Assignment: Teaching Journal Installment

Human Development and Learning in Instructional Contexts

Teaching Journal Installment

The Teaching Journal in LSE 511 is intended to allow you to pause, reflect, and integrate your developing knowledge of the research on student learning and the implications for teaching practices.

1) Teaching
2) Journal
3) Topics Modules
4) Reviewed

Installment 3 Synthesize concepts and principles: Teacher decision-making; formative and summative assessments; standardized assessment; teacher-directed learning; student-directed learning; proactive classroom management; developmental considerations.

Instructions for Teaching Journal

A. Use APA format. For questions regarding APA formatting, see "Course Overview - Start Here." Scroll down to APA Style Assistance.

B. Review readings and materials addressed in the three modules pertaining to the installment. Be sure to review developmental trends highlighted in each chapter.

C. Review discussion postings in the same modules

D. Select key big ideas and principles addressed in the module materials and discussions

E. Use the prompts provided for each Teaching Journal installment to aid your selection concepts and to focus and organize your reflections.

F. Explain the significance of the big idea and principles you selected and their implication for teaching practice

a. In this explanation, make connections among the big ideas, principles, and teaching practices across the three modules addressed

b. Make personal connections to draw original implications for teaching practice

G. Complete a double-spaced, 3-page (approximately) Teaching Journal Installment in the syllabus and course schedule.

TJ-Installment 3

Teachers make hundreds of small and not-so-small decisions every day in a complex, multi-layered learning environment. How can they best organize and focus their attention to ensure students are learning and they are continually improving? Review the big ideas and principles in Chapters 8, 9, and 10 and the associated module materials. Use the research reported and your own background experience to address the following prompts:

Question A. How do you distinguish teacher-directed and learner-directed activities in the classroom? Under what circumstances are each most effective?

Question B. What are the varieties of assessments that teachers can use to judge student learning? What do you think will be most compelling and beneficial to inform your decision-making as a teacher?

Question C. Consider the development trends in the module chapters for this teaching journal installment.

Question D. In what ways do you want to be sure to engage students in making decisions in the classroom?

Question E. What will benefit their learning in the grade range you expect to teach?

Question F. What challenging decisions will you make as a beginning teacher? What tools or resources will help you decide what to do?