TEACHING EXPERIENCES

             When teachers discuss ways in which their college experience could have better prepared them for the reality of the classroom, they almost always mention increasing the amount of field experiences in the classroom. While it is hardly possible for students to be exposed to the full range of situations that they might be placed into in their first teaching job, this is one area where "more is better".

Teaching is a very complex activity. It involves planning for learning, organizing materials, prioritizing ideas, interacting with students, learning to "monitor and adjust", "differentiate instruction" for students of various abilities, and learning how to accomplish goals that sometimes seem to be mutually exclusive, all while keeping "control" of a class and meeting the expectations of parents, administrators, and peers. Real-world practice in ANY of these skills is beneficial to future teachers. TA and tutoring experience, work with scouts and youth groups, class presentations that include responsibility for assessing the learning of the audience, and a variety of related experiences are all helpful. Work in schools, especially work that involves more than observation, is particularly beneficial: experienced teachers make it look much easier than it is, and future observations are much more worthwhile after a student has had some experience. Science students were often "good at science", and were often in "honors" courses, so it's especially valuable for them to work with classes or students who struggle with science. While it is important for future teachers to be enthusiastic about their subject, they will be expected to work with all kinds of students, so it's important that they find out whether they genuinely like working with students.

            Teaching experience should be "early and often". Through these experiences, future teachers learn about themselves, and whether teaching is something that they can and should do. Since communication with an audience is a big part of the jobs of many professional scientists, those who decide that K-12 teaching is not for them will still benefit from the insights they gain through school experiences.

THE BENEFITS OF TEACHING AS A PROFESSION AND A VOCATION

           Teaching is a noble and a prophetic job. There can be no better and greater joy or happiness for a devoted and dedicated teacher than to see his students learning more and more and improving their living standard. A good teacher derives inner happiness and immense satisfaction from his sincere and selfless service. He considers his job a great source of service to mankind. The radical improvement he brings in his students is his immediate source of pleasure and great satisfaction.

          A man loves to be admired or praised and respected. A sincere and dedicated teacher always commands respect thanks to his sincerity, selflessness, his love for his profession and his extreme love for his students. He enjoys a genuine and a true respect- a respect not based no fear, but on love and sincerity. His respect is envied by hundreds of wealthy and powerful people, who, despite having power and pelf, find themselves unlucky and less fortunate than a good teacher. A teacher can earn a handsome amount as well in shape of his rewards and remuneration. But when it comes genuine respect, money takes a back seat. His primary concern is earn genuine respect and love. Money is of secondary importance for a good teacher.

A good teacher always looks forward to improving his knowledge. The more he learns, the more he comes to know how much he does not know. His thirst for knowledge is unending and insatiable. His constant urge for learning more and more always keeps him happy and cheerful. The downpour of knowledge gladdens his heart and thrills his soul.

        Teachers enjoy good number of holidays or vacations to be benefited from them to gain more and more to enhance their knowledge and skills. They can also give a proper time for their family and meet their needs properly.

       A good teacher is a also a good and effective reformer. He uses his teaching as effective tool to help society avoid and stay away from destructive habits and satanic temptations. He motivates and inspires his students to be stronger to combat satanic and evil forces. He urges them to be useful and productive member of society and a good citizen of their respective countries.

Teaching has a lot of benefits. The most important benefit is job satisfaction. If a teacher finds appreciative, discerning and hard working students, he feels his labour is amply and effectively rewarded. This is what every good teacher craves for. But in order to reap all these benefits of this great profession, a teacher is supposed to be sincere, selfless, dedicated, hard working and dutiful.

A profession is a job which needs specialized training, and teaching is certainly that. A vocation is more all-encompassing; it is a calling, a way of life, and teaching is especially that. You are involved with your students not just during working hours but they become a part of your life for the ten months they are in your classroom. There are always a special few will remain in your memory and your heart for the rest of your life.

Teaching has many benefits and, like all professions, some disadvantages. This article is about the benefits, so the few detriments will be dealt with another time.

