Module 3 is all about Effective Teaching Strategies.
To begin this discussion, lets talk about Teacher Enthusiasm. Is this an effective teaching strategy? Give specific examples from teachers you have had in the past. Thanks, Splichal
Teacher Enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it keeps the students motivated to learn the subject material. When the course/subject is enjoyable, students tend to retain more information than a non-enthusiastic teacher. I have a professor in mind that has an enormous amount of enthusiasm for teaching. Even after three semesters, I still remember a song that she would sing in class, and other strategies that she taught us. She was engaging, positive, moved around the classroom a lot, asked and responded to questions, her facial expressions showed her emotions and she was in constant movement. She made me want to learn and do more because she was so enthused/excited about what she was teaching.
Teacher enthusiasm is important. It shows the teacher is excited to teach the students something new. I had a teacher when I was little that loved to teach the kids new things and has an exciting idea for each subject that he wanted to cover. When we were studying about Walt Disney, we watch old mickey mouse, and read up on him and did different activities that involved the things Walt Disney had accomplished. We even had a cake to celebrate his birthday even though he is gone. We also did activities for cinco de mayo by learning how to make homemade tortillas, and the Mexican hat dance. With each holiday we did something creative to keep us interested and learn a lot more with the hands on activities we did. Enthusiasm shows your students you want to be there you want them to learn something today. It is never a good idea to go to work with a sour attitude, your kids wont like it, and they will not want to learn. It is something to have when teaching, enthusiasm lets kids know you care about there future
Enthusiasm is a very important trait for a teacher to have because students enjoy leaning more. Effective teachers complement high expectations with a fun leaning experience. The teacher that comes to mind is my 4th grade teacher. I tend to use her in most of my examples because I don’t remember any other teacher that gave herself to teaching like her. She always had a smile on her face that made coming to her class a pleasurable occurrence. She tackled every day with a great attitude, and if we spilled something or made an error she would handle it very calm. Her hands on not only taught me how to speak the language but also the lesson she was implying to teach for the rest of her class. The positive attitude always rubs off on students allowing leaning to come easier.
I recently visited with a very good friend of mine who is completing her internships. She was reprimanded by her mentor teacher for being too enthusiastic and too "loud" during the lesson she presented. The mentor said that if we want our students to stay quiet, calm, and relaxed that we have to model that behavior in our instruction by also being quiet, calm, and relaxed while we teach.
That's interesting. I mostly disagree. I say mostly, because I think that you can show enthusiasm and excitement when teaching without being too loud. I think you can also show those emotions while being relaxed as well. You have to take into consideration the other classrooms near you, and possibly close your door if you know you're going to get into a fairly noisy discussion. I think effective teachers must show some enthusiasm and excitement...if they don't then the kids will see the lack of it. And, if they can tell that their teacher isn't excited to be there, then why would they be happy to be at school? And, if the room is totally quiet all day, with no excitement added to the lessons, what a boring place that would be to learn!
Well, I would have to say I agree and I disagree. I think that as a teacher you need to keep your volume level down to the same level you expect your students talk at. However, I do not think that a teacher can be TOO enthusiastic. The best teachers that I have had were enthusiastic and you could visibility tell they were excited to be teaching.
I agree with Lacy and Amanda- you can be enthusiastic without being excessively loud. You do have to consider the classrooms around you and the noise levels. I think an overly loud teacher (to me personally) would be almost obnoxious. All students need to be able to hear, but if the teacher and students take turns talking one at a time(which can be difficult with the youngest levels) then you can all be enthusiastic without affecting the other class. I can remember being in school and the neighbor class was too loud, either they were out of control or they were having a lot of fun. If they were having fun you were kind of jealous that you weren't in that class. Being loud doesn't necessarily mean your enthusiastic about the lesson----and you don't have to be loud to be enthusiastic in the same sense. Its about respect and finding that right balance
I agree that being quiet, calm, and relax can project more respect. Enthusiasm is not being loud but showing expression. Even as a parent if I handle my kids quiet, calm, and relaxed they will focus better on the solution that I give them. I think it’s all about respect and being loud does not demonstrate respect. I think a teacher has to raise her voice at times to be heard by all the students but not to show enthusiasm. If a teacher has expectation in the classroom and part of those expectations are to listen, then she would not need to be loud while presenting her lesson.
I think that their is a fine line between being too enthusiastic and not having enough enthusiasm. A person can be excited about teaching, but can demonstrate an appropriate voice tone and infliction within in her tone. I hated the times when my teachers was overly enthusiastic about a topic because the classroom got to loud for me and many of my peers strayed away from the assignment. As long as a teacher utilizes expression, voice tone and voice infliction, then they can still come across as being enthusiastic about the topic.
When I think of enthusiastic teachers I remember my favorite teacher from high school. He is also the teacher i described as being an Impact teacher. He was always enthusiastic about math and about the formulas he taught. I personally also became enthusiastic and had fun doing math in his class. I think for the most part when a teacher is enthusiastic their students will be as well. If they are bored with the topic, how will their students find it interesting? I think maybe there is a line you must not cross and that will depend on the class and the age of the students when it comes to you're behavior in class. If you're jumping around and shouting don't expect your students to be quiet. But if they're getting excited about the subject I think that's great and there isn't a problem! I do agree with Ashleigh though. I remember having an overly enthusiastic Spanish teacher in high school and it got to the point where students began to think she was "crazy" and I think when that happened she lost credibility. If students think their teacher is crazy they're not going to want to follow suit.
