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NS1976
My princess!
Member since 5/05 6548 total posts
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Teaching trends?
I was wondering if anyone wanted to help me. I have to write a paper on teaching trends and what has changed over the years. I already received wonderful feedback from two very good friends but I need a bit more..
For those who have been teaching a while, what has changed in the classroom. The way you teach, the curriculum, the supplies, the set up of the classroom, etc.
Anything you can share would be appreciated. So far, technology has made all the difference in the world.
TIA!
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Posted 7/28/10 12:04 PM  |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Teaching trends?
i think it would be interesting to explore how the attitudes of parents and students have changed over the years. Some parents have become, in my opinion, TOO involved in their education. Some parents rule the school because they complain and make a fuss and make the teacher's life miserable if they don't get what they want. Many students just don't care and are not invested in the learning process. I think so many kids are distracted by the media, technology, etc. that school is not as exciting for them as it was for us than when we were kids. That, to me, has been a big change in teaching in the last 10 years or so.
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| Posted 7/28/10 12:43 PM |
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PennyCat
Just call me mommy :)
Member since 7/08 19084 total posts
Name:
Jib
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Re: Teaching trends?
I would say there has been a much bigger emphasis on the workshop model and differentiated instruction.
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| Posted 7/28/10 5:38 PM |
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Athee
I believe in miracles!
Member since 8/07 2462 total posts
Name:
A
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Re: Teaching trends?
Posted by PennyCat
I would say there has been a much bigger emphasis on the workshop model and differentiated instruction.
and data collection!!!
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| Posted 7/28/10 6:16 PM |
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NS1976
My princess!
Member since 5/05 6548 total posts
Name:
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Re: Teaching trends?
Posted by PennyCat
I would say there has been a much bigger emphasis on the workshop model and differentiated instruction.
Can you explain this a little more if you dont mind? I am not a teacher yet and when I did teach, it was preschool, so Im not familiar with these terms. Thanks so much!
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| Posted 7/28/10 11:08 PM |
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PennyCat
Just call me mommy :)
Member since 7/08 19084 total posts
Name:
Jib
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Re: Teaching trends?
Posted by nycchic24
Posted by PennyCat
I would say there has been a much bigger emphasis on the workshop model and differentiated instruction.
Can you explain this a little more if you dont mind? I am not a teacher yet and when I did teach, it was preschool, so Im not familiar with these terms. Thanks so much!
Sure!! Differentiated instruction means that you cater your lessons to meet the needs of each student in the class. The workshop model means that the students work cooperatively in their groups based on data. For example- this is a typical lesson on my classroom:
For a language arts lesson, I will invite my students to the back of the room and do my mini lesson. I'll teach the big idea of what they will be doing that day as we all sit together and I put notes on chart paper. Then, I'll split them up into their differentiated groups. This is based on many things, depending on what works best for the lesson. Depending on what we're doing, I can divide the students up in many ways:
- Reading levels (based on reading assessments)
- ELA scores
- Learning styles (students take a survey at the beginning of the year to assess their learning style- the staples are visual, audio, and kinestetic(sp?)- but I also do interests- I will put my more mathematical students together.. my artistic students.. etc.
It's good because it allows each student a chance to succeed. When the students are split based on their reading levels for example, I will give each group an assignment that meets the same criteria, but is tailored so that they can understand it- or be challenged, etc.
This is pretty new.. as you probably remember when you were a kid.. it used to be very "one size fits all" .. but they're turning away from that these days. It seems like the education world is always going through different phases. It won't be long before they are into something else they will swear by! 
ETA: I want to add how necessary differentiated instruction is in my classroom.. I have students in my class who range from a 2nd-6th grade reading level!!!! They also vary greatly as far as their writing abilities...... They range from the student who could write a story.. .to the one who can't form a paragraph. So, if I gave the same assignment to everyone, I would have some students who are bored.. some students who are on target, and some who have no clue what's going on and will gain nothing.
Message edited 7/28/2010 11:59:10 PM.
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| Posted 7/28/10 11:55 PM |
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CAMCaps
Live Laugh Love Run
Member since 6/07 4922 total posts
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Re: Teaching trends?
I am not sure what grade level you plan on teaching, but here is my high school perspective.
When I was in high school 10 years ago, my teachers would "chalk and talk" all the time. I would walk into my social studies class and my teacher would literally have the board covered in notes and the second you sat down, you just started copying. She would go over the notes and 99% of the time this was the class. My other classes very very similar - some used overhead projectors instead of the blackboard. I remember my biology teacher would sometimes supplement the lesson with a laser disk clip and we obviously have to do labs in that class as well.
Walk into my biology class and it has some similarities, but many more differences My school is really big on motivation and connecting lessons to the real world/current events/the students' lives. Labs and authentic experiences are big. I limit notes to about 10 minutes and try not to give them everyday.
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| Posted 7/29/10 11:56 AM |
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allikat
LIF Infant
Member since 5/06 283 total posts
Name:
Alli
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Re: Teaching trends?
and data collection!!!
Agreed! Data collection and analysis.
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| Posted 7/29/10 5:31 PM |
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Re: Teaching trends?
Posted by donegal419
i think it would be interesting to explore how the attitudes of parents and students have changed over the years. Some parents have become, in my opinion, TOO involved in their education. Some parents rule the school because they complain and make a fuss and make the teacher's life miserable if they don't get what they want. Many students just don't care and are not invested in the learning process. I think so many kids are distracted by the media, technology, etc. that school is not as exciting for them as it was for us than when we were kids. That, to me, has been a big change in teaching in the last 10 years or so.
ITA!!! Helicopter parents are the norm and children that are overloaded with sports, clubs, instrument lessons, private tutoring etc.
I'm going on my 7th year so I don't have a ton of experience but I will share 1 thing I thought was very interesting. My entire district has interactive whiteboards. When we first installed them, the kids and teachers were all amazed at what we could do. Now, my current students have never not had a whiteboard - they're used to it and the least bit impressed with how "jazzy" I can make a lesson. Last year I showed a BrainPop video on money and counting coins since the kids were having difficulty with this. The kids were disinterested in the cartoon video. Then I gave each student a piece of paper and a coin and had them make coin rubbings. The kids raved! I couldn't believe that something I had done all the time as a kid was something these kids had never seen before. This to me was telling of the children we educate today. While we think the bells and whistles are what is going to make an impression on them, it's really the authentic experiences that do. IMO kids today miss those experiences in this video game/ technology push world.
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| Posted 7/29/10 6:57 PM |
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Re: Teaching trends?
I also have to agree with Athee on the importance of data collection. You can't show up at a meeting about a child without a lot of evidence to prove your recommendations for services. RTI is huge right now.
The big "buzz word" is 21 Century teaching as well. My district has spent a lot of time and $$ to revise curriculum activities to develop "higher-level, problem solving, criticial thinking skills" in students. You should see what we had to get the kids to do!
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| Posted 7/29/10 7:03 PM |
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justbeachy
So close....
Member since 7/07 2900 total posts
Name:
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Re: Teaching trends?
I'd explore:
-homework (trends of how much to give, etc.)
-differentiation (population of ell students and how it's changed practices)
-extended day (do extra hours = better performance?)
-role of the teacher in the classroom (instructor vs facilitator, etc)
-accountability (standardized tests- are we focused on teaching to the test now?)
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| Posted 7/29/10 9:46 PM |
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NS1976
My princess!
Member since 5/05 6548 total posts
Name:
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Re: Teaching trends?
I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of the input! It helped me out so much and I truly learned a lot. I so appreciate it!!! 
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| Posted 8/2/10 10:22 AM |
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