Proper teacher training in education must take the highest priority if our goal is to transform the ever-changing lifestyles of our 21st-century students. Without proper teaching training designed to engage where the change is most needed, the hope of winning the restless hearts and minds of today’s student population is in vain.
Teachers must constantly improve to meet the needs of both underperforming and top performing students. Parents must do their part as well. Such improvement will start with a new perspective in regards to shaping the character and future of today’s students. Teachers must be able to energize, support and empower students to see the greatness within themselves. Parents must do the same.
Let’s look at some of the ways teachers are trained.
6 Methods designed to train teachers
Annual Teacher conferences: this is a time when teachers across the state attend conferences for the sake of learning new theories, strategies, and techniques in education. The atmosphere is electrified by some of the top experts in the education field who share new case studies and insights.
Teachers can bring this knowledge back to the classroom and implement it in their portfolio of strategies and techniques.
The Presentation: This is the traditional method for training teachers. It is usually a classroom setting. Top teacher trainers present several best practices using materials, videos, and skits. The teacher goes through a list of techniques, one by one. Each idea is discussed and elaborated on.
Watching videos is another form of presentation involved in teacher training. Teachers watch videos regarding various teaching approaches and discuss their effectiveness in the classroom.
Sometimes the presenters perform skits which are designed to emphasize and illustrate the ideas which are being discussed.
Problem-solving clinics: in the method, teachers come together to find a solution for growing classroom problems which are hampering the learning process. The issue could involve strategies that are not working or students who are unteachable due to behavior problems.
This collaborative approach is quite effective, especially if new insights are shared via recent research involving various cash studies performed by successful schools.
Role Reversal-Student Teaching: this method is the life and blood of new teacher training. It is specifically designed for new teachers. Student teachers come into a classroom and eventually take on the full role of the leading teacher and are evaluated by a specific program manager or education specialist to determine competence and progress in using various teaching strategies. Lesson preparation and presentation, teacher/student interaction and other factors are evaluated.
Computer Games: this is training method designed to help teachers integrate technology into the curriculum. Teachers learn new computer game ideas dealing with math, spelling, and literacy, which can be implemented in the classroom. The hope is to get the students to become heavily involved in learning from computers.
ST math and other number games are some of the most popular computer math programs implemented in various classrooms across the country
Independent Study: this method involves teachers who take initiative to discover the latest findings on best practices. Teachers may come up with new theories and insights to implement and place in their portfolios of teaching techniques.
Except for the student teacher (role reversal) training, which takes about a year in the classroom, all the other teacher training should be constantly implemented in schools.
The Big Question Every Educator Must Ask
The question is: are these training methods are enough to deal with the diverse culture of the 21st-century child. The answer is by no means a resounding yes. These methods are somewhat effective, but the condition of the American classroom demands that educators go beyond the typical approaches to educating children.
Despite the above efforts, illiteracy is still rampant, engagement is still a reality and classroom disruption is an everyday occurrence, especially in underperforming schools across the nation. Book knowledge and traditional strategies have not been enough to change the condition.
Closing the achievement gap demands a more creative and bold, well-rounded approach to educating the 21st-century student. I believe more emphasis must be placed on the project and collaborative learning, both inside and outside the classroom.
A Bold, Well-Rounded Learning Approach
A well-rounded approach to learning involves teachers, parents and the community. Such collaborative and team-oriented initiative will possess a force that will motivate, engage and empower students to become outstanding citizens and leaders within the community.
The most powerful thing about the Well-rounded approach is that goes beyond book knowledge and embraces a variety of real-life experiences.
Ongoing Parental involvement
We can agree that the average educator knows what is expected of him or her as far as guiding and shaping the future of a child. But demands must be made on parents to get involved with academic projects and programs to encourage and motivate students at the other end of the spectrum.
Proper teacher training in education must take the highest priority if our goal is to reach an ever-changing lifestyle of the 21st century of students. Without proper teaching training designed to engage where the change is most needed, the hope of winning the restless hearts and minds of today’s student population is in vain.
Teachers must constantly improve to meet the needs of both underperforming and top performing students. Parents must do their part as well. Such improvement will start with a new perspective in regards to shaping the character and future of today’s students. Teachers must be able to energize, support and empower students to see the greatness within themselves. Parents must do the same.
Let’s look at some of the ways teachers are trained
6 Methods designed to train teachers
Annual Teacher conferences-this is a time when teachers across the state attend conferences for the sake of learning new theories, strategies, and techniques in education. Also, some of the top experts in the education field share new case studies and insights.