Caitlin, You make a great point about being careful not to be considered crazy. There is a girl I tutor who is in the 7th grade, and she comes over with all kinds of stories about her "crazy science teacher." You are very right, she does not respect that crazy teacher at all, and respect is important.
I feel that you should definitely be enthusiastic in your teacher methods. I feel that teachers that are up beat, excited and enjoying what they are doing get better results from their students. You get the kids to respond to you and it gets them excited to learn. There is a line though - I agree that sometimes you can be too enthusiastic and come across fake - or unsure of yourself. Volume level is very important when you are teaching in front of the students. I know that when I get really excited about something (or nervous) that my volume level goes up, and I don't even realize it at first. You definitely want to be able to express your excitement with out breaking the volume barrier.
I strongly feel that teacher enthusiasm is an effective teacher strategy. I think the teacher needs to have just as much enthusiasm to teach the subject as the students want to learn the different subjects. I had a first grade teacher that was always so excited to teach any subject and she always made it so fun that the students didn't really even realize they were learning. She was probably one of the best teachers that I have had, and hope to be like her some day. I am on the line of agreeing and disagreeing with being reprimanded for having to much enthusiasm. I think that if its disturbing the other classrooms around her than she should try to tone it down a little. However if she has that much enthusiasm that is great!! We need enthusiastic teachers in today's society that want to teach the kids, and I think the kids need upbeat teachers in the classrooms.
Having teacher enthusiasm is great. If you want students to learn and be interested, you can't just stand up in front of them and lecture them and be bored. Show that you are interested in the topic and make it fun and keep the students interested. To the agree or disagree question. I agree and disagree also, because you do have to respect the other classrooms around you. But that doesnt mean you can't be excited about something. Just be relaxed and keep the classroom under control. My spanish teacher was always excited for class. She was loud to, but not to the point where it was distracting. We would atleast once or twice a week, get up and dance to a spanish song, we would make mexican food and have a mexican food party. She made class exciting and we still learned things.
For teachers to be enthusiastic being an effective teaching method, I agree. I think that it is effective because when you like what you are doing it can show through your enthusiasm. Also I know from working with preschoolers, when you are enthusiastic-they pay attention. If you are just talking monotone-they can get distracted. As for the second question-I think that there is a difference between being enthusiastic and loud. If you are taking your enthusiasm to that loud level then it might be too much. But you have to be enthusiastic enough to keep the attention from the kids. When I think of enthusiasm, I think happy, joyful, playful, and animated. Not necessarily loud.
Teachers who show enthusiasm towards the course materials and students can affect a positive learning experience towards the course materials, teachers who have a positive disposition towards the course content tend to transfer their passion to receptive students. Teachers that exhibit enthusiasm can lead to students who are more likely to be engaged, interested about learning materials. It is important to pass on the energy, desire, positivism to the students.
I was wondering wtih your friend, how were the students reacting? Were they getting loud and rowdy or were they getting more enthused about the lesson? Quiet, calm, and relaxed is not the reaction the class needs to have for every lesson. I understand the mentor's point, but I think an effective teacher doesn't present every lesson the same. An effective teacher would use a variety of teaching styles and levels of enthusiasm depending on the lesson. It goes back to the previous Mod. 2 discussion about multiple intelligences and varying the lesson delivery to meet all those learning styles. I do think that you need to be courteaous to the classrooms next to you, but that didn't sound like what the mentor was saying.
I agree on considering the multiple learning styles. If a student is already very hyper, being loud and enthused is not going to help that particular student.
I think being enthusiastic in the classroom is imperative to the students learning. If the teacher is excited about the lesson then the students will be also. As for modeling calm behavior for your students to be calm, that is a lot of bullarky! you can be enthusiastic while staying in a professional manor. Now if the teacher dresses like a clown or dances around while teaching the lesson, then yes, it is an issue.
I definitely think that enthusiasm is necessary in the classroom, and I disagree with the mentor teacher who reprimanded the intern for being so enthusiastic. Being too loud is not necessary, but showing an excitement about learning to our students is much more beneficial, encouraging students to engage and want to be involved in the learning process. I want my students to be interested in what I have to teach them; if I'm quiet, relaxed, and calm during the full classroom time, they may just fall asleep! For students to be interested and want to participate in class, we as teachers need to model this with our instruction. Enthusiasm is important; it's vital! My high school music teacher was a very energetic teacher; she conveyed such passion for music through her instruction. It was contagious! She brought out my interest and enthusiasm for music.
Enthusiasm is a huge part of the classroom. If a teacher gets in front of the class, teaches them a concept, turns the student out to do an assignment while they go to their desk and get busy on the computer or grading, are in NO WAY showing enthusiasm for their subject or students. I have worked in a middle school English classroom where the teacher laughs at herself, strolls around the room constantly and even while at her desk has students surrounding her wanting her input or direction. This teacher shows each and every student, each and every day that she is enthusiastic about her subject, her students and her chosen profession!
I plan on being a closed-door teacher. Not the type that must close her door because she is too loud or her classroom is unruly, but because everyone is engaged and working and enthusiastic about being there. I want the principal to come walking in - not to reprimand but to join in the fun.
To begin this discussion, lets talk about Teacher Enthusiasm. Is this an effective teaching strategy?
Teacher enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy. Being enthusiastic about being at school and teaching help engage the students to feel the same way. Showing enthusiasm when presenting subjects will get the students excited in learning about it. If a teacher is not enthusiastic then the students will share the same feelings and not want to be in the class, they may be bored.
As for the other question do I Agree or Not????
