Blog Post #10

EQ: How can we design instruction that sticks?

Q1: How can educators encourage students to pursue academic success?
Q2: Is it possible for educators to teach the students in a way in which they learn, rather than just
memorize enough to pass a test?
Educators in the world today do not simply teach students, they are students themselves.
Teachers in the world today face a world unlike no other: a world that is ever-changing. To
succeed, which also means the success of their students, they must learn and adapt to different
concepts and teaching styles. Many different students learn in many ways, therefore educators
much know how to teach the information in many ways. Reaching a student is much more
difficult than we may believe. So, the question is: How can we design instruction that sticks,
and I believe to figure out how to answer this question, we must first understand how to get
students to want to be involved in the classroom.
As Im sure any person who has seen the inside of the classroom setting knows, students
are not always prepared and willing to learn. In my time at Anthony Wayne Junior High School, I
learned one very valuable lesson: students who respect their teachers gained more from their
classroom experience. To have an organized and systematic learning environment, students and
teachers alike need to be able to respect and to politely engage with one another, as a hectic
classroom results in fewer opportunities for learning. Mr. Keller, the seventh-grade social studies
teacher I was glad to be able to join for my field experience, was very respectful towards his
students. He rarely raised his voice, and treated the students in a way I would describe as a parent
would teach his own child: stern but caring. He did not stand for rambunctious behavior, as he
wanted the learning environment to be a calm one. He let students work in pairs and groups as
often as possible, and even within a lecture setting allowed discussion. I made it a point to ask
many students what they thought about history, and what they thought about his class. Many of
the students who claimed that they hated or disliked history, said that they still enjoyed his class,
and a few even claimed that he was their favorite teacher! This genuine connection to the
students can really make or break an educator, and I believe that this is key when it comes to
designing instruction that sticks. If a teacher puts in the time to understand his/her students,
his/her students will put in the time to understand the information. For educators to understand
their students, they must understand how to design and incorporate lesson plans that encourages
success and encourages students to genuinely learn the information, rather than just memorizing
it long enough to take and pass the test. This truly is the key to creating instruction that sticks.

How can educators encourage students to pursue academic success?

One of the biggest factors that affects a students success in the classroom is the push
of his/her teacher. As presented in the article Five Standards of Authentic Instruction, Social
support is high in classes when the teacher conveys high expectations for all students, including
that it is necessary to take risks and try hard to master challenging academic work, that all
members of the class can learn important knowledge and skills, and that a climate of mutual
respect among all members of the class contributes to achievement by all. Based on
observations made while I was in high school, and my observations in my field placement at
Anthony Wayne Junior High School, I have come to the conclusion that many students are not
interested in learning because their educators are not particularly concerned with their success.
When a student sees that his/her teacher does not care about the grades they achieve, they will
choose not to care also. Ive noticed that when a student is held responsible for his or her actions,
and is respectful of their educator, they often achieve higher grades. I believe that this begins
with the teacher. An educator should care as much about his or her students and they would for
their own children, as it is a teachers job to raise the up-and-coming generation to be successful.
To do this, they must encourage their students, and create an environment that gives students the
opportunity to succeed. I believe the best way to do this is for an educator to understand the way
that his/her students learn best, and use methods that help them, even if it may be a difficult
process. This can be done easily by relating the lessons to the lives of the students, and
incorporating the things they care about. Newmann and Wehlage make the point that A lesson
gains in authenticity the more there is a connection to the larger social context within which
students live. If students are presented with problems that effect or interest them, they are more
likely to pursue an answer, therefore pursuing success (possibly without even realizing it.)
Teaching students to solve problems on their own shows them to be academically independent
and to pursue higher thinking, which per Newman and Wehlage, is critical when giving authentic
instruction.

Is it possible for educators to teach the students in a way in which they learn, rather than just
memorize enough to pass a test?
In high school I often remember doing what we, as students, called word-vomit. We
memorized information, and spewed it out onto a quiz or test. Upon doing so, we often forgot the
information. We only did what we needed to pass, but getting an education is so much more
important than that! For students to be successful, academically and in life after high school, they
must be able to solve problems and recall information. Educators are responsible for this! Many
teachers often ignore the prime steps to guiding a lesson (hook, review, body and closing). In
class, we learned that creating a hook is vital to teaching students and getting them interested in
the lesson. By using a hook every day, it gets the students ready and prepared to learn, and if the
hook is good, they are more likely to memorize the information presented. The review is the
most important, especially when it comes to teaching a student to absorb the information, rather
than word-vomiting. By reviewing each day what youve learned over the past week or so,
students are studying the information, whether they know this or not. Repetition plays a huge roll

when it comes to success in the classroom. A body presents the information, and is a huge chunk
of the day, and if an educator presents this in a way in which the student understands and wants
to learn, he/she will be more likely to be willing to study to an exam or test prior to the day or
night before. A closing is helpful when it comes to authentic instruction because it can remind
students what is due, and gives the educator an opportunity to address any questions before it is
too late. The question presented prior plays a huge role when answering this question. If a
student is encouraged to learn more, he/she will want to learn more. Educators can ensure that
their lesson plans are strong by using the framework of authentic instruction presented by
Newmann and Wehlage: The framework provides a set of standards through which to view
assignments, instructional activities, and the dialogue between teacher and students and students
with one another.

*My connections to previous MRs are presented through my writing

References
Newmann, F.M., & Wehlage, G.G. (1993). Five standards of authentic instruction. Educational
Leadership, 50 (7), 8-12.