The salary is good. In the province of Ontario, where I taught, your pay rate increased as you gained years of experience. It also increased as you passed more courses, either professional courses or university credits. I often found that trying to juggle working, raising my own children, doing Homework for university, and trying to keep my house from looking like a disaster area, resulted in not being able to give my best to any of these tasks. I would strongly urge anyone thinking of entering the profession to get as much education as possible before you actually start teaching.
The holidays are good. There are about 180 actual teaching days each year. Single teachers find summer holidays are often useful for taking courses without distraction. Mothers of young children may opt to spend that time with their family for a few years. The choice is yours. For those with school-aged children, it is helpful to have weekends and holidays off with the family.
However, it must be remembered that teachers do a lot of work outside of school hours. Every evening, there is marking to be done. The children soon learn whether or not you check their work carefully. If you don't do so consistently, there will be a quick drop in the quality of assignments they hand in. Also, there are lessons and seat work activities to be prepared for the next day. I often spent two hours or more at the dining room table each evening. The advantage here, I guess, is that if you don't have an active social life, you won't miss it.
If it's near report card time, you might also be writing comments for one group each evening. I found that trying to do more than several at once, when I was tired to begin with, resulted in some that sounded as if they were composed in Loopy land, and I'd end up doing them over later.
Another advantage of being a teacher is that the job is so engrossing, you have to forget your personal problems while you're interacting with the children. That job eased me through a divorce, the deaths of both my parents, a second marriage and the adjustments thereof, menopause, and hundreds of other little ups and downs that we all face as we proceed through life.
For 5 1/2 hours a day, you are completely with the children, in the classroom. Human minds are not equipped to focus with two topics at the same time. The mornings and evenings may be hellish, but when that school bell rings, you're a teacher, composed and in command of the class. It's expected of you, and somehow, you always manage to measure up.

These then, are some of advantages of being a teacher. There are many others: the smiles and hugs, the friends you make, both on staff and among the parents, the school trips, Halloween parades around the neighborhood, and Christmas concerts when you're so proud of the little monkeys, you could cry.
You always remember the children themselves, especially those who were very good, and those who were especially difficult, either to teach or to deal with. They will always hold a special place in your heart, as you hope for the best for them in life.

In later years, when one of your students becomes a doctor, a scientist, a leader in industry or distinguishes himself in some other way, you can smile with pride and say, "I taught him in Grade Three".
Is there any other profession or vocation which offers the potential for such satisfaction, or personal fulfillment?

TEACHING IS A VOCATION- A CALLING

Teaching is more than a noble profession. It is a vocation, a calling.. The teacher is the most important person in any civilization, as on him depends the molding of the nation. There are not many born teachers, but there are those who love teaching, and there are those who enter it as an occupation. The chief qualification for a teacher is his or her love for children; from there can follow the training by good teachers and professors of techniques and principles. Good teacher-pupil relationship is very important.

A teacher must know that he or she is teaching, not only a subject, but a child. A teacher must know each child in his or her charge – especially in his early years – his temperament, his academic capability, his health, his bent, his home background and anything that may be hindering him from doing his best. This will equip teachers and help them to educate. Each child must taste success at the beginning by beginning with the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, the known to the unknown and to develop at its own rate. This will give him confidence. A good teacher, by his/her methods will be able to motivate the pupil, awaken his interest, and arouse his curiosity. Teachers can make learning pleasant. They must exhibit energy, enthusiasm and cheerfulness, and never cease to learn themselves. A teacher who ceases to learn becomes irrelevant.

Here I wish to make a comment on the role of the Head teacher or Principal. He must at all times give valuable support to his teachers. He, himself, must be a good teacher and his relationship with his teachers and parents must be good at all times. He must be able to command respect and, with his influence, get his staff to work as a team and, together, rally the support of parents. A vibrant Parent-Teacher Association is a necessity as it will help in the child’s interest, and also in the education of the parent.

If an individual is well educated; if he is given the right information; if he is trained according to his bent; if he has a right sense of values, if he has learnt to think positively, to make good judgments, and if he is able to realize his uniqueness in the mosaic which is indivisible humanity – he will be well on his way to make this world a better place for himself and others.

