Artifact+5+Components+of+Good+Teaching

= Artifact 5: Components of Good Teaching (TE 807) =



Program Standards: 2, 4 Program Goals: 1, 2

I wrote this paper as the culminating assignment in TE 807. We were to identify several traits that the prototypical accomplished teacher would posses and then to identify which ones we found to be most important. This also functioned as a way for us to set goals for which of the traits we wanted to develop most. We were to provide evidence of where we were at with respect to each goal and look to what we needed to do to continue developing in those areas. Among the areas I identified as important for me to work on were engaging students, making connections within the material and with students, and being reflective on my practice.

Because I looked at what traits accomplished teacher posses by reviewing literature on the subject, I was able to identify which of those traits were most important to me at the time (standards 2 and 4, goals 1 and 2). I had to take the complex act of teaching and attempt to break it down into definable components. I was trying to find areas in which I could define and measure my growth as a teacher so that I could make sure that I had all the traits necessary for my students to be successful. As I was at the beginning of my career, I placed more emphasis on those traits that I thought were more easily measured. I viewed engagement as a student participating in the lesson and therefore easy to determine. However, I now realize that students can be participating without truly engaging their minds in the lesson. Student engagement is still a critical issue, but it is much more complex than I thought at the beginning of my time in the program.

This paper also shows the beginnings of my feelings on how mathematics should be taught. I really want to emphasize the connections between material and to show that math is not just a collection of facts to be memorized. I show that I was attempting this at times with my students but not enough to make it meaningful for the students. It also shows that I wanted to try activities and do more task based teaching to foster student engagement but did so in an unplanned manner in response to student complaints. In looking at this, I took the fact that I could indeed engage students and that I needed to plan the lessons with my students in mind to maximize that engagement.

Looking back on this paper, I find that I still agree with my assessment of what traits an accomplished teacher possesses. However, with my time in the MATC program and teaching in the time since I wrote this paper, I find that I better appreciate the importance and interrelatedness of all of the traits. I identified those traits that I thought would make the most visible impact on my students as the ones I focus on. I was looking for those traits that would help me most in the short term. I now see the value of things like being part of a professional community as a way to continue and maintain the success and growth those short term goals caused.

Table of Contents

Artifact 4. Artifact Summary and Evidence. Artifact 6