“The Chocolate of Teaching and Learning”
In reading the blog “Think Like a Teacher” by Candace Hackett Shively, I came across the post linked below:
http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2009/09/04/sharing-the-chocolate-of-teaching-and-learning/
This post stood out to me because of its relation to a previous post of mine, “What Makes a Teacher Great?” I completely agree with Shively’s view that “top tier” teachers have positive effects on other teachers they work with. Just like a smart student in a class can help encourage a student who struggles, teachers can encourage one another as well. Teachers can share teaching strategies and lesson plans that they know are effective in the classroom. If one teacher is having difficulty teaching a concept or maintaining classroom management, he/she could go to more experienced teachers for help.
Shively describes three hypothesis as to why direct contact with excellent teachers has such a profound effect on other teachers. She comes on to one idea she feels is the most accurate reason, that is, this contact provides “a concrete vision of what learning can look like.” Teachers who are considered “top tier” already have firm grasps on what educational methods work and how to get their students to learn effectively. By observing these teachers we can see what an ideal classroom might look like, and we can work to create this type of classroom for ourselves. There’s no better way to grow as a professional teacher than to see
