S/O: Best Resources for Teacher Education

[edeemarie]

After reading several threads on teacher education, I am wondering what you considering to be the best resources for educating the teacher in how to teach effectively- books, websites, seminars, anything! I keep feeling myself drawn to pre-written curricula because I worry I will somehow mess things up. For example, I keep coming back to thinking I need to use something like TOG because I won't be able to come up with the type of questions and discussions they have. But I really don't want to be completely tied to what someone else thinks I should teach or ask. So what can I get that will teach me how to teach? Oddly enough my degree is in Education, but I still don't fell like it truly prepared me in how to teach.:glare:

[Hunter]

I know you don't want to hear it's different for everyone, but...it is :tongue_smilie:

 

For ME, I gravitate towards teacher education that will help me provide a very narrow curriculum, in a step by step, and explicit fashion. I'm totally OCD and almost robotic. Trying to drag underprepared students, or an underprepared self, through a keep up with the Jonses curriculum, is just torture for me.

 

What are your resources and challenges? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your quirks? What is your worldview? What type of students are you expecting to be teaching? What education after you, are you preparing them for?

 

Who do you like to read here? Who annoys you to read? :lol: Seriously, that will give you a clue on some teacher education books you might like, or not like?

[SorrelZG]

I recall reading that TOG encourages the parent to study the upper level books while teaching the lower levels for their own education and for preparation for teaching the upper levels when they get to them. As people have to continually remind me, prepared resources (like TOG) should be your tool, not your master. I've only looked into TOG a little but from what I understood the questions they had prepared were for helping you, not tying you down. If you've had time to learn in advance, so much the better but if not, there are questions to guide you. To go it alone though, you really need to know the material more so than "how to teach". Well .. perhaps start with the book that some of us are reading (which Angela in Ohio and another lady also recommended) called The Seven Laws of Teaching. The first law taught is the law of the teacher and it's about the teacher knowing what s/he's teaching.

 

From there, it seems to come down to .. what are you wanting to teach?

[SorrelZG]

I know you don't want to hear it's different for everyone, but...it is :tongue_smilie:

[..]

 

What are your resources and challenges? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your quirks? What is your worldview? What type of students are you expecting to be teaching? What education after you, are you preparing them for?

 

 

Great questions!

[regentrude]

I know people will disagree with me, but I'll say it anyway:

I find the "how to teach" much less crucial than the question "what to teach". The first and most important thing a teacher needs, IMO, is a solid content knowledge. No amount of curriculum is going to prop up a teacher who is wobbly on subject knowledge. So, my first step in teacher education would be to thoroughly study the content I am going to teach, preferably several levels above the level I will be teaching.

 

Any subject where I do not possess content knowledge, I can still facilitate. I can let books, workbooks, DVDs and classes do the teaching and do my job by selecting them, keeping my student focused, discussing, and, to a limited degree and with help of solution keys etc, evaluate his work. But in order to teach, I must first know. Only after I know, I can figure out how to teach what I know.

 

So, to answer the original question: the best resources for teacher education are whatever resources help the teacher best to master the subject herself.

Edited September 2, 2012 by regentrude

[regentrude]

Well .. perhaps start with the book that some of us are reading (which Angela in Ohio and another lady also recommended) called The Seven Laws of Teaching. The first law taught is the law of the teacher and it's about the teacher knowing what s/he's teaching.

 

 

and here is a link to a summary:

http://www.vtaide.com/gleanings/7laws.htm

[Mrs Twain]

These resources have been the most helpful to me so far.

 

--The Knowledge Deficit by E.D. Hirsch.

 

--TWSS and other lectures by Andrew Pudewa of IEW.

 

--Reading on this forum.

 

I try to incorporate these two principles in teaching all of my subjects:

 

--If your student hears it, says it, and writes it, he will retain a high percentage of the material.

I either find curricula which incorporate all three things in teaching the material or add things to my curricula (namely things like lapbooks or notebooking to add in the writing aspect).

 

--Present all teaching in both a verbal and a visual method (i.e. as you explain or read something verbally, use a white board, pictures, or other visual materials).

This will help make your teaching effective for both visual and verbal learners.

[edeemarie]

Ok, after reading the first few posts last night I really had to spend some time thinking about the questions that were asked. I think it really helped since I mentally came up with some goals for my kids. I think so much of this stems from my own lack of confidence in my education. I was a good student in school- I could remember material for a test and get good grades, but I could never go deeper with the information I had. So I guess, most importantly, I was my kids to be able to apply what they learn on a deeper level. I don't want them to feel like they have to remember things short term and then forget them forever. I want them to have a deep enough understand of things to be able to defend their knowledge and their faith, something I never felt I have been able to do.

 

I guess I need some type of resource to help me teach them how to think deeper about things, other than just the superficial information. This would include subjects like literature, science, and history. I would love it if they could learn to connect ideas through these subjects in their writing too (another subject I never felt completely comfortable in).

 

 

I have always been decent when it comes to editing, but not when it comes to applying or critically thinking about things I have not done well. Lately I have just been concerned since I am planning for next year when we will not be using a boxed curricula. I am excited about it, but also nervous that maybe I am not completely capable of pulling it all together.