I both agree and disagree. It is good to show enthusiasm to get the students excited and interested, but being too loud might make them feel like they are being yelled at. Since many students come to school to get away from being yelled at, they might not enjoy the teacher being too loud and tune her out. Teachers are suppose to model behavior, but is everyone was quiet, calm, and relaxed all the time, the world would be a boring place.
Ellen I agree I would also like to know how the students were reacting to this situation. I also think that it doesn't always have to be a quiet and calm lesson. Traci I love your idea about being a closed door classroom I have never thought about it that way. I think I will to, because the kids will stay more focused if the door is closed that way I can show as much enthusiasm as I want.
I agree as well that enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it is the teacher that makes the difference. I have had many enthusiastic teachers in the past and I found that learning came easier when the teachers were enthusiastic. When you have enthusiasm, it shows that you have a passion for the subject and you love what you are doing. The students can sense this and it rubs off on them. I respond positively when a speaker/orator is speaking enthusiastically because it makes me want to listen, and curious about what is coming next. Enthusiasm doesn't mean you have to be loud, it is the energy level you come with and the passion for the subject. Volume doesn't portray passion or enthusiasm. It might help get a point across though!
I totally disagree with the mentor and their assessment. I believe your enthusiasm will keep your students immersed in the subject due to interest and if you are an effective teacher, this will minimize the behavior issues. Enthusiasm and effectiveness doesn't promote students to be not calm and quiet. My opinion, maybe the mentor didn't like the teaching style of the intern, or maybe she was more effective and this was perceived as threatening. Not sure, but I disagreee with the mentor.
In my opinion, teacher enthusiasm is one of the most important teaching strategies. If a teacher does not show enthusiasm for subjects being taught, the students sense this, and in turn, are not enthused about learning. When a teacher shows enthusiasm about being in the classroom, this also affects the students. If the teacher is happy to be there, most students adopt the same attitude. There are many other issues that can be affected depending on a teacher's enthusiasm. As stated above, I truly believe a teacher's enthusiasm has a direct and profound affect on the students.
My 4th grade teacher always displayed enthusiasm in the classroom, regardless of the subject being taught. Her enthusiasm made me want to learn and perform well. She is one of the reasons I want to teach and I hope to be able to show the same amount of enthusiasm in everything I do in my classroom.
Never underestimate the power of enthusiasm in the lesson. Today, I taught a 1st grade class in an introduction to the number line. On the surface, it's a pretty dull but necessary lesson. But with a little enthusiasm the class was raising their hands to answer the questions. They understood skipping numbers and they even understood the idea of negative numbers in 1st grade. It's a great feeling when a teacher can connect with the students, but if we don't act enthusiastic about it we won't get that connection.
Robert, I agree that perhaps the mentor teacher didn't like the teaching style of her intern. In one of my internships, my mentor teacher liked a quiet classroom. When I did my formal lesson, I had the students work in groups to complete an activity. The teacher told me afterwards that I shouldn't let the students work in groups because it causes too much chaos in the classroom. Honestly, they were working great together and had a fun time with the activity while learning! It's often confusing when we are matched with a teacher who doesn't follow what we are being taught.
I went to a math conference last year and absolutely loved the keynote presenter. She had so much enthusiasm, that she made learning math fun! She had songs, a dance, she had everyone in the audience fully engaged in what she was teaching/showing us. On the flip side, I attended one of the workshops at the conference, and was bored to tears, because the presenter had no "presence." She lectured instead of presented - when I left her workshop, I had no idea what it was about. So, enthusiasm goes along way with getting our students involved in the subject and wanting to learn more.
I am so happy to hear that you are on the right track with this. Norayma said... Teachers who show enthusiasm towards the course materials and students can affect a positive learning experience towards the course materials, teachers who have a positive disposition towards the course content tend to transfer their passion to receptive students.
I could not agree more. This has been good discussion.
I took down the Discussion Board assignments for Module 4 and 5 in Blackboard. I am liking the Blogging much better. I hope none of you mind.
Let's stop blogging for Module 3 now. If any of you have NOT posted in this module, go ahead and do so. I will get blogging up for Mod 4 after Mod 4 begins.
Good work those of you who have been participating. Splichal
I agree as well that enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it is the teacher that makes the difference. I have had many enthusiastic teachers in the past and I found that learning came easier when the teachers were enthusiastic. When you have enthusiasm, it shows that you have a passion. The students can sense this and it rubs off on them. Enthusiasm doesn't mean you have to be loud; it is the energy level you come with. If you are an effective teacher as well, this will minimize the behavior issues. Maybe the mentor didn't like the teaching style of the intern. Can’t know for sure but I do know I disagree with the mentor.
I have not posted on Mod 3 only because everyone's comments were great and seemed to reflect my own observations. I do think that enthusiasm makes a world of difference in a teacher that might have other shortcomings. For instance, a less than perfectly organized teacher who shows great enthusiasm could manage to keep her students focused while she gets herself on track. Looking back on my own teachers, those that were enthusiastic had a much greater impact on my education than those that were grumps or less than friendly.
Teachers should be enthusiastic and make learning fun. When teachers are enthusiastic they get students excited and more involved. When a teacher mopes around because they don't want to be there or they don't like the concept they are teaching they are showing this to the students and it makes them feel the same way. I can't recall any time when a teacher wasn't enthusiastic about teaching, but I work with a few teachers who aren't and they make the students miserable. They go over the concept very quickly and it is important information that the students need to know.
There is a teacher in the school where I work that talks in a monotone voice. It is so boring to be in that classroom. She does have some problems with behavior, which I believe is because they are bored. The kids are not seeing that she is happy to be there, they think that she would rather be at home. I do think that if you are excited, show it. One does not necessarily need to be loud to be excited, but I feel that there is no way one can be too enthusiastic to be teaching.
