are little, giving them responsibilities,
talking to them candidly, providing privacy and solitude for them, and making
them readers and thinkers of significant thoughts from the beginning. That’s if
you want to teach them to think.”
― Bertrand
Russell
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Prayer for Teachers as Good Shepherds
In observance of Teachers' Day October 5, and October as Teachers' Month
By Dr Abe V Rotor
On many occasions Christ found nature as the perfect setting of his prayers, sermons and parables. Among them are The Sower, Sermon on the Mount, Mustard Seed, Prodigal Son, and The Good Shepherd. The Sea of Galilee, River Jordan, Plain of Judea, Garden of Gethsemane (oasis) were part of his wanderings to reach out for the faithful.
We are teachers in our own rights - as parents, community leaders, elders, scholars, etc.
Father Almighty, teach us to become good teachers in the way of the Good Shepherd
Father Almighty, source of light, of life and everything in this world, as we observe Teachers' Day, we beg you to be with us, to be our “unseen Guest.” Light our way; touch our heart as we touch the hearts of others, especially the young ones, the youth, whom You have placed under our care. Bless us with joy and enthusiasm, with zeal and obedience, with understanding and compassion as we take their hands and walk with them to make this world a better place to live in.
Teach us then to become good teachers and educators in the way of the Good Shepherd.
- Make us unifying element that we may live peacefully in one community;
- Make us catalysts of change, and an anchor of undefined destiny as well;
- Make us conveyors of knowledge, skill and values rolled into a holistic well-being;
- Make us healers by bringing enlightenment to human misery;
- Make us agents of rational thoughts and decisions;
- Make us sentries that we may fend off evil intentions that undermine true education;
- Make us custodians of tradition amid modernism;
- Make us guardians in the way of the Parable of the Sower, and the Prodigal Son;
- Make us the Good Samaritan, as well.
You have chosen us teachers to be the intellect and heart of the academe - because You want us to examine education in the way we examine our calling.
- to reach out for one another;
- to listen;
- to care;
- to comfort;
- to encourage one another when we fail;
- to pray for one another when we falter;
- to be strong together;
- to share the joy of teaching; and
- to convey the Sermon on the Mount
With you, Father Almighty, we can do many things; without you, we can do nothing. We ask You these through your Son Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever. Amen
(In observance of Teachers' Day and month October 5, and Good Shepherd May 1)
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