Teachers can bring this knowledge back to the classroom and implement it in their portfolio of strategies and techniques.
The Presentation: This is the traditional method for training teachers. Classroom learning. Top teacher trainers present several best practices using materials, videos, and skits. The teacher goes through a list of techniques, one by one. Each idea is discussed and elaborated on.
Watching videos is another form of presentation involved in teacher training. Teachers watch videos regarding various teaching approaches and discuss their effectiveness in the classroom.
Sometimes the presenters perform skits which are designed to emphasize and illustrate the ideas which are being discussed.
Problem solving clinics: in the method, teachers come together to find a solution for growing classroom problems which are hampering the learning process. The issue could involve strategies that are not working or students who are unteachable due to behavior problems.
The method is quite effective, especially if new insights are shared via recent research involving various cash studies performed by successful schools.
Role Reversal: this method is the life and blood of new teacher training. It is specifically designed for new teachers. Student teachers come into a classroom and eventually take on the full role of the leading teacher and are evaluated by a specific program manager or education specialist to determine competence and progress in using various teaching strategies. Lesson preparation and presentation, teacher/student interaction and other factors are evaluated.
Computer Games: this is training method designed to help teachers integrate technology into the curriculum. Teachers learn new computer game ideas dealing with math, spelling, and literacy, which can be implemented in the classroom. The hope is to get the students to become heavily involved in learning from computers.
ST math and other number games are some of the most popular computer math programs implemented in various classrooms across the country
Independent Study: this method involves teachers who take initiative to discover the latest findings on best practices. Teachers may come up with new theories and insights to implement and place in their portfolios of teaching techniques.
Except for the student teacher (role reversal) training, which takes about a year in the classroom, all the other teacher training should be constantly implemented in schools.
The Big Question Every Educator Must Ask
The question is: are these training methods are enough to deal with the diverse culture of the 21st-century child. The answer is by no means a resounding yes. These methods are somewhat effective, but the condition of the American classroom demands that educators go beyond the typical approaches to educating children.
Despite the above efforts, illiteracy is still rampant, engagement is still a reality and classroom disruption is an everyday occurrence, especially in underperforming schools across the nation. Book knowledge and traditional strategies have not been enough to change the condition.
Closing the achievement gap demands a more creative and bold, well-rounded approach to educating the 21st-century student. I believe more emphasis must be placed on the project and collaborative learning, both inside and outside the classroom.
A Bold, Well-Rounded Learning Approach
A well-rounded approach to learning involves teachers, parents and the community. Such collaborative and team-oriented initiative will possess a force that will motivate, engage and empower students to become outstanding citizens and leaders within the community.
The most powerful thing about the Well-rounded approach is that goes beyond book knowledge and embraces a variety of real-life experiences.
Ongoing Parental involvement
We can agree that the average educator knows what is expected of him or her as far as guiding and shaping the future of a child. But demands must be made on parents to get involved with academic projects and programs to encourage and motivate students at the other end of the spectrum.
Rules and Regulations, which call for parents to get more involved in their students’ education, must be strengthened, especially if parents are expected to play a significant part in their child’s education.
When students see their own parents getting involved, the gap between school and home becomes a reality of the past.
In the home, parents must do their best to instill the value of education in their children. Homework must be acknowledged, good values in school must be emphasized, and verbal appreciation should be expressed for good classroom behavior.
Not only this, but parents must also model the way by displaying the same behavior they expect to see in the child.
The well-rounded approach is not asking too much. The development of a child into an outstanding citizen doesn’t end the classroom. In fact, the shaping of great character should begin under the roof of the parents.
Ongoing Community Involvement
Another entity which should be involved in the academic project and collaborative learning is the people who run our communities. Such involvement must be ongoing, not just on special occasions or just once or twice a year. Classrooms must go to them or they must come to classrooms. A balance of both approaches would be dynamic.
Students will be able to interact with people who they see on a regular basis outside the classroom, including church leaders, business owners, restaurant owners, retail employees, Hotel owners, corner grocery store clerks and owners etc. Every aspect of the community has something to offer when it comes to the education of our children.
The community consists of people whose shoes must be filled by the students of the 21st century. Police officers, firemen, medical responders, poster workers, local politicians are all public servants who shoes must be filled. Therefore, teachers and parents must emphasize the fact to students that they are the future time after time.
Other Classrooms: Across the District or the World
Rubbing Elbows with other Cultures
When I was in college, I enjoyed a diversity class in which our class and a class from Porta Rica collaborated on a project together. During the process, I met friends and learned more about the culture and even achieve a small Spanish vocabulary.
