The Exceptional Teacher

Dr Ajay Bedi

AIMS OF TODAY

• Mind Expansion

• Questions

• Reflection on Action

PLAN

• SESSION 1Group WorkWhat do we mean by “exceptional”?Am I happy enough being just “effective”?• SESSION 2What are the attributes of effective teachers?What is different about exceptional educators?• SESSION 3Exploration of what makes the Exceptional Teacher?How do I stack up against this?• SESSION 4• Practical work• Wash up

SESSION 1Group WorkWhat do we mean by “exceptional”?Am I happy enough being just “effective”?

1.exceptional - far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree; exceeding, surpassing, prodigious, olympian,extraordinary - beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable;

2.especial, particular, special, uncommon - not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind; "uncommon birds"; "doing an uncommon amount of business"; "an uncommon liking for money"; "he owed his greatest debt to his mother's uncommon character and ability“

3.exceptional - deviating widely from a norm of physical or mental ability

© 2003 Princeton University

Does it matter to me if I am exceptional?-Buzz Group Discussion

SESSION 2What are the attributes of effective teachers?What is different about exceptional educators?

• Small Group Work to Define Attributes• What is different about exceptional teachers?• Who decides who is exceptional?

Effective Teachers

• Lesson Planning• Accurate diagnosis of student knowledge and misunderstandings• Variety in the Educational Environment• High expectations• Balanced Questioning• Guide at the side not the sage on the stage• Effective Feedback• Fun• Focus• Demand of your student• Understand your learner• Access other styles• Self awareness• Close monitoring• Appropriate thinking time

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.”Henry Ford – Car maker and industrialist.

Which of the following, in your opinion, is the best game?

1. Monopoly

2. Scrabble

3. Paper,Scissors,Stone

4. Tiddlywinks

VARIANCE IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

• Students• Home/Social• The Educational Unit• Leaders in the EU• Peer Effect• Teacher

EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATORS

• Deeper Representations about teaching/learning

• Problem Solving Stance• Situational Awareness• Educational decision making• Climate of comfort• Monitoring of student

problems/understanding• Test hypotheses about learning

issues• High student respect• Passionate• Appropriate challenge• Surface/deep

SESSION 3Exploration of what makes the Exceptional Teacher?How do I stack up against this?

SESSION 4Practical workWash up

During a CBD tutorial a student asks

“Why are we doing this? What use is this to me?

How would you respond?

SESSION 4Practical workWash up

Socratic Seminar

“ What is the purpose of teaching?”

“ The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows.Ascertain this and teach accordingly.”

David Ausubel, Educationalist

“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.”Albert Einstein, physicist

STUDENTTEACHER