| This topic triggers many memories for me, from | | | | differences between the two groups in favor of |
| my earliest days in a three-room elementary | | | | the group learning with humor. The second |
| school in rural Central Pennsylvania, to my high | | | | experiment was a replication of the first one, |
| school years, my college experience, and my | | | | using 132 students in a one-semester introductory |
| years in the classroom as a middle school science | | | | psychology course. The students (all females) |
| teacher. It's probably no surprise to many of us, | | | | were divided randomly into two groups. Humor |
| too, that the memories we have are derived | | | | was used in one, and the same teacher taught |
| from our most negative experiences to our most | | | | the second group without using humor. Again, |
| positive and inspiring experiences, both as a | | | | significant differences were found: The group |
| student and as a teacher. | | | | studying with humor had higher scores on the final |
| There has been much written about good | | | | exam. Indications support my experiences in |
| teaching. I have scanned several of the many | | | | school, i.e., humor in the classroom enhances not |
| journal articles on this topic to come up with | | | | only interest in the subject matter, but better |
| some common themes that may depict what | | | | performance by students. |
| comprises good teaching. I also compared these | | | | The above-mentioned characteristics of good |
| findings with my personal experiences in public | | | | teaching reflect the feedback from students, |
| education. | | | | results from scientific studies, and reflection by |
| A foremost characteristic of good teaching is | | | | teachers. One more source of input on what |
| expert knowledge of the subject matter, and of | | | | constitutes good teaching is derived from those |
| teaching methodologies (Woolfolk, 2004). Expert | | | | who hire teachers, namely the school |
| knowledge can be derived by being a good college | | | | administrators. What qualities do school |
| student making preparations to teach, and | | | | administrators seek in prospective teachers? In a |
| through dedication to acquiring the necessary | | | | 1998 study (Kesten, Lang, Ralph, and Smith |
| subject matter knowledge to be on the cutting | | | | (1998) conducted with Canadian school |
| edge of ones selected field. I personally have | | | | administrators, the school district hiring |
| seldom ever experienced good teaching by | | | | preferences in a Western Canadian province were |
| someone with weak knowledge of subject | | | | depicted. These Canadian school administrators |
| matter information. However, expert teachers | | | | ranked the following attributes of good teaching |
| with little expert knowledge in subject matter | | | | as prerequisites for hiring: |
| may exude expert teaching through acquired skills | | | | 1. Establishing positive classroom climate |
| and expertise in other areas such as, knowledge | | | | 2. Building/maintaining rapport with students |
| of general teaching strategies, proper use of | | | | 3. Classroom management/discipline |
| curriculum material, knowledge of characteristics | | | | 4. Personal qualities (e.g., creativity) |
| and cultural background of their students, the | | | | 5. Using communication/interpersonal skills |
| most appropriate settings in which students best | | | | 6. Planning/preparing for instruction |
| learn, and overall knowledge of the general goals | | | | 7. Maintaining rapport with parents/community |
| of education (Woolfolk, 2004, p. 6). This process, | | | | 8. Using instructional methods/strategies |
| of course usually takes time and experience. | | | | 9. Building/maintaining rapport with staff |
| An example of characteristics mentioned above is | | | | 10. Using instructional skills (e.g., explaining) |
| supported by a position statement of the | | | | 11. Knowledge of subject matter |
| International Reading Association in which they | | | | 12. Using evaluation/assessment procedures |
| argue, "Every child deserves excellent reading | | | | 13. Extracurricular work |
| teachers because teachers make a difference in | | | | 14. Professional development |
| children's reading achievement and motivation to | | | | 15. Knowledge of core curriculum |
| read," (International Reading Association, 2000, p. | | | | 16. Record keeping/reporting |
| 235). This position statement provides a | | | | 17. Multi-/cross-cultural sensitivity |
| research-based description of the distinguishing | | | | 18. Using computers/e-mail (Kesten, Lang, Ralph, |
| qualities of excellent classroom reading teachers. | | | | and Smith (1998, p. 47) |
| According to the International Reading Association, | | | | An interesting note about the differences |
| excellent reading teachers share several critical | | | | between good female teachers versus good male |
| qualities of knowledge and practice: | | | | teachers emerged from a 1993 study by |
| 1. They understand reading and writing | | | | Goodwin and Stevens. Although they found |
| development and believe all children can learn to | | | | relatively few gender differences between male |
| read and write. | | | | and female teachers, in general, the findings |
| 2. They continually assess children's individual | | | | suggest that female professors might place |
| progress and relate reading instruction to children's | | | | greater value or importance on, or be more |
| previous experiences. | | | | interested in, enhancing students' self-esteem and |
| 3. They know a variety of ways to teach | | | | in encouraging student interaction and participation |
| reading, when to use each method, and how to | | | | in class. Female professors also appear to be |
| combine the methods into an effective | | | | more interested in seeking "outside" assistance in |
| instructional program. | | | | attempting to improve their teaching; male |
| 4. They offer a variety of materials and texts for | | | | professors appear to place greater value on |
