| The quality of the teaching can impact the quality | | | | teachers, they are unlikely to effectively adopt |
| of the education. The question is: how does a | | | | these behaviors and thereby create the quality |
| teacher ensure he or she achieves quality in their | | | | classroom. Reformers can continue to develop |
| classroom? This quality can be achieved through | | | | programs and raise expectations for teachers, but |
| effective teacher training. When quality is | | | | they cannot create quality where none exists. |
| addressed at this level - before bad habits can set | | | | Effective Reform |
| in - a teacher has a much better chance of | | | | Telling teachers what they should be doing |
| performing at his or her best. | | | | without providing the tools to help them do it will |
| There is a vast amount of information and | | | | in effect create no change at all. Instead, |
| research to support the theory that teachers are | | | | professional development programs should |
| the most important factors in the effectiveness | | | | encourage teachers in what they are already |
| of schools and the quality of a child's education. In | | | | doing, highlighting why they are doing it. These |
| order to achieve the level of quality and | | | | programs need to ask about their beliefs and |
| effectiveness as a teacher, one must first | | | | what they use to support these beliefs; how |
| understand how to acquire and practice these | | | | these beliefs influence their perceptions, decisions |
| characteristics. | | | | and expectations; what values they are |
| The Quality Teacher | | | | unconsciously teaching; and what kind of |
| For years, the policy makers focused on | | | | metaphors do they use to describe their |
| education working to create new programs and | | | | classrooms. |
| standards that were then handed over to the | | | | When such methods are implemented in teacher |
| teachers to execute. This reform has now shifted | | | | training, the mediator can identify areas where a |
| to teacher training to ensure quality starts at the | | | | teacher may need guidance. Teachers may use |
| heart of the classroom. While this is a noteworthy | | | | their beliefs to their detriment in teaching without |
| step, it still involves the creation of new formulas | | | | even realizing it. Proper guidance in training can |
| that are then simply given to teachers for | | | | help them re-direct their thinking and how it |
| implementation. This process fails to create quality | | | | relates to quality teaching. |
| teachers; it simply just creates more pressure. | | | | Teacher thinking - especially about beliefs - plays |
| While teachers have a number of different | | | | an important role in the overall quality of |
| methods by which they teach their students, | | | | education delivered by that teacher. One cannot |
| equally outstanding teachers do not have identical | | | | simply tell the teacher how to think in teacher |
| methods. Research has found that these teachers | | | | training; nor can the teacher be given a standard |
| do share certain characteristics such as a belief | | | | without the tools to achieve that goal. To reach |
| that all children can learn, even in different ways; | | | | the highest quality in teaching, programs must |
| a belief that teachers can be learners and children | | | | impact the way a teacher thinks to the benefit of |
| teachers; a high level of respect for all students; | | | | the students. Without this method, all others will |
| high expectations for all students that vary | | | | be wasted. |
| according to the student; and a humanistic | | | | If you're ready to start experiencing the benefits |
| approach to classroom control. | | | | of using video in the classroom, your next step is |
| It is true that such characteristics can be taught | | | | to download a free copy of "The 7 Biggest |
| and even modeled in teacher training, but unless | | | | Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the |
| teachers share the beliefs of outstanding | | | | Classroom" by clicking on the link below right now. |