Sara's mentoring observations

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Mentor Teachers

MEMBERS

2 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Mentor Teachers Chatboard

Sara's mentoring observations

by Declan Flynn

Nov 28, 2011

I am finding the opposite of upsetting the teachers in training. They are telling me that they are finding the feedback as quite a useful exercise and that it has helped them with observed lessons when their tutors have come out from college. i have taken your point of refelection on board and getting them to think about why they are asking the pupils to do what they are doing and why. Good classroom environment is what comes with experience- trying to get the students to reflect on what went well and what didn't without me jumping in is proving difficult to resist but we are getting to the stage of a more collaborative dialogue.

Comment

(1)

report post

Sara On 11/28/11, Declan Flynn wrote: > I am finding the opposite of upsetting the teachers in > training. They > are telling me that they are finding the feedback as quite > a useful exercise and that it has helped them with observed > lessons when their tutors have come out from college. i > have taken your point of refelection on bo...See MoreOn 11/28/11, Declan Flynn wrote: > I am finding the opposite of upsetting the teachers in > training. They > are telling me that they are finding the feedback as quite > a useful exercise and that it has helped them with observed > lessons when their tutors have come out from college. i > have taken your point of refelection on board and getting > them to think about why they are asking the pupils to do > what they are doing and why. > Good classroom environment is what comes with experience- > trying to get the students to reflect on what went well and > what didn't without me jumping in is proving difficult to > resist but we are getting to the stage of a more > collaborative dialogue.

I think I might say the best classroom environments come from experience but a new teacher can have a good classroom environment. Of course, what we consider a good classroom environment varies from school to school and I bring them up to new teachers. There is more than one type of school and different ways to teach and different classroom environments. What's the philosophy of your school? My school wants each teacher as well as each student to find their farther horizon - to find what works best for them - though it's also clear that we want learner-centered classrooms.

Does your school have an embracing philosophy of education that your new teacher informed of? When I mention 'democratic schools' (we're not one) to new teachers as a matter for reflection when considering classroom management, most look back at me in disbelief. Most teachers assume the differences between teachers derive from personality alone and have not reflected on the idea that we all have underlying philosophies and beliefs that are guiding our interaction with students and our teaching.

But to sum up, I'd still say - I've seen some new teachers who have good classroom environments from the 'get-go'. They too improve with experience but they demonstrate qualities that serve to quickly build rapport with students and are most often open to student input. Their style of teaching is not lecture-based and they are generally people of charming warmth which also lends itself at least here to a good classroom environment.

They have to make their mistakes to learn what works for them and what doesn't work for them. What works for one teacher doesn't necessarily work for the next teacher.

Dec 1, 2011

report post