By Bob Lungrin, Director of Professional Development
The TEACHER is the most important aspect of any classroom. Through research McRel identified there are three important elements of the teacher's responsibilities: curriculum, management and strategies.
"L to J, Collecting Data in the Classroom" is an opportunity to learn a system that can be immediately used in the classroom. It includes: management of learning, a focus on content knowledge, strategies for challenged learners, provisions for inspiring enthusiasm, and performance results. The results inform students of their personal progress in learning targets for the class and teachers regarding students' mastery of those targets. Many schools use this approach as one of their School Improvement strategies. Other teachers just want an informal basis where their students are learning important concepts, processes, and factual information for a subject area. As Dr. Lee Jenkins states, "this process was developed to not allow students to forget the content they are to learn".
"APL Teaching and Learning Strategies" will provide educators with skills and strategies that will contribute to classroom success when applied consistently. Participants will be trained in instructional objectives, anticipatory set, closure, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, success ladder, covert and overt active participation, managing student behavior, action plan, management strategies, maximum concept, classroom conditions, teaching episode, feeling tone, level of concern, reinforcers, interest, practice, time and quantity, knowledge of results, and modeling. These instructional skills and strategies will help educators become proficient in classroom management. Participants will recognize the significance of inquiry for life-long learning. Reflection on the application of strategies will facilitate learning and increase quality classroom management skills.
"Classroom Instruction that Works" provides participants with specific teaching strategies that have positive effects on student learning. Decades of research indicates which strategies make the biggest difference. Each of these strategies can be used by any teacher at any time. Based on the research of Marzano, Pickering and Pollock (from McREL), participants will use the 9 categories of instructional strategies to enhance instruction, design lessons, and incorporate the use of technology.
Over time, add each of the above training to your tool box, because educators participating in and implementing the concepts with fidelity discover students are more engaged in class and learn at a higher level than ever before.