Straight Talk about Classroom Teaching
Key Steps to Effective Teaching in Your First or Fiftieth Year
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Many schools across the country are set up similar to a relay race. Teachers are reaching back each year for the baton while at the same time racing forward to the goal line. We meet and attempt to teach students in order to get them ready for the next grade level. How well we carry and pass the academic baton to the next teacher will either positively or negatively affect overall student achievement. The baton for the educator is the instruction and results of teaching. In relay races, the handling of the baton is crucial for a successful race. If the baton is dropped or exits the track, the team is disqualified. Holding on to the baton is an arduous task. With so many schedule changes and distractions within the school year, it can be very easy to get side tracked and off task. Remaining focused with a tight grip on your instructional plan can help keep you in the race. When relay runners are carrying the baton their main obligation is getting the baton to the next runner. The runners spend lots of practice time formulating running strategies that will get them to the next runner in record time. As we carry the instructional baton, our instructional strategies must be designed to meet the achievement needs of students during the time we have them. The next teacher is expecting to receive the baton and not have to go back to restart the race. Going back will cause a grade level to lose time and fall behind. Once behind, it is a struggle to get caught up or they may never get caught up at all. The end result is poor student growth and achievement that could take years to overcome. I’ve had many teachers who were very smart and intelligent people but they could not properly deliver instruction. My classmates and I could not benefit from their knowledge because they never learned the art of instruction delivery. As teachers we must recognize that our delivery style directly effects how the instruction is received by the students. Make sure the terminology and examples used in your lesson are making the key connections needed for students to experience the light bulb moment.
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About the Book
Straight Talk about Classroom Teaching offers straightforward, easy-to-follow techniques that will aid new and veteran teachers alike in creating and maintaining an effective classroom setting. Author Patrice Joseph believes that students learn better and faster when they are fully engaged through effective teaching practices. In Straight Talk about Classroom Teaching, she provides a clear path to becoming an (even more) exceptional teacher. She offers concrete examples and insightful advice to inspire and motivate teachers to adopt and incorporate her proven teaching methods. Joseph’s techniques are the product of more than twenty years of classroom teaching experience and have consistently yielded exceptional results. The techniques are presented clearly and succinctly, without the needless jargon and buzzwords that often litter the pages of instructional materials. Whether you have been teaching for years or are just beginning your teaching career, Straight Talk about Classroom Teaching will help you achieve the goal of every educator—to create an atmosphere where real teaching and learning takes place.
About the Author
Patrice Joseph holds a degree in elementary education from Dillard University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Xavier University. In addition to more than twenty years of classroom teaching experience, she has served in various school leadership roles, mentored teachers, and coordinated numerous workshops for teachers.