EXPECTING AND GETTING THE BEST FROM OUR STUDENTS

Why should we as effective ELT practitioners have high expectations for all our students?

An expectation is an assumption that a teacher or a parent may make about the academic achievement or future behavior of their students. It is very important for us English Language Training teachers that have high expectations for our students. In that way, we can encourage students to learn by showing them we believe they can succeed. On the contrary, if we tell a student that we expect very little for him or her and that he or she is bad at English, we would be doing the opposite. We would be discouraging them. Also, our objective to have high expectations is to help children reach their full potential. We must have realistic expectations for our students, if they are not realistic, we would also be discouraging them as they will feel that it is too difficult. 

How come we need to communicate them to our students?

Teaching is a process that requires interaction among people; this interaction makes of communication a key to success.  The teacher’s job requires clear articulation of expectation, encouragement, and caring, as well as content of knowledge. Besides communicating the subject matter, a teacher must create rapport. It was proven by researchers that the expectations of teachers are directly connected to the students’ progress.

How do we do that?

We demonstrate our expectations and how much we expect with our behavior and with what we say in the class. We have to set high standards and ensure challenging so that they learn. Our behavior out of the classroom environment can also show that we are interested in their learning. For example, if there is a student who, for some reason, hasn’t understood something important in the class, but he or she comes to us asking for an extra explanation, what should we do?  If you provide him or her with more feedback and more practice, they will see how much we care about them.

How do we support them to achieve their learning expectations?

Our job as teachers is to support students in order for them to meet their and our expectations. If we don’t guide our students in the right direction, how could we expect them to learn to achieve high levels of knowledge? The lessons we create should have as an objective to help students fulfill their expectations. Everything we teach needs to be oriented toward the student’s benefit.

How do we demonstrate that we are responsible for our students' learning?

We are their guide, and we need to show them what the right directions to improving their language. Usually, a student can see that a teacher cares for him and his classmates because the teacher is always well prepared to teach. A teacher shows he is responsible for their learning when the teacher takes into account students’ needs. 

DAPA

Describe

1:10 PM. All students were sitting, and I enthusiastically greeted them.

Several seconds later, I began my warm-up activity.

As a first step, I divided the class into two groups.

Then, she asked students if anybody has played a matching game. Some of them knew what we were going to do when they saw the chart I posted on the board.

At 1:12  I explained the process of the activity until the students understood. (Directions)

At 1:13, how did I know they understood? By CCQing them.

At 1:14, to begin with the students’ participation, group A gave me 2 numbers of the papers they wanted to find out what was behind them. Unfortunately they didn’t match and group B did found the two words in the chart.

At 1:16 students seemed to be on task enjoying the game.

At 1:17 I asked a student who did not wanted to participate

This process occurred until students found all the pair of words.

At 1:19 since each group won a point each time they guessed correctly, I announced the winner group to finish with the warm up.

Analyzing

When I started her warm up, I showed enthusiasm and I tried to keep it during the activity because according to what I know about (ATWIKA) classroom management, it is important to maintain the level of energy high so that students see you are enthusiastic about their learning and then they’ll be motivated.

I gave instruction in a very good way since it was an activity very easy to understand and because ATWIKA giving instructions, I have to give instructions when all students’ are paying attention and I have to KISS instructions.

Also, I CCQed students and they showed me they wanted to start the activity. ATWIKA CCQing, I should have CCQed the most important steps.

ATWIKA classroom management, I should have rearranged the desks differently for this activity.

Plan of Action

In the future if she uses this activity she should:

-         I have to be sure that if a student is not participating, he or she does not disturb either.

-         Kiss instructions.

-         Try to keep her enthusiasm though the activity.

-         I need to motivate students to participate.

Questions I am Still Thinking About

-         How can I help students who didn’t participate?

-         How could I lower their students’ enthusiasm when they are too anxious?

-         Is there something else I should do to better the activity?

Advices for Novice Teachers

-         Be careful when announcing the winner group.

-         Plan your activities appropriately to avoid improvisation.

-         Remember to time the activity.

-         Have clear purposes for an activity

How beneficial was this book to have a better idea on what teaching is all about?

When going through the chapters of this book QUALITIES OF Effective Teachers by James H. Stronge, I extended my knowledge about teaching and it helped me be prepared for becoming effective teacher. Teaching is not a simple action that only involves sharing knowledge with students. Teaching involves so much more. Each chapter of the seven chapters of the book taught me how to become better since each of them addresses major categories of teacher effectiveness. Chapter 1 is about the prerequisites of effective teaching and it explores the implications of verbal ability, content knowledge, educational course work and teaching certification. The teacher as a Person is the subject of the second chapter, and it focuses on the non-academic interaction with students and teachers and on aspects of effective teachers that makes them be loved, respected, and remembered by the students.  Chapter 3, moreover, considers the management and organizational skills an effective teacher shows in the classroom. It expresses the importance of establishing a good classroom environment, routines and discipline. Chapter 4 emphasizes the organization for instruction with a focus on maximizing the time for instruction. Chapter 5 focuses on implementation of instruction, the use of instructional strategies, communicating high expectation to students, understanding the complexities of teaching, using questioning techniques, and supporting student engagement in learning.  Furthermore, chapter 6 shows us the importance of monitoring student progress and potential. It states that homework is an important part of effective teaching when used as an extension of the classroom. It also says why we must give feedback to our students. Finally, chapter 7 provides us with excellent ideas of how teacher effectiveness can be improved.