TEACHING IS A MISSION,NOT A TASK

We judge a nation’s greatness not just through its history, tradition, and culture, but by what priorities its society chooses. Education should be one of the most important tasks for any nation, but when mediocrity rules our schools it threatens everyone’s future.
It is excellence in teaching and learning that we should be concerned with, and in this there is a clear distinction between a “teacher”, an “educator” and a “learner.”
A teacher is one who holds a profession by which he should impart knowledge or skill to his students. Many, however, come to class and deliver their overused notes without observing students’ needs, comprehension and understanding. For them, a classroom is a space they have to be at in a particular time. Unfortunately, China’s lecture halls are full of them.
Several years ago, an elderly professor suggested, “a teacher should just choose the five top students and work with them because the others are no good anyway.” This kind of advice is a symptom of a wider educational illness.
Such teachers let most of the students, especially the weak, fade away and fail. Their lectures are just another chore. In the end, they evaluate their students’ performance and knowledge by their ability to memorize text, not by comprehending and understanding it. These teachers make students good copiers, not original thinkers.
With this kind of teaching, how can we expect students to develop skills at critical thinking? Will they know how to find alternatives and make real choices? Will they be able to communicate with others correctly? Can they make a tangible contribution to society and elevate the nation to new heights?
An educator, on the other hand, provides an overall intellectual, moral, and social instruction to his students. He is a wise and learned person, respected for his knowledge, judgment and wisdom. He cares about all his students, whatever their abilities, and provides an understanding of the future they will be facing. It is a mission rather than a profession.
This educator sees teaching as a responsibility, not just another job. Through his or her students become not only good learners, but also people who can actively contribute to society.
Universities are meant to educate for life and for a profession. The mission of an educator is to carry out an exchange, a process of requirements, responsibilities, and obligations that leads to wider knowledge, and thus to better performance and higher results by all students, weak or strong.
A good educator should lead the way for his students, never giving up his responsibilities and obligations even at the cost of criticism and popularity pressure. He should constantly ask whether they are ready to carry society’s hopes.
Chinese students are bright young people. They are constantly under the pressure of their studies. Their many assignments are a heavy burden added to other matters they must face.
Nonetheless most of them know that reused notes and textbooks alone do not replace information and exchange of ideas. They should be open-minded and participate in any intellectual activity. But bad teachers promote an absence of such, and as a result many students purposefully deceive themselves, and most of all – the society which they hope to be part of. Today our school system has too many second-rate teachers and too few educators. Under such circumstances, many students do not understand that responsibilities are important for their future as people and employees. Thus, there is a contradiction between their race for university qualifications and their future performance as supposedly qualified graduates. It is a liability for China’s harmonious society, for future excellence and for ultimate national advancement. Students are the next generation of Chinese leadership, but their training lies in the hands of many second-rate teachers and only a few educators.

Collaborative Learning is a relationship among learners that requires positive interdependence (a sense of sink or swim together), individual accountability (each of us has to contribute and learn), interpersonal skills (communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution), face-to-face promotive interaction, and processing (reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better).

The concept of collaborative learning, the grouping and pairing of learners for the purpose of achieving a learning goal, has been widely researched and advocated - the term "collaborative learning" refers to an instruction method in which learners at various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. The learners are responsible for one another's learning as well as their own. Thus, the success of one learner helps other students to be successful. Proponents of collaborative learning claim that the active exchange of ideas within small groups not only increases interest among the participants but also promotes critical thinking.There is persuasive evidence that cooperative teams achieve at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than learners who work quietly as individuals. The shared learning gives leanres an opportunity to engage in discussion, take responsibility for their own learning, and
thus becom

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is a broad term encompassing several educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students and/or teachers. It involves all the methodologies and environments where students perform a common task, and each student relies on and is accountable to each other. This type of learning is especially ideal to instil teamwork and unity. It requires students to work together in search for understanding, meaning, or solutions. Activities may include writing, group projects, and similar activities.

