The teacher in the video: “Roller Coaster Physics: STEM in Action,” applies effective teaching methods. At the beginning of the lesson, she introduces the objectives of the teaching activities in a simplified manner for the 5th and the 6th-grade students. Further, she shows a great mastery of content and is able to integrate various theories and fields of study in the learning process (Stronge, 2018). Her proficiency is manifested amongst the students since they are able to identify and apply certain scientific principles within the lesson. Besides, she engages her students by requesting them to make sketches, asking them questions, seeking their comments and feedback as well as organizing them in groups. The strategy ensures that she is able to provide teaching guidance to the students and assess the student’s understanding (Eilam, 2012). Further, the instructor allows the students to be independent and be able to identify the ways in which they can apply the skills and knowledge learned in real-world settings. The classroom is also well equipped with learning material and has enough space for each student.
In the video: “Table for 22: A Real-World Geometry Project” the instructor is receptive to the challenges that her students face. She identifies the needs of her students and focuses on developing appropriate teaching methods that enhance their understanding such as going back to the 3rd-grade lessons. Re-teaching helps in boosting student’s memorability of taught concepts and provides background knowledge for understanding complex lessons (Stronge, 2018). The instructor is very enthusiastic and exhibits great classroom management communication and instruction skills. She makes short notes and sketches on the board thereby enhancing student understanding (Eilam, 2012). Additionally, she engages the students through questions, group work activities and is able to grab the student’s attention throughout the lesson. Her approach also enhances the creativity of the students, as well as their ability to apply learned concepts. Ms. Park is also very time conscious and has appropriate teaching aids. However, the classroom is relatively small to accommodate all the learning activities and a large number of students.
The teaching method applied in the video: “Animal Patterns: Integrating Science, Math " Art,” is interesting and integrates various disciplines of study. The instructor creates a highly interactive class by engaging students in a one-on-one learning session, asking them questions, requesting students to make demonstrations and give feedbacks as well as engaging them in group work. He also allows the students to learn and make discoveries independently and then share the information with their peers. Besides, the teacher has adequate learning material such as the board, charts and teaching books that contain information that is relevant to the topic of study and matches the students’ level of understanding (Stronge, 2018). He also engages the learners in visual learning approaches such a video and making simple animal sketches that enhance the understanding of the students (Eilam, 2012). Besides, at the end of each learning activity, he regroups the students so that the class can have a reflection of what they have learned. The classroom has ample space to facilitate various learning activities.
Response to a Peer
I find that the work done by the first peer is more appealing and convincing as compared to that of the rest of the peers. The student is able to correctly identify all the key aspects that are essential in the assessments of the effectiveness of each of the applied teaching methods in the three videos. The work is well organized and specific to a certain video. For every video, the student is able to exhaustively identify and explain how each of the observed features is important in enhancing the understanding of the students. Also, the student is able to address the classroom practices evident from the videos from a broad perspective. Besides, the student exhibits proper communication skills that enhance any reader’s understanding. Finally, the response was able to attain the objectives of the discussion question.
References
Eilam, B. (2012). Teaching, learning, and visual literacy: The dual role of visual representation. Cambridge University Press.
Stronge, J. H. (2018). Qualities of effective teachers. ASCD.
Teaching Channel: “Animal Patterns: Integrating Science, Math " Art.”
Retrieved from: https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/teaching-patterns
(Accessed on October 25, 2018).
Teaching Channel: “Table for 22: A Real-World Geometry Project”
Retrieved from: https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/real-world-geometry-lesson (Accessed on October 25, 2018).
Teaching Channel: “Roller Coaster Physics: STEM in Action,”
Retrieved from: https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/teaching-stem-strategies?fd=1
(Accessed on October 25, 2018).
