Enduring Understandings Teachers Grapple With

Teachers have to grapple with several understandings. As I read the Understanding By Design chapters for this week, I started to think about how the six facets of understanding relate to my professional life as a teacher. I believe the six facets of understanding (Explanation, Interpretation, Application, Perspective, Empathy, and Self-knowledge) all have a place in the minds of teachers throughout their careers. When I think about these facets I imagine a common scenario in classrooms- critiquing student work. The facets of understanding are often visited by teachers when students do poorly on an assessment. I will try to go through the facets using this classic example.

With the facet of explanation, teachers are always asking, Why are the scores so low (or high)? What do the scores mean? By answering these questions we attempt to improve on our teaching for the next lesson or unit. Teachers always try to rationalize why the results turned out the way that they did, creating theories of their own. In the facet of interpretation, we build upon the explanation facet. Once we have developed our theories of why things are the way that they are, we then try to figure out Why does it matter? and What does it mean? Both of these questions are important to answer before moving on with the curriculum. If students have failed the chapter test, there must be a reason for it. Since I teach mathematics, I can easily relate to this facet. If the students do not understand the unit on multiplication then they will not be able to understand the unit on multiplying fractions or multiplying decimals. While these skills are independent of one another, they are also connected and some consider them building blocks. Along the same idea of students failing a test, the teacher also visits the facet of application asking How can I use this knowledge in the next class? How can my thinking and planning change to meet the demands of my students? Teachers are also able to visit the facet of perspective asking themselves Do the students not understand the material because of how it was presented, or are there other factors? Did the students complete their homework and did they ask questions when they did not understand something? By looking at the situation from another point of view, teachers are able to have a deeper understanding of why students are not doing well in class. Along these same line, we come to the facet of empathy. I remember a situation one year where one of my best students failed the standardized test. I was completely shocked, so I started to investigate how this could have happened. I finally discovered that this student was having a difficult time at home. Clearly her home life was affecting her school life. And on the day of the testing she was concerned with the situation at home and was unable to focus on the test. Teachers have to have the ability to be compassionate and caring toward their students. To understand why students think or act the way they do, a teacher has to be able to empathize with the student's situation. The final facet of self-knowledge should often be visited by teachers of various levels. Teachers must always self-reflect about lessons and interactions with students and colleagues. Teachers have to constantly question the way they view the world and be willing to see things in a different light.

This is only one area that teachers try to understand. There are many other aspects of the education profession that teachers still question. These include students, parents, administrative decisions, National mandates, local policies, etc. The list goes on (research in education is forever developing new ideas and solutions to problems) and probably will continue to be added to throughout our careers. It is up to the teachers to question and understand what is occurring in schools so that they may be able to make a positive change in the world.

On a related note, I received my Educational Leadership magazine today and was drawn to the first article "All Our Students Thinking" by Nel Noddings. As I read this article, it seemed as though the words jumped off of the page! He talks about how students are taught the skills but are not required to understand the information taught. "The key is to give students opportunities to think and to make an effort to connect one subject area to other subject areas in the curriculum and to everyday life." The most intriguing part of the article is when Noddings discusses how we should apply "critical thinking" to the teachers as well as the students. "The pressure to cover mandated material can lead to hasty and superficial instruction that favors correct responses to multiple choice questions over thinking." He feels that teachers should be "willing to think critically about education theory." If students are expected to think and understand (through Explanation, Interpretation, Application, Perspective, Empathy, and Self-knowledge), then teachers should be required to do the same within the realm of education. Teachers should question "why?", in order to have a complete understanding of their students and the way that they think.

Characteristics of a SUCCESSFUL Novice Teacher

As I reflect on my personal experiences as a novice teacher, I wonder, could I be considered successful? Does the completion of the first year and the willingness to return the following year classify me as successful? According to Scott Mandel, in Educational Leadership (March 2006) "First-year teachers have one basic goal in mind—survival." Looking back on my experiences, both positive and negative, I wonder, what is success? One may classify a successful neophyte teacher as innovative, creative, and spontaneous in the classroom. This includes lesson plans, extra-curricular activities, as well as the overall classroom environment. Someone else may classify effective classroom management skills as success for a novice teacher. Still others may think that success lies in the amount of material that is "covered" in the first year. And yet we have the standardized tests and observations that some may use to measure the new teacher's success. To me, success is measured by more than just one aspect of the classroom. As teachers, we use several assessments to measure the students' understanding of the material. As administrators, we need to be willing to do the same for novice teachers.

What are the characteristics of a successful novice teacher? To me, when it comes to talking about teaching, the words "successful" and "effective" are synonymous. While first year teachers need the support and time to develop professionally, their long term goal should be to become effective teachers. Here are some characteristics I feel novice teachers should strengthen to become effective:

• Willingness to learn and implement suggested strategies
• Enthusiasm for teaching, learning, and content
• Ability to praise and encourage on a regular basis
• Talent to motivate students to learn or facilitate their learning
• Capacity to treat students equally and fairly (without regard to student ability, ethnicity, or gender)
  
• Possess knowledge of content and pedagogical skills and how to incorporate them in the classroom
  
• Ability to move past the "basics" toward the "core" of the content taught
• Capability to implement the curriculum
• Capacity to make sound decisions, plans, and goals
• Possess the skills necessary to manage the classroom context so that students are engaged in learning
• Desire to help students develop positive attitudes toward school and self
• Desire to be a role model
• Compassionate and respectful of students, self, and colleagues
  

Being an effective teacher takes time, patience, and willingness to learn and change. It is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Reflection is key for those first years of teaching. A successful teacher is able to see when something doesn't work and changes it. They are flexible and thick skinned, able to bounce back when needed. If a neophyte teacher is able to walk away that first year with three or more of these characteristics they are, in my mind, successful. To accomplish this task, however, new teachers need support of the administration and colleagues. While some teachers may never possess ALL of these characteristics, they should always aim for excellence and improve in these areas.