This type of collaboration should be an ongoing part of the curriculum in both middle and high schools across the nation. The emphasis is on the project and collaborative learning with students from other schools, not necessarily from across seas, although such project based learning would give students a dynamic experience. Nevertheless, rubbing elbows with other schools within the city can also be a game changer in academic excellence.
The Academic Olympics
When I was a full-time teacher in the inner city of Milwaukee Wisconsin, I enjoyed being a part of the Academic Olympic. The AO was a project involving schools from various districts throughout the city of Milwaukee.
Outstanding students would gather once a year to compete in academic games for the sake of winning student’s scholarships, grants, and money for their schools. The experience was significant because it involved the collaborative effort and determination of educators, parents as well as the community to produce highly intelligent leaders and change makers in society.
The Well-Rounded Approach to learning can be a game changing in helping close the achievement gap throughout the nation. Both everyone must make a commitment to participate: teachers, parents, and the community.
Jason Lee Middle School: Resources for Leading the Way
A few others schools have similar approaches, including the Jason Lee Middle School in Tacoma, WA, a project based learning school (Vision in Action: The Whole Child) the involves teachers, parents and the community.
The School’s website is full of powerful resources for helping to bring out the Whole Child so that he or she can learn, teach and lead the community. ASCD. Vision in Action: a whole child is a revolutionary approach to equipping the 21st-century student for today and tomorrow.
Rules and Regulations, which call for parents to get more involved in their students’ education, must be strengthened, especially if parents are expected to play a significant part in their child’s education.
When students see their own parents getting involved, the gap between school and home becomes a reality of the past.
In the home, parents must do their best to instill the value of education in their children. Homework must be acknowledged, good values in school must be emphasized, and verbal appreciation should be expressed for good classroom behavior.
Not only this, but parents must also model the way by displaying the same behavior they expect to see in the child.
The well-rounded approach is not asking too much. The development of a child into an outstanding citizen doesn’t end the classroom. In fact, the shaping of great character should begin under the roof of the parents.
Ongoing Community Involvement
Another entity which should be involved in the academic project and collaborative learning is the people who run our communities. Such involvement must be ongoing, not just on special occasions or just once or twice a year. Classrooms must go to them or they must come to classrooms. A balance of both approaches would be dynamic.
Students will be able to interact with people who they see on a regular basis outside the classroom, including church leaders, business owners, restaurant owners, retail employees, Hotel owners, corner grocery store clerks and owners etc. Every aspect of the community has something to offer when it comes to the education of our children.
The community consists of people whose shoes must be filled by the students of the 21st century. Police officers, firemen, medical responders, poster workers, local politicians are all public servants who shoes must be filled. Therefore, teachers and parents must emphasize the fact to students that they are the future time after time.
Other Classrooms: Across the District or the World
Rubbing Elbows with other Cultures
When I was in college, I enjoyed a diversity class in which our class and a class from Porta Rica collaborated on a project together. During the process, I met friends and learned more about the culture and even achieve a small Spanish vocabulary.
This type of collaboration should be an ongoing part of the curriculum in both middle and high schools across the nation. The emphasis is on the project and collaborative learning with students from other schools, not necessarily from across seas, although such project based learning would give students a dynamic experience. Nevertheless, rubbing elbows with other schools within the city can also be a game changer in academic excellence.
The Academic Olympics
When I was a full-time teacher in the inner city of Milwaukee Wisconsin, I enjoyed being a part of the Academic Olympic. The AO was a project involving schools from various districts throughout the city of Milwaukee.
Outstanding students would gather once a year to compete in academic games for the sake of winning student’s scholarships, grants, and money for their schools. The experience was significant because it involved the collaborative effort and determination of educators, parents as well as the community to produce highly intelligent leaders and change makers in society.
The Well-Rounded Approach to learning can be a game changing in helping close the achievement gap throughout the nation. Both everyone must make a commitment to participate: teachers, parents, and the community.
Jason Lee Middle School: Resources for Leading the Way
A few others schools have similar approaches, including the Jason Lee Middle School in Tacoma, WA, a project based learning school (Vision in Action: The Whole Child) the involves teachers, parents and the community.
The School’s associate website is full of powerful resources for helping to bring out the Whole Child so that he or she can learn, teach and lead the community. ASCD. Vision in Action: a whole child is a revolutionary approach to equipping the 21st-century student for today and tomorrow.
