Thread: Help in Changing Teaching Style Please!

First you have to understand the circumstances I am coming from. I give PD on learning styles and teaching styles. I am an academic coach and work very closely with teachers to help them change.

There is nothing wrong with your style, and for some students this type of teaching is the best there is. It is not important that you change everything, what is important is that you mix it up. You do not need lesson plans, what you need are strategies to teach your lessons.

We all teach in a style that is comfortable to us. We often don't think of anything else. The problem is, it is not easy to change. It takes time and small steps. You and your boss are not going to see immediate changes but by trying different things and communicating with your students you will change.

I am a huge fan of Thoughtful Education Press. Their strategies are well thought out and easy to implement.

For general strategies I like
Tools for Promoting Active, In-Depth Learning, 2nd Edition
[url="http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=4"]http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/inde ... roductId=4[/url]

The best book I have found is "So Each May Learn" You can buy it here
[url="http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=14"]http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/inde ... oductId=14[/url]

For general teaching strategies I

For math specific learning styles strategies I love these books:
Styles and Strategies for Teaching High School Mathematics
[url="http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=11"]http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/inde ... oductId=11[/url]

Styles and Strategies for Teaching Middle School Mathematics
[url="http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=12"]http://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/inde ... oductId=12[/url]

If you have any questions just ask.

Mark,

Until I get my hands on some texts, could you give me your best advice on how to move in the direction I need to (and as painlessly as possible), to avoid problems with my supervisor.

Thanks,

rjr

I am not sure what kind of math is assessed on the GED, but I will tell you how I "mix things up" in my high school math classroom.

When a topic lends itself to some exploration, such as a data collection activity that will then lead to a math modeling activity that will then lead to a prediction activity, I use this data collection time to let the kids get their hands dirty with the math. I spend my time while they are working wandering about the room, listening to the conversations that are going on and interjecting when I hear a powerful personality projecting blatantly wrong information on the group.

I will tell you that on days when I do this type of activity, I go home less stressed and less tired. The reason, I believe, is that I am not the one doing all the work. The kids are working, and so the kids are learning.

If you could provide a little information about an upcoming topic, I'd be pleased to offer some specifics on how you can turn it into a learner-centered activity if it is appropriate for the topic, and if it isn't I'd be pleased to state that frankly.

One other thing...

No matter when you decide to try it, you'll be uncomfortable, and the first time or two will not go smooth as silk. You have to spend a little time after the lesson reflecting on what happened and how you can prevent any mishaps the next time with more planning.

I'll be looking for a topic!

I'm not a math teacher- but my natural teaching style is storyteller/lecturer, which is not popular anymore. So, I've had to incorporate things I think is kind of touchy-feely/intellectually useless/babyish/insert pejorative/etc. Some of these things do actually work. And, you need not necessarily change your whole teaching style (I'm not even sure that is advisable, although, like yourself, I get the distinct impression that the old way is being hounded from the profession quite deliberately). All you have to do, is find some thing that is not teacher driven, and incorporate it into what you do. For example, I teach a 90 minute block. I lecture maybe half of it at the most. The rest of the time, they work on something- independently, such as a quiz, or I give them an assignment to do in small groups, like pairing them up or whatever the situation calls for. I don't lecture every day, (but most days- I'm still a bit old-fashioned I suppose.)

I use some things such as research projects (trip to the computer lab) or have them do classroom presentations (which can be posters, powerpoints, or even short videos they make) and try to vary. I also use a data projector to use a lot of pictures with my lesson presentations- a picture is worth 1000 words sometimes. And teaching history, I can use instructional videos from time to time. Some of that won't directly help you teach math, I know, but you might get some ideas from this post.

Incidentally, I feel your pain. I've sat in my principal's office and discussed my propensity to lecture. The only advice I have is, don't be afraid to try something different. You might find something that works for you pretty well if you look. And they'll at least appreciate you trying.

The quickest and easiest student centered teaching is commonly known as student to student feedback. That is fancy speak for talking to each other.

If nothing else, have the students do a problem and then compare answers.

A little higher up would be pairing the students or in groups of three. Give each member a different problem. Students solve their problem. Students then explain how they solved their problem and the other students write what the person is saying. This forces the students to think about process and communication. Talking about something helps the student reinforce the process in their mind. The other students are checking the work of the first student.

You can also give them personal white boards and have them solve a problem and hold it up. You tell them if they have it or not. Just say their name and yes or no. Let them copy off each other have some fun. When I taught math these practice lessons were the most fun.

Math is a subject that has to have parts taught to the students. I have seen GED classes and many of those students desperately need that type of initial instruction but they also need to work with each other and talk about the math.

Stay away from larger groups and math games until you get a little used to giving up some of the control in the classroom changing your planning style. Right now you plan for a lecture and to plan something different requires a shift in thinking. This is easy for some but really difficult for others. I have been doing weekly planning with one woman for 11 weeks now. She is a lecturer and is having a lot of difficulty changing her thinking, then again she has been at this for 25 years the same way.

Just remember that teaching is not brain surgery (in some ways it is more difficult) You can always reteach if you do something and it fails.

Thanks for the input guys. I could try to get a lot deeper into the specifics of what is a very complicated and political situation, but it would be too complicated. I’ll try to take your advice and work with my supervisor to make her (and more importantly her supervisors) happy, and hopfully, I’ll be able to make the transition in a way that works for everyone –I suspect it will be tough.

Sincerely,

jrj

I am assuming that you work examples into your lecture. Instead of doing all your examples within your lecture, do a minimum needed. Then use that time for group work after your lecture. So if currently, your 50 min class is

25 minutes lecture
25 minutes for students to do HW

Change to
15 minutes lecture
15 minutes group work
20 minutes for student HW

You will probably want to preselect groups of 3. Mix up the groups as needed and even assign a recorder for each group. You could even make a game of it and give extra credit or other privileges to groups willing to post their solution for the rest of the class. Students may take this opportunity to goof off so be ready for this with consequences if they do so.

It is sad that the administration feels the need to micromanage your classroom so. Good luck to you.

It really bothers me that administration is doing this to you. If I am reading you correctly, what you're saying is that you generally teach in a more traditional style (you know, explain the topic, write some notes and then give time for homework) and the administration wants you to become a more creative, group-oriented teacher. Am I right so far?

If so, that is the biggest problem I have with where education is going. I am one of the top students at my high school, and along with everyone else who tends to do very well (90% and upwards), I prefer teachers using a traditional style. As soon as teachers try to be creative I find myself thrown off and learning less.

I hate the way schools are trying to cater to the kids who couldn't care less while rejecting the students trying to get everything they can out of their schooling.

Several years from now you will not be so closed minded. It might do you some good to work outside your comfort zone. Teaching with different styles is beneficial to every student in class. You are not the only one there and chances are the kid next to you does care they just cannot handle a "traditional" learning environment.

Open your mind a little and look around you. Just because someone learns differently does not mean they do not care. Yes your needs are as important as their's, but not more so. I would suggest you go to your local university library and look up learning styles in professional journals. Being such a high performing student you should be able to tackle with ease. You might learn something and realize that you are not the only one with needs in your classroom.