The Role of A Teacher

A Gardener Tending a Beautiful Garden

Teachers can be likened to gardeners working with different flowers from diverse backgrounds. Each type of flower has its own uniqueness. Some of these flowers may be very easy to work with and can be grown quite easily. At the same time, other varieties may require more time and attention for them to flourish.

Teachers must be able to create effective learning environments that encourage students to achieve their fullest potential. Teachers are offered the unique opportunity within their lifetime to make a meaningful contribution to society because of the impact they have on the lives of so many human beings.

My Educational Philosophy

Increased knowledge of the various teaching strategies available can only enhance the effectiveness of teachers.

After careful study of the different strategies used to create effective teaching and learning environments, I have decided to incorporate both the behaviorist and constructivist methods into my personal philosophy for teaching. Although very contrasting, by incorporating both philosophies into my repertoire, I am allowed the flexibility required when designing instructional objectives. Teachers must take into account the NYS Learning Standards requirements, the character of the learners, and their instructional objectives when deciding on a particular teaching strategy.

The constructivist philisophy offers valuable strategies for engaing with students and also for facilitating discovery learning within the students' zone of proximal development. On the other hand, the behavorist philosophy offers valuable methods that allow complicated concepts to be learnt gradually and step by step e.g. using the instructional technique of chaining. The behaviorist philisophy also easily facilitates the observation and measurement of learning which is essential to assessment.

Sample Lesson 1

6th Grade Earth Science Lesson on
The Water Cycle

INTRODUCTION:
Students will form groups to discuss: Where does water come from? What are the different reservoirs that hold the earth's water? What are the various stages in the water cycle?

TASK
Each student will prepare a power point presentation showing clearly each stage in the water cycle. Students will be expected to share their presentations with the class one week from today.

PROCESS
The presentation should have eight slides showing the following information on each slide:
REQUIRED INFORMATION
Slide 1 - Students name, class, and title of presentation.
Slide 2 - Topics to be addressed in the presentation
Slide 3, 4, 5, 6 - Major stages in the water cycle.
Precipitation, Infiltration and run-off, Evaporation and Condensation.
Slide 7-8 Student will conclude their presentation with a commentary on how the water cycle is being affected by pollution or global warming or how fresh water can be conserved.
REQUIRED GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION
Ÿ At least five (5) graphics or pictures are required in this presentation.
Ÿ Text should be limited to only what is necessary on each slide. Please use appropriately colored fonts and background color.
Ÿ There must be transition animation from one slide to another.
Ÿ There must be at least two different uses of in slide animation in the power point presentation.
Ÿ At least one of the slides must have a hyperlink to a website

RESOURCES
Students can use the following websites to research information for their presentation:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8b.html
http://nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glaciers.htm
http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/glossary/condensation.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00442/wuwater.htm
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TxpmwMetEr8
The following tools can be used to refresh students’ power point skills, use appropriate pictures for their presentations, and ensure there are no misspelled words.
http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/projects/ms/workshops/cinderella%20pp/cinderella_files/frame.htm (Sample Power point presentation)
http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/ppt/ (Power point Tutorial)
http://images.google.com/ (pictures and clip art)
http://dictionary.reference.com/
http://thesaurus.reference.com/

EVALUATION
A All the required information, graphics and animation has been included in this presentation with a maximum of two spelling errors.
B All the required information, graphics and animation has been included in this presentation with more than 3 spelling errors.
C Required information, graphics and animation have not been included in this presentation.
F Minimal graphics, animation and information have been used in this presentation


CONCLUSION
Students will each be given a chance to give their presentations. After every student has presented, the Academy Award winning documentary film about global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth", will be shown. Students can also visit the official website for this documentary http://www.climatecrisis.net/

Sample Lesson 2

Language Arts - Grade 5
Writing a book review for J.K. Rowling’s novel
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Introduction
Students were able to view the movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at the end of the last lesson. Today the class will be divided up into groups of 5 and each group will act out their favorite scene from the movie.

Task
Students will remain in their groups and prepare a power point presentation on the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone. Using the information from their presentation as a guide, each students will write their individual book review of this novel.

Process
Group task: For their power point presentation, students will prepare 5 slides with the following information:
Slide 1 - Title of book and genre.
Slide 2 - Main characters.
Slide 3 - Description of plot.
Slide 4 - One important scene.
Slide 5 - Personal opinion and 1-5 star rating of the book.
Individual task: Each student will prepare a three paragraph narrative with the following information
Paragraph 1 - Title of book and genre, main characters and plot.
Paragraph 2 - Two important scenes from the book.
Paragraph 3 - Personal opinion and a 1-5 star rating of the book.

Resources
Each student will have a copy of J.K. Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Students can use the following websites to access information, pictures or graphics for their power point presentations:http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/
http://www.jkrowling.com/ http://images.google.com/imghp?sa=N&tab=wi
Students can also use the following websites when preparing their individual book reviews:
http://dictionary.reference.com/
http://thesaurus.reference.com/

Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Group presentation 20%
A All the required nformation has been included in this presentation with pictures
B All the required information has not been included in this presentation with limited use of pictures
C Minimal graphics and information included in this presentation
F Minimal graphics and information included in this presentation with numerous spelling errors

Individual Task - Book Review 80 %
A All the required information has been included in this review with a maximum of two spelling errors
B All the required information has been included in this review with more than three spelling errors.
C Required information has not been included in this review.
F More than 25% of the required information has not been included in this review.

Conclusion
Students will form groups and discuss what information is required to write a book review for any book. After this discussion students will be allowed to visit this websites to play online games: http://www.scholastic.com/kids/games.htm

Experience

MICHELLE ROSS

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a rewarding position as an educator in an elementary school.

EDUCATION: [2005 - Present] York College, Jamaica, New York
Psychology/ Childhood Education ~Bachelor of Arts.
1990 - Association of Accounting Technicians, London, UK
Accounting ~Associates Degree.

SKILLS: Extensive knowledge of word processing, database and spreadsheet applications.
Experienced in the preparation of general ledgers and final accounts.

EXPERIENCE: [2006 - Present] York College, Jamaica, New York.
Writing Tutor ~ First, second, and third year college writing.
[2005 -2006] Astoria Federal Bank, Queens, New York.
Bank Teller

REFERENCES: Available upon request.