Classroom Design

Planning For Instruction & 

Teacher controlled vs Student centered classrooms

Planning For Instruction (Prompt 1)

• There are multiple 'Teaching Methods' described within the module.
• Mastery learning
• Direct instruction
• Discovery learning
• Expository teaching
• Inquiry learning
• Cooperative learning
• Methods of fostering comprehension

Choose two and explain how one or more theories may have influenced the instructional choices involved in the methods. You should be able to connect these methods with elements of development/learning/motivation theories that we have covered. It is NOT enough to say that 'Inquiry learning is clearly influenced by Piaget because he thought that kind of thing was a good idea.' Particular theories will 'match up' more or less with different theoretical assumptions.
In other words, describe how what a teacher considers as LEARNING influences how they choose to teach students.

• Which learning theory (or combination) did you find most intuitive or valuable in previous weeks? Which teaching method of those listed would you most like to use? Do these two 'match up'? Why or why not?
• Describe a lesson in your chosen teaching method. This is not a lesson plan, but describe how you would use the method to teach something (specify this), why you chose that method over others. What are your learning objectives and how does that method accomplish them?

Teacher controlled vs. student centered classrooms (Prompt 2)

This week we will discuss the tensions around instructing with a predetermined goal in mind, but wanting to center instruction around students, or let them take control. 

• Reflect on the statement "Teaching with a lot of control is easy. Handing control over to the students, and planning for every possible outcome, adapting instruction where they take it, is extremely difficult, but worth it." Why might this be so? How could you productively hand over some control to your students while still supporting learning?
• Thinking about your observations in your fieldwork experience. What elements do you see that are controlled by the teacher or centered around students? (specify which)
• What kind of motivation or learning differences would you expect (or do you see) between these activities/elements and why?

Equity

Equity Prompt 1

• State one big idea that was surprising or enlightening to you--that will be useful in your future teaching--from the supplemental chapter, or ask a question about something that still puzzles you.
• Considering how school is typically set up, how might the structure be inherently inequitable? Name some ways that this is true. Be specific.
• A student in your class, Alice, comes from a family that communicates primarily using “informal English” where verb use is often misaligned with the formal English standard (e.g.- “don’t be doin’ that!” or “she be getting’ on my nerves” or “she kinda funny!”). You notice that Alice really struggles to express her ideas clearly in writing and also finds it difficult to contribute to class discussion. Being the great teacher that you are, you begin to incorporate more support to help the student develop (and practice) these skills. This is an example of when home culture clashes with the academic culture of school (either is better or 'more intelligent' than the other!). 
• Name at least two ways that you would support this student in learning and becoming comfortable with using formal English. Keep in mind how you could be careful to not degrade her home culture, make her struggle too public, or harm her self efficacy.

Equity Prompt 2

(focus on Motivation/Learning)

• Mr. Harrington asked his students to write stories using their weekly vocabulary words. He believes this allows students to connect the words to their past experience in a meaningful way. As you all know, this is an example of ELABORATION. In Mr. Harrington’s class (above), one of the words was PROFESSOR, and another was SILO. Why might including these words be potentially inequitable? Would all students benefit from the elaboration activity? Why (considering how elaboration works)?
• Geoff complains that his teachers give him bad grades because he is an African American who doesn’t “act white”. Putting aside the potential equity issues in Geoff’s school, to what is he attributing his failure?
• A student in your class, Alice, comes from a family that communicates primarily using “informal English” where verb use is often misaligned with the formal English standard (e.g.- “don’t be doin’ that!” or “she be getting’ on my nerves” or “she kinda funny!”). You notice that Alice really struggles to express her ideas clearly in writing and also finds it difficult to contribute to class discussion. Being the great teacher that you are, you begin to incorporate more support to help the student develop (and practice) these skills. This is an example of when home culture clashes with the academic culture of school (either is better or 'more intelligent' than the other!)
• In thinking about the concept “sensitive period” from brain-development, why might this student’s learning be challenged? Consider how Alice’s sensitive period for language development is relevant here.
• In thinking about the 3-stages of memory from IP learning theory, why might Alice find learning tasks that require writing or speaking more challenging when compared to other students (i.e. – who speak formal English fluently)?