Week 3 Readings

Chapter 25 in the H.D.B. book is all about teacher development and it had some really great suggestions. It is a great reminder that while students are learning and developing so is the teacher. I think it is important to note that teachers can learn from a variety of sources such as other teachers, journals, research, themselves and their students.

H.D.B. broke down the different types of teacher learner their are:
Skill Learning- these are basic skills such as making lesson plans, maintaining control of the classroom and assessment.
Cognitive Process- this type of learning comes from background knowledge and experience which forms teachers' beliefs about education.
Personal construction- this type of knowledge is "actively constructed". In other words teachers do not simply acquire it they actively pursue this type of knowledge.
Reflective Practice- This is an internal process by the teacher. This is knowledge through a teacher's own awareness of their teaching style and techniques.

I liked the idea of personal construction because that is something that I can actually have control of. H.D.B. gives ideas of how to actively construct knowledge. I found a few ideas which I thought would actually work in a teacher's busy schedule and I foresee myself in the future practicing these learning techniques. One of them is journaling and I think even for a busy teacher if h/she made an effort they could really see results. Also, to read scholarly journals if only during the school breaks is a good idea. As a student when I am not reading some book or other material I feel as though I am getting a "lazy brain" so this practice of teacher development could really work for me.

H.D.B. illustrated the characteristics of a peak performer:
Believe in yourself
Set realistic goals
Set priorities
Take risks
Reduce and manage stress factors
This chapter illustrated the importance of balance in a teacher's life. It is no myth that a teacher's life is stressful but can have some of the best rewards. With suggestions like the ones listed above a teacher can find that happy balance and develop as a peak performer.

Another point in the chapter was that teachers can construct their own research. I thought (as the book stated) that research was better left to the experts but there is a persuading argument for how teacher conducted research can benefit a classroom. If one views it as simply a small experiment it seems less intimidating.

Also, I liked the idea of peer coaching and team teaching. Many novice teachers simply do not have the experience that other more experienced teachers have and that can be a very valuable resource in teacher development.

Overall, I think it is very important for me as a future teacher to keep in mind that I need to grow with my students and continue to develop and learn. I need to set goals for myself and my students and strive to be the best teacher that I can be.