Collaborative learning

Collaborative learning takes on various forms including collaborative networked learning (CNL), computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), and learning management systems (LMS), among other things. CNL is intended for the self-directed adult-learner. CSCL is a new educational paradigm used by researchers and practitioners in varied fields such as cognitive sciences, sociology, and computer engineering. Collaborative learning can be associated with LMS where a collection of tools are used by students to assist or be assisted by others. In addition, collaborative learning development is another form of collaborative learning where developers work as a network or team. This is specifically relevant to e-learning, or the sharing and building of knowledge. To sum up, collaborative learning is an effective method that is applicable in online education to teach students the importance of collaboration and teamwork.

e critical thinkers.

Top 10 Tips for Classroom Discipline and Management

     Classroom discipline and management causes the most fear and consternation in new teachers. However, classroom management is a skill that is not only learned but practiced daily. Here are ten tips that can lead to successful classroom management and discipline. These tips can help you cut down on discipline problems and leave you with fewer interruptions and disruptions.

1. It's Easier to Get Easier

Many teachers make the mistake of starting the school year with a poor discipline plan. Students quickly assess the situation in each class and realize what they will be allowed to get away with. Once you set a precedent of allowing a lot of disruptions, it can be very hard to start better classroom management and discipline techniques. However, it is never tough to get easier as the year goes on. While you don't have to follow the adage, "Never smile until Christmas," it does have its merits.

2. Fairness is Key

Students have a distinct sense of what is and what is not fair. You must act fairly for all students if you expect to be respected. If you do not treat all students equitably, you will be labelled as unfair students will not be keen to follow your rules. Make sure that if your best student does something wrong, they too get punished for it.

3. Deal with Disruptions with as Little Interruption as Possible

When you have classroom disruptions, it is imperative that you deal with them immediately and with as little interruption of your class momentum as possible. If students are talking amongst themselves and you are having a classroom discussion, ask one of them a question to try to get them back on track. If you have to stop the flow of your lesson to deal with disruptions, then you are robbing students who want to learn of their precious in-class time.

4. Avoid Confrontations in Front of Students

Whenever there is a confrontation in class there is a winner and a loser. Obviously as the teacher, you need to keep order and discipline in your class. However, it is much better to deal with discipline issues privately than cause a student to 'lose face' in front of their friends. It is not a good idea to make an example out of a disciplinary issue. Even though other students might get the point, you might have lost any chance of actually teaching that student anything in your class.

5. Stop Disruptions with a Little Humor

Sometimes all it takes is for everyone to have a good laugh to get things back on track in a classroom. Many times, however, teachers confuse good humor with sarcasm. While humor can quickly diffuse a situation, sarcasm may harm your relationship with the students involved. Use your best judgment but realize that what some people think as funny others find to be offensive.

6. Keep High Expectations in Your Class

Expect that your students will behave, not that they will disrupt. Reinforce this with the way you speak to your students. When you begin the day, tell your students your expectations. For example, you might say, "During this whole group session, I expect you to raise your hands and be recognized before you start speaking. I also expect you to respect each others opinions and listen to what each person has to say."

7. Overplan

Free time is something teachers should avoid. By allowing students time just to talk each day, you are setting a precedent about how you view academics and your subject. To avoid this, overplan. When you have too much to cover, you'll never run out of lessons and you will avoid free time. You can also fill up any left over time with mini-lessons.

8. Be Consistent

One of the worst things you can do as a teacher is to not enforce your rules consistently. If one day you ignore misbehaviors and the next day you jump on someone for the smallest infraction, your students will quickly lose respect for you. Your students have the right to expect you to basically be the same everyday. Moodiness is not allowed. Once your lose your student's respect, you also lose their attention and their desire to please you.

9. Make Rules Understandable

You need to be selective in your class rules (no one can follow 180 rules consistently). You also need to make them clear. Students should understand what is and what is not acceptable. Further, you should make sure that the consequences for breaking your rules are also clear and known beforehand.

