Reflections on
Instructional Models and Strategies
Submitted by Rochelle Henely
EDUC 6630: Instructional Models and Strategies
June 21, 2007
Curriculums across the nation are similar in content and context. The one major difference in each classroom is the teaching method used. Teachers throughout the years; Plato, Aristotle, Skinner to name a few, all taught using varying methods of instruction (Silver, H. F., Hanson, J. R., Strong, R. W., & Schwartz, P. B., 2003). Students are also a diverse group. A teaching strategy used in one classroom may not work in another. Likewise, even in a single classroom, a lesson may not take all learners to the level of mastery needed for success. Along with this, each teacher has a unique teaching style (Silver, H. F., Hanson, J. R., Strong, R. W., & Schwartz, P. B., 2003). These teaching styles can be enhanced to the benefit of all by using different teaching strategies.
In week one Dr. Silver discusses the Teddy Roosevelt Rule; the thought that some content is more important than others (Canter & Associates, 1996C). This brought forth the need to teach content that is relevant to the needs of education. A concern is that these needs are determined by district, state, and county guidelines. Content that is being taught by the teacher is predetermined by state standards and test guidelines. Over the past few years, content has been taught in the classroom because it is on the “test”. Is this a proper guideline for Teddy Roosevelt material? Time constraints also force teachers to replace what might be pertinent curriculum with material needed to meet an AYP criteria. Using the many different strategies presented in this course, a teacher can use these methods to help the students learn faster and therefore cover more material.
Teaching at the high school level presents special hurdles to using different strategies presented in Instructional Models and Strategies. In the earlier years of education, many concepts that are taught in mathematics are new and exciting. By the time that students reach the ninth grade they have been introduced to most basic concepts in math. Unless a student is planning on learning higher levels of math such as Algebra Two, Calculus, or Trigonometry, most concepts presented in the math classroom are of the same content, just more difficult levels. For example, in Basic Math Four, some students may be stronger with fractions than others. Some students will have mastered this concept to a point of understanding earlier in their schooling. The Interpersonal Strategies allow students to acquire new knowledge and sharpen skills through sharing and group learning (Silver, H. F., Hanson, J. R., Strong, R. W., & Schwartz, P. B, 2003). This utilizes the expertise of some to sharpen the knowledge of others. Using these strategies when the levels in the classroom are very diverse is one situation when these are most beneficial. A key benefit of this strategy is the students learn deeper, better, and more importantly, faster than through a teacher lecture (Canter & Associates, 1996A).
The Graduated Difficulty Strategy is a perfect sample of this teaching style. The teacher develops material of different levels of difficulty to engage the students of different abilities (Canter & Associates, 1996B). This type of lesson puts the accountability for learning deeper and better on the students. This will allow the teacher to observe and reflect on student progress and adapt as needed. The Graduated Difficulty Strategy calls for the students to engage in their learning, thus making it more relevant to each individual.
Using different strategies to teach lessons to the point of mastery and understanding will be a challenge to any teacher. In evaluating the different strategies presented in Instructional Models and Strategies, all are viable tools for teacher use. One of the challenges in having all these tools is to know when and where to use them. Instructional Models and Strategies provided sufficient video samples as well as written samples of appropriate use of the different strategies in the classroom. One particular strategy, the Mystery Strategy, is an interesting twist to teaching mathematics, presenting data to intrigue and mystify the students. Mysteries naturally create curiosity and excitement in a lesson (Canter & Associates , 1996D). Having an opportunity to create a Mystery Lesson in week four provided better understanding of the development and dynamics of this strategy as it pertains to math. Like all Interpersonal Strategies, the students will learn deeper and better, but faster may not apply to this strategy.
Once
the students begin discovering a concept, other doors of interest may open. A
Walden Scholar-Practitioner will take full advantage of these opportunities.
Uses the resources of the many different strategies and models presented in
this course, a teacher is prepared for any diverse population of students.
References
Canter &
Associates (Executive Producer). (1996A). Building your repertoire of
teaching strategies, Program eleven: The interpersonal model
[Videotape].
Canter & Associates
(Executive Producer). (1996B). The mastery model, Program four –
Graduated difficulty strategy [Videotape].
Canter & Associates
(Executive Producer). (1996C). The mastery model, Program seven –Mystery
strategy [Videotape].
Canter & Associates
(Executive Producer). (1996D). The mastery model, Program two – “Introduction
to Effective Teaching Strategies” [Videotape].
Silver, H. F., Hanson,
J. R., Strong, R. W., & Schwartz, P. B. (2003). Teaching styles &
strategies.