During my senior year of high school, one of my classes was AP Calculus BC taught by Mr. Trafecanty, yet, he never actually taught the subject. Instead, he created an intimate and collaborative learning environment for our class to teach each other in. This environment was created by having a classroom of only thirteen students, and by having students learn and understand topics collaboratively. And although Mr. Trafecanty never gave a lecture or a powerpoint presentation, he expressed a different role that teachers have to the greatest extent. Mr. Trafecanty used all of his effort as a teacher to support his students, which created motivated and encouraged students to be successful in a collaborative learning environment. Mr. Trafecanty’s classroom revealed that support from a teacher is a driving force for students to be invested in their own learning, and that a teacher is not simply one who understands a subject, but that a teacher …show more content…
Trafecanty’s classroom to be successful for two distinct reasons. One reason was the intimate environment created by having a classroom of only thirteen students, which was unique for every student in the class. In a school where a class never had less than thirty students it was different having a close relationship with my teacher and fellow classmates. Additionally, Mr. Trafecanty created a collaborative learning environment by creating a schedule for the school year where one student would present and teach a specific topic during every class meeting. A student was asked to present a topic, explain it, and present examples on it. Then, Mr. Trafecanty would place two problems related to the topic on the board, and have the entire class collaborate on the problems to solve them. This collaboration of teaching and learning by one another in a small classroom led to almost similar quiz and test grades, both of which were always generally good or even
As young adults in college we learn many tools that we will use and take back out into the world. Among these tools, the most important is independence.
“What’s your story?” “Why are you here?” “What happened?” “What have you learned from this class?” “What kind of impact will you have on your society?” These are just a few of the questions Professor Conti made me think about as we stepped into the final weeks of our semester. From that moment on, I knew that within this semester Professor Conti stepped away from the stereotypical classroom. He cares about his students and rather than relying on textbook material; he used their words and experiences in order to develop a very enjoyable and worth while class.
With lifelong effects, teachers impact the quantity, quality, and overall enjoyment of the educational experience. Their effect dilutes itself the classroom, into present life, and even the future. In the classroom, they mold and guide youth in their lifelong quest to search for the truth and their own voice in the world. Yet their influence does not stop at the classroom door. In fact, teachers have a profound impact on morals, creativity, and even politics. "Teachers always have the power in the class," Christian Zawodniak discusses in , "I'll Have To Help More Of You Than I Want To." They hold the grades and students usually perceive them as holding the knowledge too (Zawodniak 124). But how should a teacher exercise this bestowed power? Is a forced learning environment more beneficial or is a cooperative pedagogy more productive? With diverse students and unique learning needs, it is difficult to identify one or the other as more advantageous. However, I will attempt to explore the benefits and disadvantages of both, as well as how they can be combined or compromised in a delicate balance. Although I will strive to stay neutral and merely present the options, I may also occasionally include my own personal experiences.
The job of a teacher is never easy but we have seen how cooperative discipline and enabling students to feel capable, connected and contributing can improve classroom management and maybe even our own moods. If we create an environment of mutual respect and give our students legitimate power of voice and choice in the classroom we will see positive results in improved student behavior and student achievement. Because when our students believe that they can succeed, they will.
As the time approached, my attitude toward student-teaching was one of confidence and in some ways overconfidence. I believed that I was equipped with all of the tools necessary to be a superior teacher. Little did I know what truly goes on behind the scenes of a teacher. Between grading papers, attending meetings, and preparing lessons, I would often feel overwhelmed. Still, student teaching would prove to be much more valuable than I anticipated. It would teach me to appreciate the wisdom of mentors and experienced teachers, value or being organized and prepared, and lastly the resilience of students.
Collaborative and cooperative learning promotes student learning through group-oriented activities. Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which student teams will work together to create a meaningful multimedia project. Cooperative learning, which will be the primary focus of this paper, is a specific kind of collaborative learning. In cooperative learning, students work together in small groups on a structured activity. Cooperative groups will work face-to-face and will learn to work as a team. The multimedia project will allow all students to benefit from gaining a deeper knowledge of the multimedia matters through communication with their peers and building relationships among their peers of different ethnic, backgrounds, learning abilities and gender.
