Getting Ready for the Classroom - Essay Example

Chapter 1: Getting Ready for the Classroom

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There is an ongoing debate about whether to consider teaching as a science or an art (Moore 4-5).

It takes a gut-level feeling to silently communicate knowledge to your students. Proof I have for this is the list of all the “technically” good teachers I had since nursery, but only some of them were able to tap into my inner thirst and motivation to learn (Moore 5).

Effective teachers should be flexible, receptive, perceptive, positive, caring, excited about teaching and learning, and willing to collaborate (Moore 14-5).

If effectiveness in teaching relies on these dispositions, then it proves all the more that teaching is not only science but also an art. Although there is always the possibility that these skills may be learned, most of the time, they are inborn. And yes, I agree that effective teachers should possess these qualities because I believe that teaching and learning are interactions between teachers and students. The better the interaction is, the better the passing on of knowledge is.

IDEA and education in the least restrictive environment (Moore 18)

I support the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. I believe that learning is not about restricting, but about expanding the horizon for the learners. If they can interact with other students, then they should be placed in that environment. Besides, we allow them to learn so that they will be able to stand up on their own in the future --- and in that future, they will be surrounded by people without disabilities.

Challenges in starting a teaching career (Moore 22)

There are several professional teaching standards in place that ensure the quality of teachers available to students. Upon reviewing their criteria, it is interesting to note that the standards are different from one state to another. It would have been better if the standards are the same because it tells you that they are really after quality. Having different requirements makes the process look like just another licensure program.

Chapter 2: Planning and Organizing for Teaching

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No curriculum has reached a state of perfection (Moore 55).

The curriculum will continue to change because the areas of need --- the subject, the student, and the society --- evolve. For one, we now have inclusive education --- something that we did not have several decades back. We also witness a rapid increase in multicultural classrooms nowadays. With the fast-changing evolution of the needs of society, the learner, and the scope of the subject, it should not come as a surprise that several curriculum changes will happen shortly.

Curriculum selection (Moore 50) and planning the course (Moore 56)

If I want to be an effective teacher, I should learn from my surroundings --- the community, neighborhood, school, and students --- so I would be better able to answer and adapt to the needs required by the curriculum.

Raising the academic achievement of minority groups and helping students understand and deal with social and structural inequities in society (Moore 61).

This raises two questions for me: 1) If we have lower standards of achievement for minority groups, will it not lessen the commitment of some teachers to educate these students to their maximum potential? and; 2) Is it not based on the concept of social and structural inequities in society --- the very thing we want to avoid?

Technology in the classroom (Moore 63)

As part of learning from the surroundings, teachers must also be ready to maximize technological advances. The curriculum, society, students, and subject are not the only ones evolving and developing. Teachers should go through the same process as well to ensure that they are in line with the “language” of their time. Teachers should be the first to understand that learning is a continuous and lifetime process.