I do believe that small groups are a good thing(Christine D's post). You are teaching them how to work in groups, get along and possibly create new friendships, all life skills by the way. Maybe your mentor teacher had a bad experience with that?? I love the idea of small groups.....just wait until you can have your own classroom! Then you can do what you want!!
Teachers enthusiasm is important strategy for teaching. The way you deliver a lesson can totally make a difference for how the students perceive the lesson. If a teacher shows they are excited about something, that sets the tone for the classroom. I had a teacher who was always happy in high school. She was a writing teacher, and we could tell she loved her job. Every day we walked in she greeted us with a big smile and a huge "HELLLO". Sometimes she would say "Hello" to us in different accents to grab our attention. She was so positive that even on a bad day you could not be sad in her classroom. She got the best out of us by the way she presented lessons. She thought of activities that would interest us, and made us excited to turn in paper. Now there are so many teacher who you can tell as a student does not want to be there. They are mono tone, just lecture or give worksheets. Those are the classes students do not want to attend because the teacher is boring, making the classroom boring. I think enthusiasm is a an effective way to teach.
Brand new teachers tend to make the mistake of wanting to be their students best friend. Especially on the high school level. Since they are not much older. When my daughter was a sophomore last year, she would come home complaining about her history teacher, who has only been teaching a couple of years, saying she is so stupid. The only thing her teacher would talk about is shopping shopping shopping. This example of teaching on exemplifies the example of a teacher trying to be their students friend. Only to miss the point of being a real teacher. There is a fine line of a teacher being enthusiastic and getting the trust and respect of your students, then there is the opposite. Most tend to do the latter.
@Stephanie. Yes small groups are a technique of students interacting in a way they can work together. It also allows the students who are shy to kinda of 'come out of their shell' per say. All of them feel equal. No one is better than the other. Very good idea (Christine D). Thanks for sharing.
@Stephanie. Small groups are a very good technique for students to open up with each other. The students who are very shy would allow them to come out of their shell per say. They are all equal. Thanks for sharing (Christine D).
I took a course from a brilliant math teacher. We had chalk board halfway around the room. He'd begin writing on the left and fill all the boards, quickly erase and start again. Simultaneously he would lecture in a monotone. This class was at 5:30 and I would come from work already tired. I can't remember how many times I nodded off, jerked awake, looked down at my paper and saw where my pen had drifted across the page. I had to retake the course. Some enthusiasm and variation in vocal tone may have kept me awake.
I think enthusiasm is like a yawn, it is contageous. If the students are enthused they will be more attentive and achieve at a higher level than they would otherwise. You don't need to be loud to be enthusiastic, sometimes leaning forward and speaking in a hushed voice will draw the students in like they're going to learn a secret.
Teacher enthusiasm is always important in the classroom. Students need to feel enthusiasm from the teacher to keep learning fun. At many different ages you want the students to feel engaged and to feel motivated to learn each new thing. If the teacher is motivated it will keep the students interested and wanting to learn as much as they can. My junior year in high school I had a wonderful English teacher. She was so enthusiastic, in fact I did wonderful in her class I feel because of how enthusiastic she was. I was always interested in what she was saying and what we were learning. Another teacher that comes to mind is my high school math teacher. I had her many different times and loved her. Math is a very difficult subject for me and I struggled with it a lot. She made it easier because of how fun she made it. I felt as though I could really succeed and it was because of her.
Teacher Enthusiasm is an effective teaching tool! If the teacher is not excited about teaching, how can you expect the kids to be excited about learning? If you as the teacher are excited about reading the kids will be excited to learn how to read. Even if there is a subject you are not sure about, this should never come across to the kids. Have you ever sat in a class where the teacher is clearly bored with their own material, stuck in the survival stage, I have and it was no fun, and I wasn't excited about learning.
Enthusiasm is an important part of teaching. As some of the others have said if you are enthusiastic about what your teaching the students will be more excited and involved. I do however believe there is a line you can cross and at that point enthusiasm can become more of a distraction. I had not thought about it being distracting to the classroom next door until I read about that in another post. We have a teacher that works in our school and it is that way with her. She can get loud and excited which did disrupt the class I was working in. The upside of the distraction is they were all very excited about having her for a teacher the next year, so they could figure out what all the excitement was about. It would not however be a good thing to always be distracting the class next to you.
Teacher enthusiasm definitely is an important aspect of an effective teacher. The best teacher that I had in college was a professor who everyday you could tell was excited about class and alwasy had a story or thought that related to the subject. Just seeing his excitement and enthusiasm cause me to be interested in what we were going to learn in that class and his classes were my favorites throughout my 5 years at KU.
I would say I have to disagree with the comment your friends mentor told her. I think if you are excited about teaching something to your class, then they are more likely going to be excited. There is a time and place to stay quite, calm, and relaxed but you can't expected this all the time from your students our you will begin to lose them I think. So be enthusiastic about what you teach, it will just help your students in the long run.
Module 3 is all about Effective Teaching Strategies.
ReplyDeleteTo begin this discussion, lets talk about Teacher Enthusiasm. Is this an effective teaching strategy? Give specific examples from teachers you have had in the past. Thanks, Splichal
Teacher Enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it keeps the students motivated to learn the subject material. When the course/subject is enjoyable, students tend to retain more information than a non-enthusiastic teacher. I have a professor in mind that has an enormous amount of enthusiasm for teaching. Even after three semesters, I still remember a song that she would sing in class, and other strategies that she taught us. She was engaging, positive, moved around the classroom a lot, asked and responded to questions, her facial expressions showed her emotions and she was in constant movement. She made me want to learn and do more because she was so enthused/excited about what she was teaching.