10. Start Fresh Everyday

Everyday tip does not mean that you discount all previous infractions, i.e. if they have three tardies then today means four. However, it does mean that you should start teaching your class each day with the expectation that students will . Don't assume that because Julie has disrupted your class everyday for a week, she will disrupt it today. By doing this, you will not be treating Julie any differently and thereby setting her up to disrupt again (like a self-fulfilling prophecy). Read a personal example of this with my best teaching experience.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Classroom management is a term used by teachers to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite disruptive behavior by students. The term also implies the prevention of disruptive behavior. It is possibly the most difficult aspect of teaching for many teachers; indeed experiencing problems in this area causes some to leave teaching altogether. In 1981 the US National Educational Association reported that 36% of teachers said they would probably not go into teaching if they had to decide again. A major reason was "negative student attitudes and discipline".(Wolfgang and Glickman)
According to Moskowitz & Hayman (1976), once a teacher loses control of their classroom, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to regain that control (Moskowitz & Hayman, 1976, p. 283)). Also, research from Berliner (1988) and Brophy & Good (1986) shows that the time that teacher has to take to correct misbehavior caused by poor classroom management skills results in a lower rate of academic engagement in the classroom (Berliner, 1988, p. 310; Brophy & Good, 1986, p. 335). From the student’s perspective, effective classroom management involves clear communication of behavioral and academic expectations, as well as a cooperative learning environment (Allen 1986).
Classroom management is closely linked to issues of motivation, discipline and respect. Methodologies remain a matter of passionate debate amongst teachers; approaches vary depending on the beliefs a teacher holds regarding educational psychology. A large part of traditional classroom management involves behavior modification, although many teachers see using behavioral approaches alone as overly simplistic. Many teachers establish rules and procedures at the beginning of the school year. According to Gootman (2008), rules give students concrete direction to ensure that our expectation becomes a reality (Gootman, Marilyn E., 2008, p.36). They also try to be consistent in enforcing these rules and procedures. Many would also argue for positive consequences when rules are followed, and negative consequences when rules are broken. There are newer perspectives on classroom management that attempt to be holistic. One example is affirmation teaching, which attempts to guide students toward success by helping them see how their effort pays off in the classroom. It relies upon creating an environment where students are successful as a result of their own efforts (Pintrich and De Groot 1990).

Classroom Management as Time Management

In their introductory text on teaching, Kauchak and Eggen (2008) explain classroom management in terms of time management. The goal of classroom management, to Kauchak and Eggen, is to not only maintain order but to optimize student learning. They divide class time into four overlapping categories, namely allocated time, instructional time, engaged time, and academic learning time.
Allocated time
Allocated time is the total time allotted for teaching, learning, and routine classroom procedures like attendance and announcements. Allocated time is also what appears on a student's schedule, for example "Introductory Algebra: 9:50-10:30 a.m." or "Fine Arts 1:15-2:00 p.m."
Instructional time
Instructional time is what remains after routine classroom procedures are completed. That is to say, instructional time is the time wherein teaching and learning actually takes place. Teachers may spend two or three minutes taking attendance, for example, before their instruction begins.
Engaged time
Engaged time is also called time on task. During engaged time, students participating actively in learning activities—asking and responding to questions, completing worksheets and exercises, preparing skits and presentations, etc.
Academic learning time
Academic learning time occurs when students 1) participate actively and 2) are successful in learning activities. Effective classroom management maximizes academic learning time.

Common Mistakes in Classroom Behavior Management

In an effort to maintain order in the classroom, sometimes teachers can actually make the problems worse. Therefore, it is important to consider some of the basic mistakes commonly made when implementing classroom behavior management strategies. For example, a common mistake made by teachers is to define the problem behavior by how it looks without considering its function^[4]. Interventions are more likely to be effective when they are individualized to address the specific function of the problem behavior. Two students with similar looking misbehavior may require entirely different intervention strategies if the behaviors are serving different functions.
Another common mistake is for the teacher to become increasingly frustrated and negative when an approach is not working . The teacher may raise his or her voice or increase adverse consequences in an effort to make the approach work. This type of interaction may impair the teacher-student relationship. Instead of allowing this to happen, it is often better to simply try a new approach.
Inconsistency in expectations and consequences is an additional mistake that can lead to dysfunction in the classroom.
Teachers must be consistent in their expectations and consequences to help ensure that students understand that rules will be enforced. To avoid this, teachers should communicate expectations to students clearly and be sufficiently committed to the classroom management procedures to enforce them consistently.