Standard 4: Teaching Strategies. Candidates understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills in students.
Supporting Explanation Candidates understand and use the principles and techniques associated with various instructional strategies that reflect best practice (such as cooperative learning, direct instruction, whole group instruction, independent study and interdisciplinary instruction) and that foster high expectations for all students. They use multiple teaching and learning strategies in active learning opportunities to promote the development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance capabilities. Candidates organize instruction to create learning experiences that connect subject matter to real life experiences and enable students to apply learning to future careers. Using a wide variety of resources and methods, including technology, candidates develop and use clear, accurate presentations of concepts to promote student learning. Candidates vary their role in the instructional process (e.g. instructor, facilitator, coach, audience) to achieve different instructional purposes and to meet student needs.
My Reflection on This Standard: Using a variety of teaching strategies is extremely important to me as a teacher and also as a life learner. I know that personally I do not also succeed when learning in one, monotonous way for a long period of time. I realize that all children are different. I will always be aware of those learners that are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and a combination. With the knowledge of differences in learning I plan to use all of the tools that I have learned at Maryville College. I know that I am well prepared to try a variety of instructional models and feel completely comfortable doing so. I am also aware that the models I have learned are just a drop in the bucket to the many more strategies that I hope to learn and use in the future!
Artifacts Explanation: I have included 2 lessons on this page that use different instructional strategies. The first lesson is a centers activity in the 2nd grade. The 2nd lesson plan uses literature circles for the 6th grade. Both of these lessons do not include all documents used in these lessons, only a portion.