ReplyDeleteTeacher enthusiasm is important. It shows the teacher is excited to teach the students something new. I had a teacher when I was little that loved to teach the kids new things and has an exciting idea for each subject that he wanted to cover. When we were studying about Walt Disney, we watch old mickey mouse, and read up on him and did different activities that involved the things Walt Disney had accomplished. We even had a cake to celebrate his birthday even though he is gone. We also did activities for cinco de mayo by learning how to make homemade tortillas, and the Mexican hat dance. With each holiday we did something creative to keep us interested and learn a lot more with the hands on activities we did. Enthusiasm shows your students you want to be there you want them to learn something today. It is never a good idea to go to work with a sour attitude, your kids wont like it, and they will not want to learn. It is something to have when teaching, enthusiasm lets kids know you care about there future
ReplyDeleteEnthusiasm is a very important trait for a teacher to have because students enjoy leaning more. Effective teachers complement high expectations with a fun leaning experience. The teacher that comes to mind is my 4th grade teacher. I tend to use her in most of my examples because I don’t remember any other teacher that gave herself to teaching like her. She always had a smile on her face that made coming to her class a pleasurable occurrence. She tackled every day with a great attitude, and if we spilled something or made an error she would handle it very calm. Her hands on not only taught me how to speak the language but also the lesson she was implying to teach for the rest of her class. The positive attitude always rubs off on students allowing leaning to come easier.
ReplyDeleteI recently visited with a very good friend of mine who is completing her internships. She was reprimanded by her mentor teacher for being too enthusiastic and too "loud" during the lesson she presented. The mentor said that if we want our students to stay quiet, calm, and relaxed that we have to model that behavior in our instruction by also being quiet, calm, and relaxed while we teach.
ReplyDeleteAgree or Not????? Thanks Splichal
That's interesting. I mostly disagree. I say mostly, because I think that you can show enthusiasm and excitement when teaching without being too loud. I think you can also show those emotions while being relaxed as well. You have to take into consideration the other classrooms near you, and possibly close your door if you know you're going to get into a fairly noisy discussion. I think effective teachers must show some enthusiasm and excitement...if they don't then the kids will see the lack of it. And, if they can tell that their teacher isn't excited to be there, then why would they be happy to be at school? And, if the room is totally quiet all day, with no excitement added to the lessons, what a boring place that would be to learn!
ReplyDeleteWell, I would have to say I agree and I disagree. I think that as a teacher you need to keep your volume level down to the same level you expect your students talk at. However, I do not think that a teacher can be TOO enthusiastic. The best teachers that I have had were enthusiastic and you could visibility tell they were excited to be teaching.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lacy and Amanda- you can be enthusiastic without being excessively loud. You do have to consider the classrooms around you and the noise levels. I think an overly loud teacher (to me personally) would be almost obnoxious. All students need to be able to hear, but if the teacher and students take turns talking one at a time(which can be difficult with the youngest levels) then you can all be enthusiastic without affecting the other class. I can remember being in school and the neighbor class was too loud, either they were out of control or they were having a lot of fun. If they were having fun you were kind of jealous that you weren't in that class. Being loud doesn't necessarily mean your enthusiastic about the lesson----and you don't have to be loud to be enthusiastic in the same sense. Its about respect and finding that right balance
ReplyDeleteI agree that being quiet, calm, and relax can project more respect. Enthusiasm is not being loud but showing expression. Even as a parent if I handle my kids quiet, calm, and relaxed they will focus better on the solution that I give them. I think it’s all about respect and being loud does not demonstrate respect. I think a teacher has to raise her voice at times to be heard by all the students but not to show enthusiasm. If a teacher has expectation in the classroom and part of those expectations are to listen, then she would not need to be loud while presenting her lesson.
ReplyDeleteI think that their is a fine line between being too enthusiastic and not having enough enthusiasm. A person can be excited about teaching, but can demonstrate an appropriate voice tone and infliction within in her tone. I hated the times when my teachers was overly enthusiastic about a topic because the classroom got to loud for me and many of my peers strayed away from the assignment. As long as a teacher utilizes expression, voice tone and voice infliction, then they can still come across as being enthusiastic about the topic.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of enthusiastic teachers I remember my favorite teacher from high school. He is also the teacher i described as being an Impact teacher. He was always enthusiastic about math and about the formulas he taught. I personally also became enthusiastic and had fun doing math in his class. I think for the most part when a teacher is enthusiastic their students will be as well. If they are bored with the topic, how will their students find it interesting? I think maybe there is a line you must not cross and that will depend on the class and the age of the students when it comes to you're behavior in class. If you're jumping around and shouting don't expect your students to be quiet. But if they're getting excited about the subject I think that's great and there isn't a problem! I do agree with Ashleigh though. I remember having an overly enthusiastic Spanish teacher in high school and it got to the point where students began to think she was "crazy" and I think when that happened she lost credibility. If students think their teacher is crazy they're not going to want to follow suit.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin,
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point about being careful not to be considered crazy. There is a girl I tutor who is in the 7th grade, and she comes over with all kinds of stories about her "crazy science teacher." You are very right, she does not respect that crazy teacher at all, and respect is important.