| children to read. | | | | students' evaluations than females. However, all |
| 5. They use flexible grouping strategies to tailor | | | | professors seem to share similar views about |
| instruction to individual students. | | | | what constitutes "good" teaching, and about the |
| 6. They are good reading "coaches" (2000, p.235) | | | | appropriate outcomes of "good" teaching. |
| Another common theme encountered in journal | | | | In turning to my personal subjective experiences |
| articles is the practice of "reflective teaching" | | | | from working in public education for 25 years, I |
| (Woolfolk, 2004; Montgomery & Thomas, | | | | have to agree with the importance of the |
| 1998). Reflective teachers think back over their | | | | affective domain as suggested by Woolfolks |
| day-to-day situations in an attempt to analyze | | | | (2004); Montgomery and Thomas (1998); and |
| their teaching skills, the subject matter, motivation | | | | especially Ziv (1988). It is my contention that |
| of the students, and how they might improve | | | | good teaching meets the emotional needs of |
| upon the overall learning process. Gore's work (as | | | | students initially and is a prerequisite for sound |
| cited in Montgomery & Thomas, 1998. p. | | | | learning. If a student does not feel important, |
| 372) suggests that the ideas of reflective | | | | understood, cared for, respected, honored as a |
| teaching methodology in teacher preparation go | | | | human being, and loved by his or her teacher, the |
| back to Dewey (1904, 1933). Gore (as cited in | | | | full potential for stellar learning will be left in the |
| Montgomery & Thomas, 1998) lists others | | | | wake of unfulfilled emotional needs. Patricia |
| (Archmuty, 1980; Cruickshank, 1985; Schafer, | | | | Montgomery (Montgomery & Thomas, 1998) |
| 1967; Zeichner, 1981-1982) who have | | | | sums it up best: |
| acknowledged the importance of reflection to | | | | One afternoon as I stood in line at the grocery |
| prepare teachers for continuing growth. What | | | | store, I struck up a conversation with the two |
| does reflection yield in providing teachers the | | | | children behind me. I told them that I was a |
| proper feedback by which they may become | | | | college student studying to be a teacher. As we |
| better teachers? Montgomery and Thomas | | | | talked, I asked them, `What are the best and |
| (1998) remind us of the initial comment made in | | | | worst things a teacher can do?' Sarah said, `The |
| the opening paragraph of this essay when they | | | | best thing is when the teacher plays music while |
| conducted reflective research to answer such | | | | we work--you know, the kind without words.' She |
| questions as: 'What are the best and worst things | | | | went on to explain, `The worst thing is when she |
| a teacher can do?' `What do teachers do that | | | | yells at us.' James quickly joined in saying, 'The |
| helps? What do teachers do that hurts? What | | | | best thing is when you finish your work and the |
| advice do you have for teachers? What rules | | | | teacher lets you go outside--you know, when you |
| would you like to make for the teacher?' The | | | | can just hang out and be free. The worst thing is |
| authors discovered the following four basic | | | | when she throws things.' |
| themes that children defined as that which makes | | | | Interesting experience, I thought as I walked out |
| good teachers: Gentleness, caring, understanding, | | | | of the store. Another child, who had overheard |
| and fun-loving. These attributes are what most | | | | our conversation, stopped me at the door and |
| impact students in a positive manner. In contrast | | | | said, "You know that stuff about yelling, you |
| to gentleness, children indicated that harshness | | | | know what--it hurts my soul." (p. 372) |
| and yelling makes them feel small, guilty, hurt, and | | | | References |
| embarrassed. In contrast to caring, children hurt | | | | Goodwin, L. D. & Stevens, E. A.(1993).The |
| when they are not treated fairly. Furthermore, | | | | Influence of Gender on University Faculty |
| what they often want most is to be listened to. | | | | Members' Perceptions of "Good" Teaching. Journal |
| In contrast to understanding, children feel a loss | | | | Title: Journal of Higher Education, 64 (2) |
| of power to choose, to be heard, and to be | | | | 166-172.Ohio State University Press. |
| understood. And finally, in contrast to fun-loving, | | | | International Reading Association (2000). Excellent |
| and a sense of humor, students feel bored, and | | | | Reading of Teachers. The Reading Teacher, 54 |
| school becomes drudgery (Montgomery & | | | | (2). 235-241. International Reading Association. Inc. |
| Thomas, 1998). | | | | Kesten, C., Lang, H., Ralph, E., & Smith, D. |
| Speaking more on the topic of a sense of humor, | | | | (1998). Hiring New Teachers: What Do School |
| I can easily recall an outstanding science teacher | | | | Districts Look For? Journal of Teacher Education, |
| who I had in high school. He demonstrated a | | | | 49 (1) 47-55. Gale Group: Corwin Press, Inc. |
| wonderful sense of humor. Through his antics, | | | | Montgomery, P. & Thomas, J. On Becoming a |
| jokes, metaphors, and impersonations, my | | | | Good Teacher: Reflective Practice with Regard to |
| science classes became fun and exciting. In | | | | Children's Voices. Journal of Teacher Education. |
| support of this notion, Ziv (1988) conducted two | | | | Volume, 49 (5). 372-381 Gale Group: Corwin |
| experiments concerning humor in teaching and | | | | Press, Inc |
| learning in higher education. The first study used | | | | Woolfolk, A. (2004). Educational Psychology. 9th |
| relevant humor in a one-semester statistics | | | | Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. |
| course in an experimental group and no humor in | | | | Ziv, A. (1988). Teaching and Learning with Humor: |
| a control group. One hundred sixty-one students | | | | Experiment and Replication. Journal of |
| participated, and the results showed significant | | | | Experimental Education, 57 (1) 14-18. |