Constant Assessment of Teaching

In response to Heather J. Robinson’s article on “Using Research to Analyze, Reform, and Assess Changes in Instruction” in the book Teachers Engaged in Research: Inquiry Into Mathematics Classrooms, Grade 9-12 (2006) I find the content easy to read about but practically harder to implement. As a teacher candidate, I hope that I will be capable of the same level of self-assessment to realize my shortcomings in a classroom setting. In a course such as mathematics where the norm in schools is lecturing, throwing in a little variety into the classroom with activities such as group problem solving and student teaching are excellent ways to encourage students to discuss with their peers. The idea of restricting lecture time in a class period would help the teacher assess his or her lesson plan and whittle everything down only to the most salient and most essential points, while at the same time ensuring enough class time for the other activities which will engage students in active learning. By re-designing class activities and old knowledge tests to ensure that they require more “critical thinking skills [and] require deeper thought” the teacher can lead the student away from being a machine that makes only one product to a product engineer who designs what the machine can make. The importance of Think-Pair-Share (TPS) in classrooms should not be discounted. Even in my science education courses, we have learned about the utility of TPS. By having students discuss their thoughts (and thought processes) on a problem, the group of students can gain the insight of other students and perhaps gain a new perspective.

When looking at specific strategies for teaching math (science, and any other subject area) it all boils down to this: teachers need to be in a state of constant self-assessment. “Do the students really understand what I’m teaching? Can they apply what I’ve taught them and take it to the next level?” I hope that as a teacher, I do not lose sight of the students’ best interests, which is what teaching is all about.

Reference
Robinson, H.J. Using Research to Analyze, Inform, and Assess Changes in Instruction. Chapter 4 in Teachers Engaged in Research: Inquiry Into Mathematics Classrooms, Grade 9-12, 2006.