I feel that you should definitely be enthusiastic in your teacher methods. I feel that teachers that are up beat, excited and enjoying what they are doing get better results from their students. You get the kids to respond to you and it gets them excited to learn. There is a line though - I agree that sometimes you can be too enthusiastic and come across fake - or unsure of yourself. Volume level is very important when you are teaching in front of the students. I know that when I get really excited about something (or nervous) that my volume level goes up, and I don't even realize it at first. You definitely want to be able to express your excitement with out breaking the volume barrier.
ReplyDeleteI strongly feel that teacher enthusiasm is an effective teacher strategy. I think the teacher needs to have just as much enthusiasm to teach the subject as the students want to learn the different subjects. I had a first grade teacher that was always so excited to teach any subject and she always made it so fun that the students didn't really even realize they were learning. She was probably one of the best teachers that I have had, and hope to be like her some day.
ReplyDeleteI am on the line of agreeing and disagreeing with being reprimanded for having to much enthusiasm. I think that if its disturbing the other classrooms around her than she should try to tone it down a little. However if she has that much enthusiasm that is great!! We need enthusiastic teachers in today's society that want to teach the kids, and I think the kids need upbeat teachers in the classrooms.
Having teacher enthusiasm is great. If you want students to learn and be interested, you can't just stand up in front of them and lecture them and be bored. Show that you are interested in the topic and make it fun and keep the students interested.
ReplyDeleteTo the agree or disagree question. I agree and disagree also, because you do have to respect the other classrooms around you. But that doesnt mean you can't be excited about something. Just be relaxed and keep the classroom under control. My spanish teacher was always excited for class. She was loud to, but not to the point where it was distracting. We would atleast once or twice a week, get up and dance to a spanish song, we would make mexican food and have a mexican food party. She made class exciting and we still learned things.
For teachers to be enthusiastic being an effective teaching method, I agree. I think that it is effective because when you like what you are doing it can show through your enthusiasm. Also I know from working with preschoolers, when you are enthusiastic-they pay attention. If you are just talking monotone-they can get distracted.
ReplyDeleteAs for the second question-I think that there is a difference between being enthusiastic and loud. If you are taking your enthusiasm to that loud level then it might be too much. But you have to be enthusiastic enough to keep the attention from the kids. When I think of enthusiasm, I think happy, joyful, playful, and animated. Not necessarily loud.
Teachers who show enthusiasm towards the course materials and students can affect a positive learning experience towards the course materials, teachers who have a positive disposition towards the course content tend to transfer their passion to receptive students. Teachers that exhibit enthusiasm can lead to students who are more likely to be engaged, interested about learning materials. It is important to pass on the energy, desire, positivism to the students.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering wtih your friend, how were the students reacting? Were they getting loud and rowdy or were they getting more enthused about the lesson? Quiet, calm, and relaxed is not the reaction the class needs to have for every lesson. I understand the mentor's point, but I think an effective teacher doesn't present every lesson the same. An effective teacher would use a variety of teaching styles and levels of enthusiasm depending on the lesson. It goes back to the previous Mod. 2 discussion about multiple intelligences and varying the lesson delivery to meet all those learning styles. I do think that you need to be courteaous to the classrooms next to you, but that didn't sound like what the mentor was saying.
ReplyDeleteEllen,
ReplyDeleteI agree on considering the multiple learning styles. If a student is already very hyper, being loud and enthused is not going to help that particular student.
I like what Norayma said about passing on the energy, desire, positivism to the students. Being a good role model is so important.
ReplyDeleteI think being enthusiastic in the classroom is imperative to the students learning. If the teacher is excited about the lesson then the students will be also. As for modeling calm behavior for your students to be calm, that is a lot of bullarky! you can be enthusiastic while staying in a professional manor. Now if the teacher dresses like a clown or dances around while teaching the lesson, then yes, it is an issue.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that enthusiasm is necessary in the classroom, and I disagree with the mentor teacher who reprimanded the intern for being so enthusiastic. Being too loud is not necessary, but showing an excitement about learning to our students is much more beneficial, encouraging students to engage and want to be involved in the learning process. I want my students to be interested in what I have to teach them; if I'm quiet, relaxed, and calm during the full classroom time, they may just fall asleep! For students to be interested and want to participate in class, we as teachers need to model this with our instruction. Enthusiasm is important; it's vital! My high school music teacher was a very energetic teacher; she conveyed such passion for music through her instruction. It was contagious! She brought out my interest and enthusiasm for music.
ReplyDeleteEnthusiasm is a huge part of the classroom. If a teacher gets in front of the class, teaches them a concept, turns the student out to do an assignment while they go to their desk and get busy on the computer or grading, are in NO WAY showing enthusiasm for their subject or students. I have worked in a middle school English classroom where the teacher laughs at herself, strolls around the room constantly and even while at her desk has students surrounding her wanting her input or direction. This teacher shows each and every student, each and every day that she is enthusiastic about her subject, her students and her chosen profession!
ReplyDeleteI plan on being a closed-door teacher. Not the type that must close her door because she is too loud or her classroom is unruly, but because everyone is engaged and working and enthusiastic about being there. I want the principal to come walking in - not to reprimand but to join in the fun.
ReplyDeleteTo begin this discussion, lets talk about Teacher Enthusiasm. Is this an effective teaching strategy?
ReplyDeleteTeacher enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy. Being enthusiastic about being at school and teaching help engage the students to feel the same way. Showing enthusiasm when presenting subjects will get the students excited in learning about it. If a teacher is not enthusiastic then the students will share the same feelings and not want to be in the class, they may be bored.
As for the other question do I Agree or Not????
