Pedagogy

=PEDAGOGY =

The concept of Pedagogy was confusing for me. Thus, I looked up the definition before adding things to this section. As teachers, we are going to have different approaches and strategies that we use in the classroom. //[|Pedagogy]// is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching.

In addition to finding the definition of pedagogy, I found an external link to learning theories such as multiple intelligences and constructivism. There are several links on the webpage which I found useful
 * Methods and Theories of Education**
 * [|Glossary of Instructional Strategies]
 * [|Tips for Rapid Instructional Design]
 * [|Learning Theories]

**Ideas for motivating Students** Each child is different and requires a different motivation. What works for one child may or may not work for the rest of your class. Finding what motivates each student will help increase student achievement. Here are 9 different ways to [|motivate your students]  Some of my particular favourites are the use of humour, recognition and praise, group work and collaboration, fun activities, technology and giving them future goals.  It is also important to consider the following two terms when trying to motivate students:  **Intrinsic** Something you do from internal feelings **Extrinsic:** Something you do for reward or external reasons

**Alfie Kohn Videos**

 * //Alfie Kohn// writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting . He is a fantastic speaker and his videos are a great tool to consider as a teacher.
 * [|Achievement vs. Learning]
 * [|Positive Reinforcement]
 * [|Homework]
 * [|Punishment]

Interesting Other Videos

 * A Net Generation - [|A Visit of K-12 Students Today]
 * Arthur Benjamin - [|A formula for changing math education]
 * Ken Robinson - [|Changing Education Paradigms]
 * Ken Robinson - [|Schools Kill Creativity]
 * Fred Jones - Teaching Tools for classroom management - [|Success Stories after Fred Jones]
 * Rick Lavoie - stresses the idea that students are all different, some have learning disabilities that need to be considered - [|Learning Disabilities]

**Strategies for Teaching in a Secondary School**
Here are a variety of teaching strategies that instructors can use to improve student learning. The points below will show you some ways to make classes more engaging.
 * **Active Learning** - Active Learning is anything that students do in a classroom other than merely passively listening to an instructor's lecture. Research shows that active learning improves students' understanding and retention of information and can be very effective in developing higher order cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking.
 * **Collaborative/Cooperative Learning** - Cooperative and collaborative learning are instructional approaches in which students work together in small groups to accomplish a common learning goal.They need to be carefully planned and executed, but they don't require permanently formed groups.
 * **Critical Thinking** - Critical thinking is a collection of mental activities that include the ability to intuit, clarify, reflect, connect, infer, and judge. It brings these activities together and enables the student to question what knowledge exists.
 * **Discussion Strategies** - Engaging students in discussion deepens their learning and motivation by propelling them to develop their own views and hear their own voices. A good environment for interaction is the first step in encouraging students to talk.
 * **Experiential Learning** - Experiential learning is an approach to education that focuses on "learning by doing," on the participant's subjective experience. The role of the educator is to design "direct experiences" that include preparatory and reflective exercises.
 * **Games/Experiments/Simulations** - Games, experiments and simulations can be rich learning environments for students. Students today have grown up playing games and using interactive tools such as the Internet, phones, and other appliances. Games and simulations enable students to solve real-world problems in a safe environment and enjoy themselves while doing so.
 * **Humor in the Classroom** - Using humor in the classroom can enhance student learning by improving understanding and retention.
 * **Inquiry-Guided Learning** - With the inquiry method of instruction, students arrive at an understanding of concepts by themselves and the responsibility for learning rests with them. This method encourages students to build research skills that can be used throughout their educational experiences.
 * **Interdisciplinary Teaching** - Interdisciplinary teaching involves combining two different topics into one class. Instructors who participate in interdisciplinary teaching find that students approach the material differently, while faculty members also have a better appreciation of their own discipline content.
 * **Learning Communities** - Communities bring people together for shared learning, discovery, and the generation of knowledge. Within a learning community, all participants take responsibility for achieving the learning goals. Most important, learning communities are the //process// by which individuals come together to achieve learning goals.
 * **Problem-Based Learning** - Problem-based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to "learn to learn," working in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. The process replicates the commonly used systemic approach to resolving problems or meeting challenges that are encountered in life, and will help prefer students for their careers.
 * **Teaching with Cases** - Case studies present students with real-life problems and enable them to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real life situations. Cases also encourage students to develop logical problem solving skills and, if used in teams, group interaction skills. Students define problems, analyze possible alternative actions and provide solutions with a rationale for their choices.
 * **Team-Based Learning** - Team-based learning (TBL) is a fairly new approach to teaching in which students rely on each other for their own learning and are held accountable for coming to class prepared. Research has found that students are more responsible and more engaged when team-based learning is implemented. The major difference in TBL and normal group activities is that the groups are permanent and most of the class time is devoted to the group meeting.
 * **Team Teaching** - At its best, team teaching allows students and faculty to benefit from the healthy exchange of ideas in a setting defined by mutual respect and a shared interest in a topic. In most cases both faculty members are present during each class and can provide different styles of interaction as well as different viewpoints.
 * **Writing Assignments** - Writing assignments for class can provide an opportunity for them to apply critical thinking skills as well as help them to learn course content.
 * **Other examples inc**lude: think-pair-share, mind maps, word walls, jigsaw puzzles, predict observe explain (POE), debates, concrete examples, demo, placemats/drama, Fermi problems, round table questions, etc.

Transitions

 * Student Attention**: Over the course of this semester, I have developed different strategies that will enable me to get the attention of my students. Of course this will not work for every grade level, and what's more important is to keep in mind how to change up the attention cues if they are not working.
 * Lights Off
 * 5-4-3-2-1
 * "If you can hear me clap once..."
 * All eyes on me
 * Rain Stick
 * Bell or bong
 * "Are you done?"
 * "I'll wait..."
 * Shhhhhh
 * Absolute SILENCE