 

 

I also see the logic stage coming up for us in a few years, and that is where my insecurities will really begin. For now, I am fine with reading to the kids, having them memorize, exposing them to different materials, but when we get to logic when we have to apply it I just want to make sure I have the right teaching tools. I want us to have memorable discussions and I want the kids to ask deep questions.

 

 

Basically, I want to prepare them for learning out of the box and thinking deeper than what is on the surface. It completely makes sense to learn material myself before I teach it, but I guess I am looking more at the application of knowledge as opposed to just knowing something. I really hope this makes sense- I have only had one cup of coffee this morning:)

[edeemarie]

These resources have been the most helpful to me so far.

 

--The Knowledge Deficit by E.D. Hirsch.

 

--TWSS and other lectures by Andrew Pudewa of IEW.

 

--Reading on this forum.

 

I try to incorporate these two principles in teaching all of my subjects:

 

--If your student hears it, says it, and writes it, he will retain a high percentage of the material.

I either find curricula which incorporate all three things in teaching the material or add things to my curricula (namely things like lapbooks or notebooking to add in the writing aspect).

 

--Present all teaching in both a verbal and a visual method (i.e. as you explain or read something verbally, use a white board, pictures, or other visual materials).

This will help make your teaching effective for both visual and verbal learners.

 

Thank you for these suggestions. We have a few IEW materials and I love the lectures, but then I just want to buy everything from IEW (not great for the budget:)). I have really been thinking about Teaching the Classics to help me with literature discussions. I'll have to look into the Knowledge Deficit too.

[delaney]

If you want deeper thinking to really set your teeth into then TOG is the way to go. Have you looked at the 3 week sample? I really love the question they ask and the info you need is ALL in there.

[edeemarie]

and here is a link to a summary:

http://www.vtaide.com/gleanings/7laws.htm

 

That is a great summary! I need to print it and put it on my refrigerator- and then read the book!:lol:

[edeemarie]

If you want deeper thinking to really set your teeth into then TOG is the way to go. Have you looked at the 3 week sample? I really love the question they ask and the info you need is ALL in there.

 

I really have spent some time looking at TOG, but the huge problem right now is the cost. I have the 3 week sample to look through, but our library has about 5 books of the list for the year, so that would leave us to be buying a ton of books. I guess I am looking for something that will enable me to have a program like that at home without being tied to specific books.

[edeemarie]

Anyone else have any other teacher education suggestions?

[SorrelZG]

Have you considered The Well-Educated Mind? At least read through the beginning that can be read on the Amazon preview. For writing, I'm going to be reading through Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student which is recommended in the WTM and another reading list I have for parent-teacher's own education.

[campmom]

For me,

Right Start has taught me HOW to teach math, I'm able to carry it over into other curriculum.

IEW- teaches you how to teach writing

Simply Charlotte Mason DVD's were really good for teaching in general.

I went to a Spell to Write and Read workshop which taught me how to teach spelling which I also carried over into other spelling curriculum like AAS

Phonics Road also teaches you how to teach spelling (without having to go to a seminar)

All of these things have helped me become a better teacher

[laughing lioness]

So, to answer the original question: the best resources for teacher education are whatever resources help the teacher best to master the subject herself.

 

:iagree:Totally. And then deliver what you know in a way that is engaging (which does not always = fun). Marva Collins is a great one to learn how to do this from!

Read about education, read about educators, understand kids, understand your kids.

I've posted this before but here is my incomplete list of educational influencers. There's some great reading /learning to be had!

[kalanamak]

 

So, to answer the original question: the best resources for teacher education are whatever resources help the teacher best to master the subject herself.

 

My trick has been to do free reading the level above my child. So, when I was teaching 1st grade bio, I was chewing through (cheap and easy to find non-the-latest-edition) textbooks of science for 10-12 year olds. You can read these quickly and find out your deficits. Then, jot down the terms you want to bring into conversation when talking to your child. Use these concepts and the vocab in natural conversation for a child to start getting ready to retain it.

 

I think of the child's mind as a big fabric board with a grid. Topics cross each other. We start by putting up "hooks" to hang info and understanding on. The topics I sit down an really go over with kiddo only sticks AFTER the hooks are up. So, I try to put the hooks up for the level above.

 

Right now my son is learning about the components of civilization (surplus of food, division of labour, and towns/cities). He has to be able to list these, and tell why each is important, and write a summary of how this happened in Sumer. I had already read this list when kiddo was 6, and probably brought it up 10 times in the last 4 years. Say, in a discussion about Maroo of the Winter Caves, or the elaborate cave paintings, etc. Now, when kiddo has to memorize and regurgitate, it is NOT the first time these words have wobbled his tympanic membranes. Does this make sense?

[happycc]

when I went back to college 15 years later with a totally different major and revisited some subjects that I had missed first time around-mainly science and math and listened to good and bad lectures.

 

It is amazing what 15yrs of a break from school does to the brain. I am much more confident in teaching them math and science now than I did before taking chem, organic chem, microbiology, biochemistry, statistics etc.

 

I have to say homeschooling the first set of kids helped me be a better student.

 

Keep up with your personal education. Whether it be watching documentaries with your kids or reading scientific books or learn a new language with them. Read classics. Consider taking a community college course in whatever once a week or something like that.