I both agree and disagree. It is good to show enthusiasm to get the students excited and interested, but being too loud might make them feel like they are being yelled at. Since many students come to school to get away from being yelled at, they might not enjoy the teacher being too loud and tune her out. Teachers are suppose to model behavior, but is everyone was quiet, calm, and relaxed all the time, the world would be a boring place.
Ellen I agree I would also like to know how the students were reacting to this situation. I also think that it doesn't always have to be a quiet and calm lesson.
ReplyDeleteTraci I love your idea about being a closed door classroom I have never thought about it that way. I think I will to, because the kids will stay more focused if the door is closed that way I can show as much enthusiasm as I want.
I agree as well that enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it is the teacher that makes the difference. I have had many enthusiastic teachers in the past and I found that learning came easier when the teachers were enthusiastic. When you have enthusiasm, it shows that you have a passion for the subject and you love what you are doing. The students can sense this and it rubs off on them. I respond positively when a speaker/orator is speaking enthusiastically because it makes me want to listen, and curious about what is coming next. Enthusiasm doesn't mean you have to be loud, it is the energy level you come with and the passion for the subject. Volume doesn't portray passion or enthusiasm. It might help get a point across though!
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree with the mentor and their assessment. I believe your enthusiasm will keep your students immersed in the subject due to interest and if you are an effective teacher, this will minimize the behavior issues. Enthusiasm and effectiveness doesn't promote students to be not calm and quiet. My opinion, maybe the mentor didn't like the teaching style of the intern, or maybe she was more effective and this was perceived as threatening. Not sure, but I disagreee with the mentor.
In my opinion, teacher enthusiasm is one of the most important teaching strategies. If a teacher does not show enthusiasm for subjects being taught, the students sense this, and in turn, are not enthused about learning. When a teacher shows enthusiasm about being in the classroom, this also affects the students. If the teacher is happy to be there, most students adopt the same attitude. There are many other issues that can be affected depending on a teacher's enthusiasm. As stated above, I truly believe a teacher's enthusiasm has a direct and profound affect on the students.
ReplyDeleteMy 4th grade teacher always displayed enthusiasm in the classroom, regardless of the subject being taught. Her enthusiasm made me want to learn and perform well. She is one of the reasons I want to teach and I hope to be able to show the same amount of enthusiasm in everything I do in my classroom.
Never underestimate the power of enthusiasm in the lesson. Today, I taught a 1st grade class in an introduction to the number line. On the surface, it's a pretty dull but necessary lesson. But with a little enthusiasm the class was raising their hands to answer the questions. They understood skipping numbers and they even understood the idea of negative numbers in 1st grade. It's a great feeling when a teacher can connect with the students, but if we don't act enthusiastic about it we won't get that connection.
ReplyDeleteRobert, I agree that perhaps the mentor teacher didn't like the teaching style of her intern. In one of my internships, my mentor teacher liked a quiet classroom. When I did my formal lesson, I had the students work in groups to complete an activity. The teacher told me afterwards that I shouldn't let the students work in groups because it causes too much chaos in the classroom. Honestly, they were working great together and had a fun time with the activity while learning! It's often confusing when we are matched with a teacher who doesn't follow what we are being taught.
ReplyDeleteI went to a math conference last year and absolutely loved the keynote presenter. She had so much enthusiasm, that she made learning math fun! She had songs, a dance, she had everyone in the audience fully engaged in what she was teaching/showing us. On the flip side, I attended one of the workshops at the conference, and was bored to tears, because the presenter had no "presence." She lectured instead of presented - when I left her workshop, I had no idea what it was about. So, enthusiasm goes along way with getting our students involved in the subject and wanting to learn more.
I am so happy to hear that you are on the right track with this.
ReplyDeleteNorayma said...
Teachers who show enthusiasm towards the course materials and students can affect a positive learning experience towards the course materials, teachers who have a positive disposition towards the course content tend to transfer their passion to receptive students.
I could not agree more. This has been good discussion.
I took down the Discussion Board assignments for Module 4 and 5 in Blackboard. I am liking the Blogging much better. I hope none of you mind.
Let's stop blogging for Module 3 now.
If any of you have NOT posted in this module, go ahead and do so. I will get blogging up for Mod 4 after Mod 4 begins.
Good work those of you who have been participating. Splichal
I agree as well that enthusiasm is an effective teaching strategy because it is the teacher that makes the difference. I have had many enthusiastic teachers in the past and I found that learning came easier when the teachers were enthusiastic. When you have enthusiasm, it shows that you have a passion. The students can sense this and it rubs off on them. Enthusiasm doesn't mean you have to be loud; it is the energy level you come with. If you are an effective teacher as well, this will minimize the behavior issues. Maybe the mentor didn't like the teaching style of the intern. Can’t know for sure but I do know I disagree with the mentor.
ReplyDeleteI have not posted on Mod 3 only because everyone's comments were great and seemed to reflect my own observations. I do think that enthusiasm makes a world of difference in a teacher that might have other shortcomings. For instance, a less than perfectly organized teacher who shows great enthusiasm could manage to keep her students focused while she gets herself on track. Looking back on my own teachers, those that were enthusiastic had a much greater impact on my education than those that were grumps or less than friendly.
ReplyDeleteTeachers should be enthusiastic and make learning fun. When teachers are enthusiastic they get students excited and more involved. When a teacher mopes around because they don't want to be there or they don't like the concept they are teaching they are showing this to the students and it makes them feel the same way. I can't recall any time when a teacher wasn't enthusiastic about teaching, but I work with a few teachers who aren't and they make the students miserable. They go over the concept very quickly and it is important information that the students need to know.
