Good Teacher

A good teacher cares about her students' success both inside and out of the classroom. A good teacher wants to see her students be intrinsically motivated to learn because doing so will empower students to continue learning throughout their lives. A good teacher knows that is is important to connect to her students and care about what experiences and thoughts they bring to the classroom every day. A good teacher then applies what she has learned from her students to help create learning objectives and make instructional choices that motivate students and encourage lifelong learning.

Week 3 T2P

It is not necessary for the educator to change the learning process to meet the learning styles of each individual student, rather it is important for the educator to use complementing learning theories in the classroom to challenge students' to become well-rounded learners. Kruse believes that effectively using complimentary learning theories in the classroom recognizes each student's different needs and experiences (e.g. background, experience, and development) and challenges them to be well-rounded learners. Kruse's theory informs us that when students are encouraged to reflect on their prior experience and exchange understandings with each other, they are able to deepen their understanding of the content and each other.  

Week 3 T2P + Morals/Ethics

It is not necessary for the educator to change the learning process to meet the learning styles of each individual student, rather it is important for the educator to use complementary learning theories in the classroom. Kruse believes that using complimentary learning theories in the classroom recognizes each student's different needs and experiences, but also challenges students to become well-rounded learners. When a teacher invests the time into understanding their students' background, experiences, and biological development, then the teacher is able to create a learning environment where students feel supported to share understandings and experiences with their peers and the teacher. Classroom dialogue is critical for deepening students' understanding of the content, but is also important for preparing students to practice discourse in a democracy. 

Week 5 T2P

If students are emotionally connected to what they are learning, then they are more likely to understand the content. Instructional activities that provoke an emotional response, both positive and negative, have a direct and cyclical impact on student motivation. The human brain is a network of connections. Neuroscience informs us that there is a chemical reaction that happens when synapses in the brain fire that is directly tied to our emotions. Daniel Goleman, an education psychologist, believes that students who have the tools to recognize and manage their emotions are better equip to learn. His research illustrates that students who develop emotional intelligence are more motivated and better able to resolve conflicts, pay attention, and participate in teams. When teachers implicitly model how to express and manage their emotions, then students are able to learn from their example and apply those skills to their own lives. As previously mentioned, motivation to learn and emotional responses are cyclical; therefore, it is important for educators to reflect on their instructional activities to ensure that their students will be emotionally involved in the content. When students are emotionally connected to the material, then the material is relevant to them and they are likely motivated to learn more.