Investigating Meaningful Teaching - Essay Example

Investigating Meaningful Teaching Teaching is a profession that requires a lot of research, understanding and learning on the part of the teacher, inorder to comprehend the student behavior, while making the learning process easier for him… Introduction Teaching is a profession that requires a lot of research, understanding and learning on the part of the teacher, in order to comprehend the student behavior, while making the learning process easier for him. While teaching can also be sub-divided into various sections and areas of study, in this paper, we will be discussing the facets of “meaningful teaching,” while also discussing teaching the students with special needs. Teaching by itself, is an extremely challenging job. However, when we are discussing special education and special educators in particular, the job, by definition, becomes even more difficult. However, braving the job of a special educator, the end result too comes out to be more satisfying and intriguing. In this paper, while discussing the role of a special educator, we will be discussing what it takes to make for meaningful teaching and learning experience. Let us move forward with our research, answering a few important questions and understanding the importance of meaningful teaching keeping special education as our target. Necessity for a meaningful and worthwhile teaching and learning experience Let us first describe what ‘meaningful teaching’ is. Meaningful Teaching is a teaching that promotes “knowledge construction by students,” while also helping them in forward thinking. In order to cohort an exceptional or meaningful teaching and learning experience in a classroom, a teacher would be required to adhere to certain set of rules or pointers. These pointers will thereby help initiate a better learning atmosphere, while rendering the teaching a meaningful and worthwhile definition. Some of these basic rulers of a meaningful teaching, as explained by Professor Kathleen Fisher (Annenberg Media), are mentioned below: Making a composite Lesson and Framework – This implies that the teacher should always plan the proceeding of the course in advance. The planning should be in such a manner that the whole course gets interlinked, with one lesson being ensued by the next. Proper connection between each lesson is, hence, extremely important, facilitating in the learning process of the students. Secondly, each lesson planned should embody a feature of excitement and surprise for the students. Illustrating a particular point, while making it important, should also be surprising, thus enabling the teacher to catch the attention of the pupils successfully. Not only will this enhance the memorizing compatibility of the lesson, it will also enable the students to reform their ideas. Revising and reconsidering – Before starting with a lesson, the teacher should help the class recall the last lesson. Not only will this help the teacher to assess the success of his or her classes, it will also help the students to link the latter session to the former. Secondly, a teacher should always try and assay any prior knowledge that the students have regarding the topic to be followed. Managing student observation – Making students to reach the deeper levels of observation when it comes to the topic under discussion will always help increase their interest. Making them work in groups, assigning projects for data collection etc, throwing in random questions and other such tricks will help enhance the quality of the lesson, while flourishing the concentration and understanding of the students as well. Summarizing and Interpretation – At the end of each lesson, it is extremely important to summarize the whole exercise. Then again, just as getting background of the prior knowledge of students on a subject was important, post lesson information too is necessary. This helps develop the mindset of the students helping them form opinions or change perceptions. These above mentioned few pointers are necessary for developing a meaningful and worthwhile teaching and learning experience. The relationship(s) among thinking, teaching and learning Before beginning with my explanation of the relationship between thinking, teaching and learning, here is what Deborah Gough says regarding the same: “Perhaps most importantly in todays information age, thinking skills are viewed as crucial for educated persons to cope with a rapidly changing world. Many educators believe that specific knowledge will not be as important to tomorrows workers and citizens as the ability to learn and make sense of new information.” (Gough, 2003) Keeping the above quote in mind, let us now begin our quest through learning, thinking and teaching. A teacher can refer to two kinds of learning – his/her own and the students’. Without learning on his/her own, be it regarding the subject or the teaching module to be adopted, a teacher can never be successful in his/her quest. For a teacher, understanding the students and taking respective teaching steps will be the best way to go about the process of teaching (teachernet.gov). No two students are the same and the knowledge on certain topic is changing at random with the world fast catching up with new techniques and facilities. Therefore, a continual process of learning is required for a teacher. Secondly, the teacher, while focusing on his/her own learning, also requires attending to the learning needs of the students. Hence, there are two types of learning that the teacher encounters (Richard Harrison). Secondly, learning anew will and should always lead to a renewed thought process. Unless we assimilate the knowledge gained, we will never be able to express or practice it. A teacher requires building his/her own opinion and understanding of a topic, in order to enhance the thought processes amongst his/her pupils. The main motive behind teaching is to enable the pupils to venture on a meaningful and able thinking process. Meaningful teaching is that that helps the students launch themselves into rational thinking, while reassessing and formulating their own opinions. Hence, for a