ReplyDeleteThere is a teacher in the school where I work that talks in a monotone voice. It is so boring to be in that classroom. She does have some problems with behavior, which I believe is because they are bored. The kids are not seeing that she is happy to be there, they think that she would rather be at home. I do think that if you are excited, show it. One does not necessarily need to be loud to be excited, but I feel that there is no way one can be too enthusiastic to be teaching.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that small groups are a good thing(Christine D's post). You are teaching them how to work in groups, get along and possibly create new friendships, all life skills by the way. Maybe your mentor teacher had a bad experience with that?? I love the idea of small groups.....just wait until you can have your own classroom! Then you can do what you want!!
ReplyDeleteTeachers enthusiasm is important strategy for teaching. The way you deliver a lesson can totally make a difference for how the students perceive the lesson. If a teacher shows they are excited about something, that sets the tone for the classroom. I had a teacher who was always happy in high school. She was a writing teacher, and we could tell she loved her job. Every day we walked in she greeted us with a big smile and a huge "HELLLO". Sometimes she would say "Hello" to us in different accents to grab our attention. She was so positive that even on a bad day you could not be sad in her classroom. She got the best out of us by the way she presented lessons. She thought of activities that would interest us, and made us excited to turn in paper. Now there are so many teacher who you can tell as a student does not want to be there. They are mono tone, just lecture or give worksheets. Those are the classes students do not want to attend because the teacher is boring, making the classroom boring. I think enthusiasm is a an effective way to teach.
ReplyDeleteBrand new teachers tend to make the mistake of wanting to be their students best friend. Especially on the high school level. Since they are not much older. When my daughter was a sophomore last year, she would come home complaining about her history teacher, who has only been teaching a couple of years, saying she is so stupid. The only thing her teacher would talk about is shopping shopping shopping. This example of teaching on exemplifies the example of a teacher trying to be their students friend. Only to miss the point of being a real teacher. There is a fine line of a teacher being enthusiastic and getting the trust and respect of your students, then there is the opposite. Most tend to do the latter.
ReplyDelete@Stephanie. Yes small groups are a technique of students interacting in a way they can work together. It also allows the students who are shy to kinda of 'come out of their shell' per say. All of them feel equal. No one is better than the other. Very good idea (Christine D). Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete@Stephanie. Small groups are a very good technique for students to open up with each other. The students who are very shy would allow them to come out of their shell per say. They are all equal. Thanks for sharing (Christine D).
ReplyDeleteI took a course from a brilliant math teacher. We had chalk board halfway around the room. He'd begin writing on the left and fill all the boards, quickly erase and start again. Simultaneously he would lecture in a monotone. This class was at 5:30 and I would come from work already tired. I can't remember how many times I nodded off, jerked awake, looked down at my paper and saw where my pen had drifted across the page. I had to retake the course.
ReplyDeleteSome enthusiasm and variation in vocal tone may have kept me awake.
I think enthusiasm is like a yawn, it is contageous. If the students are enthused they will be more attentive and achieve at a higher level than they would otherwise. You don't need to be loud to be enthusiastic, sometimes leaning forward and speaking in a hushed voice will draw the students in like they're going to learn a secret.
Teacher enthusiasm is always important in the classroom. Students need to feel enthusiasm from the teacher to keep learning fun. At many different ages you want the students to feel engaged and to feel motivated to learn each new thing. If the teacher is motivated it will keep the students interested and wanting to learn as much as they can. My junior year in high school I had a wonderful English teacher. She was so enthusiastic, in fact I did wonderful in her class I feel because of how enthusiastic she was. I was always interested in what she was saying and what we were learning. Another teacher that comes to mind is my high school math teacher. I had her many different times and loved her. Math is a very difficult subject for me and I struggled with it a lot. She made it easier because of how fun she made it. I felt as though I could really succeed and it was because of her.
ReplyDeleteAn enthusiastic teacher arouses the interest and enthusiasm of their students.
ReplyDeleteTeacher Enthusiasm is an effective teaching tool! If the teacher is not excited about teaching, how can you expect the kids to be excited about learning? If you as the teacher are excited about reading the kids will be excited to learn how to read. Even if there is a subject you are not sure about, this should never come across to the kids. Have you ever sat in a class where the teacher is clearly bored with their own material, stuck in the survival stage, I have and it was no fun, and I wasn't excited about learning.
ReplyDeleteEnthusiasm is an important part of teaching. As some of the others have said if you are enthusiastic about what your teaching the students will be more excited and involved. I do however believe there is a line you can cross and at that point enthusiasm can become more of a distraction. I had not thought about it being distracting to the classroom next door until I read about that in another post. We have a teacher that works in our school and it is that way with her. She can get loud and excited which did disrupt the class I was working in. The upside of the distraction is they were all very excited about having her for a teacher the next year, so they could figure out what all the excitement was about. It would not however be a good thing to always be distracting the class next to you.
ReplyDeleteTeacher enthusiasm definitely is an important aspect of an effective teacher. The best teacher that I had in college was a professor who everyday you could tell was excited about class and alwasy had a story or thought that related to the subject. Just seeing his excitement and enthusiasm cause me to be interested in what we were going to learn in that class and his classes were my favorites throughout my 5 years at KU.
ReplyDeleteI would say I have to disagree with the comment your friends mentor told her. I think if you are excited about teaching something to your class, then they are more likely going to be excited. There is a time and place to stay quite, calm, and relaxed but you can't expected this all the time from your students our you will begin to lose them I think. So be enthusiastic about what you teach, it will just help your students in the long run.
ReplyDelete