Being a Teacher

Dr Dennis Francis
Commonwealth Education Trust

Foundations of Teaching for

Learning
Course 2: Being a Teacher
Week 1: What is a Teacher?
Lecture 1.1: What does a Teacher Do?

What is Teaching?
All teachers have some theory of
what teaching is when they are
doing it, even if they are not
explicitly aware of that theory...
Gow and Kember, 1993 cited in Biggs and Tang, 2007,
p.15.

What is the Role of a Teacher?

Teaching is a process intended to support
learning by inducing a change in the person
taught.
Teaching is an art of communicating a message
that will have impact on your audience.
Pedagogy is the art or profession of teaching.

Connecting my Teaching to their

Learning
I am
teaching
Spot to
throw a
frisbee.

But he is
not
throwing
it.

I said I am
teaching him,
not that hes
learning.

If my students have not

learned, how can I call
myself a teacher?

Good Teachers and Bad

Teachers
What makes a teacher
good and what makes a
teacher not so good?

Students Perceptions of Good and Bad

Teachers
Good teachers

Are helpful and supportive.

Take time to explain material in depth.
Are friendly.
Understand and know the subject well.
Use a variety of teaching style and innovative
approaches.
Are fair and have equal standards and expectations
of pupils, regardless of test scores.

Students Perceptions of Good and Bad

Teachers
Bad teachers

Are
Are
Are
Are
Are
Are

mean and unfair.

judgemental of pupils parents and siblings.
unwilling to change their teaching methods.
disrespectful of pupils.
unsympathetic to pupils personal problems.
intimidating and verbally abusive.

Gives interesting
lessons

What
What
makes
makes
aagood
good
teacher?
teacher?

Treat us with respect

And as individual
Believes in you
Helps us with our
Work even outside

Does not make fun of us

If we get things wrong

Lesson time
Explains things
clearly

Shows an interest in us and

What we do outside school

Is approachable if
We have a problem
Is fair and consistent,
Treating everyone equally
Helps us if we
make mistakes

Protects our rights

And prevents name
calling

Helps us feel
Part of the class
Knows our name
Has sense of humour

Is prepared to acknowledge
He does not know everything

Is ready to be flexible and

acknowledge
Mistakes if he makes any

The Task of the Teacher:

Setting the Environment for

Learning
The environment for learning is
developed by:
The way in which we set up the
classroom.
The way we ask questions.

Teachable Moments
A teachable moment is an unplanned opportunity to recognise
what is happening within the class to make connections and to
extend and enrich learning.
Teachable moments can happen anywhere,
any time and occurs when the student:
Is receptive
Is open to learning
Is actively seeking information

Examples of Teachable
Moments

When a student asks a question.

When the student demonstrates knowledge that has been acquired
formally.
When the student makes a provocative statement, such as, This
always happens to me.
When the student expresses misinformation or lack of information.
When a student expresses a need for change.
When you are performing a procedure or giving treatment.

When you have a teachable moment consider; the environment,

who is present, and your approach to the students openness.

Establishing a Classroom
Environment
How does it look and feel?
Is it an inviting and stimulating
environment?
What do you think of the dcor,
materials on show, your desk,
students desk and student and
other pictures on the wall?
Is it well laid out?
Could it be improved?
What is good about it?
What is lacking?

The Task of the Teacher Clarifying

Objectives
Clarifying Objectives
Setting realistic goals.
Identification and clarification of associated
objectives:
Teachers
knowledge
BRING
skills
DREAMS
TO LIFE
dispositions

The Task of the Teacher:

Motivating Students
Creating materials and
activities to arouse interest.
Engaging in goal setting with
the students.
Using rewards and (sometimes)
competition.
Providing students with
knowledge of their progress.

The Task of the Teacher:

Sequencing Subject Matter

Organizing what will happen in the year, in
the term, each week.
Organizing different classes during the day.
Organizing activities of each class in a way
that will encourage students learning.
Connecting new knowledge to the outside
world.

The Task of the Teacher:

Understanding Individual Differences

Considering Individual Differences means:
Being able to recognise and understand differences in your
classroom such as:

Gender, race,
culture, language,
social class.

The Task of the Teacher:

Providing for Individual Differences

Doing something about individual differences
means:
Taking account of ways in which students background impact
on how they learn.
Trying to group students in ways that will maximize their
learning.
Using resources that are appropriate to the range and

What Next?
Make a list of all the things that
you have do as a teacher. Ask your
colleagues to add to your list.
Out of your long list pick what you
think are the ten most important
things that teachers do. Think
about how you might get better at
doing these things.

Foundations of Teaching and

Learning
Copyright Notice
Week 1, Lecture 1
Slides

Commonwealth Education Trust. All Rights Reserved.

1, 2,

Images: schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org

5, 17, 19,

Images: Microsoft Clip Art

11

Image: Courtesy of Professor Dennis Francis