teacher, thinking along with learning becomes quintessential (Kathleen Cotton, 1991). Lastly, the relationship amongst the mentioned three – thinking, teaching and learning – is one that might be aptly termed as inevitable. In the process of teaching, learning and thinking are indispensable, while all three happen simultaneously. Be it the students or the teacher, teaching, thinking and learning are three of the processes, which form for the very basis of meaningful and worthwhile teaching and education. As mentioned in the earlier answer, teaching that does not cater to constructive thinking and learning procedure cannot be termed as constructive in nature. Why do you want to be a special educator? Why would anyone want to be a special educator? Teaching is a profession that involves immense responsibility and understanding on behalf of an individual ensuing it. Apart from being challenging, teaching also comprises of eternal satisfaction. While teaching is a profession, I specially want to become a special educator. Before, we move on the reasons leading to me choosing to become a special educator, let me first explain the basic fact about the special educators. Special educators are those who instruct and teach the students with certain disabilities, be it blindness, deafness, or any other physical or mental deformity (The Council for Exceptional Children). Special educators for the disabled students can be of sorts – speech therapist, behavioral consultants, art therapist, psychologists, special education teacher and so on (schoolofchoice.com). A special educator has one basic task of determining the special needs of each student and working coherently with the student on a new and tailor-made charted lesson regimen (National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Service Providers). The reasons are many that might germinate the fancy in a person to become special educators. However, the reasons that led me to opt for becoming a special educator are mentioned below: As a special educator, I will get to learn along with the students. While the learning process amongst normal kids is fast, children or students with disabilities require personal attention and approach from the instructor. The special educator needs to be extremely patient when dealing with these students, and hence, makes for an extremely challenging disposition (Linda Starr, 1999). Apart from the challenging concern, I also believe that teaching the students with disability is one of the truly rewarding professions. By rewarding I am not referring to the monetary gain, rather, the amount of satisfaction and peace one gains from issuing a disabled student from the path of ignorance to that of light and knowledge. When asked, J. Paul, a special educator, replied, “I always wanted to be a teacher. However, circumstances thrust me into teaching students with special needs. Ever since, I have not looked back. Teaching the students with disability has become my purpose and I intend to do it all my life.” Another special educator, Charan Moitra, explains that one of his best and most memorable learning experiences was with a mentally challenged ten year girl. Not only did this girl teach him a lesson of innocence and trust, she also taught him to smile despite all odds. Such cases are not unread and have happened abound. The reason I want to be a special educator is that I too will get to work with special kids and students, while teaching them and also learning from them. (Moitra, 1999) Last, but not the least Meaningful teaching can be rendered a deeper meaning when using it to help the students with certain disabilities learn and match up with the steps of the world. In order to be a special educator, there is a further need to incorporate all methods of meaningful teaching in order to bring some sunshine in the lives of these special ones. Apart from using meaningful and worthwhile teaching techniques, involving a lot of learning is also important. Learning, reassessing, thinking and teaching – making use of these four pillars for effective teaching will definitely render success to the aspirant. Works cited and referenced: Elizabeth Alexander Ashburn, Robert E. Floden (2006). Meaningful Learning Using Technology: What Educators Need to Know and Do.: Teachers College Press. Lorene R. Sisson and Susan L. Kendall (2002). 21stCentury Tools for Meaningful Teaching and Learning -Using Authentic Resources. Professor Kathleen Fisher (extracted in 2008). Teaching for Meaningful Understanding. http://www.learner.org/workshops/math/teach.html. Schoolofchoice.com (extracted in 2008). The School of Choice - Gifted Education is Special Education. Hema Vijay (2007). Want to be a special educator? . Centre For Child Development (2007). Special Educator. Ann Cranston-Gingras, Carolyn D. Lavely, James L. Paul, Ella L. Taylor. Rethinking Professional Issues in Special Education. John Wills Lloyd, Edward J. Kameenui, David Chard. Issues in Educating Students with Disabilities. Derrick Armstrong. Experiences of Special Education: Re-evaluating Policy and Practice through Life Stories (Includes discussion of special education in Great Britain). Jennifer L. Goeke. Explicit Instruction: Strategies for Meaningful Direct Teaching. Bureau of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor (2008). Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Council for Exceptional Children. Available at: www.cec.sped.org National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Service Providers. Who are Special Educators, Early Intervention and Related Service Providers? Available at: http://www.personnelcenter.org/aboutus.cfm Linda Starr (1999). Teaching Special Kids: Teaching Special Kids: Online Resources for Teachers. Education World Kathleen Cotton (1991). Teaching Thinking Skills. NW Archives. Available at: http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/6/cu11.html Teachernet.gov. The Relationship Between Teaching And Learning. Richard Harrison. Explore and Refine The Relationship Between Teaching and Learning. Available at: http://www.partnership.mmu.ac.uk/cme/Student_Writings/RichHarrison/RichardHarrison.html Read More