Teaching is hard work and so is being a successful student. In order for quality learning to take place in a classroom, both teacher and student need to understand how to be successful. Teachers teach and students learn, but both can be harmed by bad teaching techniques that just won’t go away.
Knowledge of Best Teaching Practices is Essential to Student Learning
Much is known about the psychology of learning. Most of it is taught in schools of education. Regrettably, many teachers are influenced by their personal experience as students and apply methods learned when they were learners.
Many new teachers seek tips and “tricks” from experienced teachers who may base their teaching philosophy on an ends-justifying-the-means approach. For example, if a quiet class is the goal, there are many negative and threatening methods that produce quiet classes, but simultaneously interfere with learning.
The Use of Rewards and Incentives
One of the most common beliefs in schools is that rewarding students with material things will improve learning. There are serious problems with this practice. Dr. Marvin Marshall, a well-known expert on motivation writes, "External controls are manipulators that set up students to be dependent upon external agents."
Intrinsic learning should be emphasized from the start of learning. Specifically, students must understand that learning for the sake of learning is a good thing — it is the key to success. Teachers must apply techniques that make learning as pleasant as possible.
Rewarding good behavior is also insidiously affected by the teacher’s feelings about rewarding. People feel good about pleasing others and seeing a positive reaction. This feeling reinforces rewarding in the teacher, and it may be done because the teacher needs to feel good!
Put-downs and Sarcasm
Teachers need to be emotionally secure enough to understand the importance of adult behavior. Interactions with students are not based on quid pro quo exchanges, rather teachers behave as mature adults at all times. Embarrassing students or using sarcasm not only interferes with relationships; it hinders learning and it implies that bad behavior must be OK if adults do it.
Punishing the Class
Often during class two or three students might continue to talk or be disruptive despite the teacher’s warnings. A common practice is to announce that if unless everyone behaves that the entire class will be punished in some way. This is equivalent to arresting everyone present in a bank when one person pulls off a robbery! It turns peers against one another, while demonstrating that teachers have a right to be unfair.
Negative Discipline as Opposed to Teaching Good Behavior
The best teachers are prepared to teach students how to behave as opposed to tossing out consequences for bad behavior. Writing names on the board with checkmarks for continuing offenses is common, but of questionable value compared to positive, assertive discipline. Teachers who work toward a unified class of students who understand expectations will experience more success in maintaining good behavior.
Being positive requires knowledge of human behavior, a competent and confident teacher, and commitment. Negative discipline — shouting, writing names on the board, threats, etc. — is easier in the short term, but being positive and assertive produces a better learning environment.
Poor Assessments and Evaluation Techniques
Understanding what makes a good test and what should count toward a grade are the fundamental issues in assessment and evaluation. Leaning too heavily on formative assessments to evaluate students is bad practice. Teachers should know the difference between formative and summative assessments and grade only what should be graded.
Not all student work needs a grade, although parents need to know whether or not students are completing required work. Homework is the most frequent source of grading student work that doesn’t need to be graded. If homework reflects standards to be assessed later, then it becomes a learning task that will be graded when the standards appear on tests.
If teachers feel strongly about grading homework they might try a weekly homework quiz based exclusively on homework. This practice can save teacher time and avoid the problem of students copying others homework.
The types of assessments given should be well-conceived. True-false, matching, and similar assessments don’t tap higher levels of learning and are typically graded improperly.
E.g., a ten-item true-false quiz with two wrong answers should receive a score of 60, not 80. This is because a student has a 50-50 chance of guessing and getting the right answer. To put it another way, a totally illiterate person could take a true-false test and get a score of 50% due to chance, even though he knows nothing about the subject and can’t even read.
Motivation Should Take Care of Itself
Teachers are constantly looking for tips to motivate students, but motivating someone to do what they don’t want to do is complex. Tricks and tips may appear to motivate, while only making students temporarily more contented. A quiet classroom also does not mean that learning is taking place.
Teachers should focus on creating an atmosphere that meets basic human needs— acceptance, safety, happiness, physical comfort, etc. Posters should reflect encouragement, not sarcasm. Students concerns should be respected, not rejected. Individual students should frequently hear remarks that affirm progress or encouragement toward progress. Teachers should acknowledge successes to the class as a group and thank them for their efforts.
Much of what is necessary for successful teaching is a matter of common sense, yet many poor practices have gained popularity over the decades. The modern teacher must pay attention to what works and why apply techniques of teaching and discipline that are based on a positive approach.
Effective teaching is for the informed, mature individual who can adapt. Emotional stability and attention to individual and group needs are essential.
Sources:
- Marzano, Robert J. The Art and Science of Teaching. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. 2007.
- Marzano, Robert J., Pickering, Debra J. and Pollock, Jane E.Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004.
Harvey Craft - I am a retired educator with diverse experience. I read anything science, education, and history. I write to share what I learn.