Education is an ever-changing part of society. A classroom teacher is faced with new challenges and obstacles that have never been dealt with before. Students come to the classroom with different life stories. Every student has strengths and weaknesses that surface in the classroom environment. Teachers must understand and focus on utilizing each student's strengths and work to improve weaknesses. Students learn in a variety of ways. The classroom must be a safe zone that appreciates student's viewpoints and allows room for mistakes. When topics in the classroom are related to "real-life" experiences, the information is more likely to be retained. Students learn from one another. The ideas and perspectives that each student brings to the classroom can bring insight into what is being learned. Students have to be allowed to explore new ideas, try them to see if they work, and sometimes fail. When students are encouraged to explore, they begin the process of becoming lifelong learners.
Scarnati, J. T. (2001). Cooperative learning: make groupwork work. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 67(Fall), 71-82.
Drawing heavily on the work of developmental psychologists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky advocates of Cooperative Language Learning maintain that social interaction plays a central role in language learning (Richards, 194). Cooperative Language learning is defined as students spending most of their time w2orking in small groups of up to 6 students. The students are divided up into small groups and learning takes place through peer teaching, joint problem solving, brainstorming, and varied interpersonal communication and individual study monitored by peers. Learning is structured so that the group is motivated to ensure that their peers have mastered the material or achieved the instructional goal so that a process of cooperation is generated (Finchpark).
Many researchers and organizations have constantly changed and reworked the definition of distance education over the last century. Schlosser and Simonson (2002) outlined four elements that define distance education: that it is associated with an institution, that the teacher and learner are separated, that the learning is done via interactive communication media and that these media connect the teachers with the learners and the course material. Schlosser and Simonson (2002) also described the definitions of distance education described by other researchers. One researcher in 1986, Desmond Keegan, narrowed the definition of distance education by specifying five main elements that he says are involved. First, he stated that the teacher and learner are separated at all times. Second, he specified that an educational institution assists in the creation of materials for the learning and supports the students. Third, technology is used to connect the teacher and learners and facilitate the learning process. Fourth, there exists a two-way communication between a student and learner. Fifth, distance learning involves almost no group interaction between students; as such, most of the learning is done individually (Schlosser and Simonson 2002, pp. 4). Two other researchers, Garrison and Shale, also added one more piece to the definition by stating that communication between teacher and learners does not occur at the same time; instead, it occurs asynchronously (Schlosser and Simonson 2002, pp. 6).
Open learning environment refers to the shared spaces and all the activities therein and the materials provided to children within the early years education context to further enhance their learning opportunities, and provide them with a rich experience in their foundation years.
A teacher today needs to have an ability to relate to and create partnerships not with their students, but also families, administrators and other professionals. This ensures that all persons involved with the education of the student are on the same page. All involved then work in harmony and help each other achieve the common goal of educating the student in the best possible way for the best possible result. (Wesley, 1998, p 80)
Instead of seeing students as partially full vessels waiting to be filled, teachers should conceive their work as creating learning situations where students can build their own knowledge through an a...
During the first day of school, a variety of different students enter the classroom. These students are excited and nervous, they have their parents by their sides who are observing the classroom walls and arrangement. From the minute the students enter the classroom, students are observing the classroom environment and notice the everything. Everything in the classroom needs to have a purpose, but provide a pleasant environment. When preparing and organizing the classrooms, teachers need to consider the different variables that impact the classroom. Classrooms can be disorganized if the walls are cluttered and have no meaning The organizations of the desks, the wall decorations, and the seating arrangements significantly impact the physical environments. Students are like sponges, they soak up everything that surrounds them. In the article A comparison of actual and preferred classroom environments as perceived by middle school students in the Journal of School Health stated “studies have shown that classroom environments are closely related to a number of aspects of student
Distance Learning is a system of pondering in which lessons are announced or classes are executed by correspondence or over the internet. Distance learning has become very popular for older adults who wish to go back to school and complete their education or increase their education, but it can be beneficial to many students. Online learning allows flexibility which gives you the opportunity to continue your daily routine or commitments. Many courses can be completed in a shorter amount of time, and you do not have to stay on campus or commute daily with online courses. It is a great way to obtain a higher education.