Here is an idea for
teaching teachers. This is useful for teaching skills and procedures; ones that are complex, especially if there are a lot of steps and complexities. Let's discuss in the comments how this formulation is useful for our work and how we might or should modify any parts of it to help us and our students/teachers. The order is important. It is designed for cases when the learner is just starting, a novice. One important principle is to always find ways to limit our talking/activities to only one-fourth of teaching time. No long lectures allowed!
- Demonstrate
- Demonstrate; stop and ask the learner to choose the better of two ways of proceeding
- Demonstrate; stop and ask the learner to proceed/do the next step
- Give a task and ask the learner to start at the beginning -create
Use comments to share ideas how this model could be used; how it should or could be modified, why it might work or not work in our setting.
Get your students to face each other in the classroom, groups of four, maybe even six. Encourage conversation all the time.
ReplyDeletehow about having them teach one another in these groups
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Jene. I'd like to see them teach each other insteps 2-4. Can we give them teaching opportunities every day?
ReplyDeleteI think we should try to do this at least once a day. The more they work in this way, speaking and listening to one another, the better it will be.
ReplyDeleteHaving teachers teach each other is a good idea. They are used to this. While we truly need to be sensitive to the "culture of learning" in China, we can still require these teachers to try communicative methods in these teaching times. If the classes are small enough, we should strive to give them as much teaching time as possible, perhaps daily. Depends on what we deem most important to get done daily.
ReplyDeleteIn my view, we want to avoid telling people what to do. We can teach (demonstrate) using one of the "Go For It" texts, then get them to teach, even if it is only modifying and completing a section, each day, perhaps several times a day. They can help each other, and we can encourage and help them.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I agree with you. While we will be seen as experts, we do need to be very sensitive. Whatever we may suggest, will be seen as "what should be done." Our ideas may be good, but we need to make sure these teachers also own these ideas as well. These teachers are truly fellow colleagues.
ReplyDeleteI think it would also be important for them to change partners often so they will get used to listening to each other. It would definitely be good to have this be a daily expectation.
ReplyDeletechanging partners sounds great, Cathy.
ReplyDeleteI really think the more they talk with one another with a purpose - teaching a small point, dicussing, etc. the more they will get out of their time.
The less unneccesary talk from us, the more they learn