Teaching is a career that involves filling the different roles of learners in the classroom. Students require having excellent teachers so that learning can be facilitated in the classroom. The introduction of technology has called for teachers to be creative thinks and also be open minded to create the best learning environment for the learners to learn. Thus, the challenges which the teachers face in the classroom require them to use various theories such as constructivism, behaviorism, among other theories. The purpose of this paper is to address different scenarios that the teachers encounter in the classroom and how they usually go about them.
Case Scenario 1
Modeling
For modeling, Simon should first expose the learners to the flags and explain the differences between various flags so that the students will recognize them in a better way. Simon can achieve this by displaying the different flags to the students in the classroom. After the display, he should model the differences and gather input from the learners. When modeling the flags, Simon can begin his lesson by explaining to the students that the difference between California State flag and that of the United States. Simon needs to tell the students that California flag contains a bear at the center while that of the United States has no bear. From that example, he can elicit more examples from the students where the learners give more differences between the two flags. As the students state these differences, Simon can model them. After that, he can ask the learners to model the same and ask them to make a presentation to the class and explain these differences.
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Shaping
After modeling, Simon should focus on shaping the manner in which the learners draw the flags. Simon has to use step by step method when explaining to the students how they should draw the flags. He can, therefore, shape the behaviors of the students by encouraging them to draw one flag at a time to avoid confusion. For the California flag, he can ask the students to draw the bear at the center of the flag. For the U.S. flag, Simon can ask the students to put stars on the flag. After drawing the inner shape of the flag, Simon can have the students proceed to the outer shape of the flag and guide them to draw it. For the students to be perfect in drawing the two flags, Simon should understand that the process takes quite a long time. Therefore, he will have to pre-draw a particular part of the flag on a given day and repeat the same process daily for the students to gain perfection as far as drawing the flag is concerned.
Cueing
As a teacher, Simon will have to cue the learners on their behaviors and drawing skills. He can opt to cue them on concrete steps they should follow when drawing the flags. When drawing the flags, he should ensure that there is some form of consistency. That is, using the same cues in each and every time. He can encourage the students to draw the flags by using verbal praise as they are in the process of drawing the flags. Verbal praise encourages the students to strive towards trying their best as they draw the flags.
Case Scenario 2
As for Rebecca, she wants the learners to be regularly motivated while she times the students in the mile run. As stated, she has students of all abilities, and she has to prepare herself well at the beginning of the year to ensure that all the students will show improvements when they will be tested. Therefore, for Rebecca to achieve her plans, she needs to apply the constructive model and plan the year to ensure that all the learners are motivated and show improvements when they run. Constructive model is a model of learning where individuals are required to construct their understanding of the world by reflecting what they have experienced in their real life. Therefore, reflecting real life experiences connects the learners to the learning experiences. In the constructivist model, the role of the learners in learning is much emphasized. According to the model, the learners are considered to be active while the teachers are viewed to be passive. According to Yager (1991), the learners are not seen as empty pots that just relax and do what the instructor asks them to. The teachers and the learners are supposed to think together and engage themselves in a manner that learning would be considered as effective. To improve the motivation of the students, Rebecca should ensure that she uses a student-centered approach in the classroom where the learners will be engaged actively in learning. Rebecca should also make sure that as the year starts, the students know what is expected of them. Therefore, she should tell all the learners her plans and ensure that each student improves in the run.
To challenge the students, Rebecca should ask each learner to reflect on the mile run and come up with the best way to achieve the mile run. She should also ask the students to focus on group work which should be composed of students who have the same abilities. From what the students suggest in the group work, Rebecca should choose some of the ideas and discuss them with the students without mentioning the students who came up with such ideas. Thus, this would act as motivation to make the students achieve their best and make them improve when they run. Since learners have learning differences and different abilities, the teacher should make sure that the groups are made up of students in the same level. Rebecca should ensure that she sets days when the students within those levels compete. After the competition, the best students and those who have improved the most should be given rewards. The continuous tests and practices ensure the students put a lot of efforts and enjoy doing practices with their fellow students. ‘
Case Scenario 3
Just like a typical classroom, Shelley’s math class is filled with learners of different abilities. Her class has gifted learners as well as those who struggle to get the learned content. Shelley is currently facing a challenge where one gifted student, Nathaniel is bored in the classroom because of his ability is above that of the other students in the class. Shelley has to use various strategies the engage the learner because it is the role of the teacher to cater for learning differences of the different learners in the classroom.
Shelley should use Blooms Taxonomy to engage Nathaniel in learning. The strategy is utilized for the most gifted students ( Orlich et al., 2012) . Blooms Taxonomy is composed of parts such as knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, and synthesis. Therefore, Shelley should use all these components while teaching and this will ensure that Nathaniel is engaged and does not become bored. To assess whether this strategy has worked or not, Shelley should give Nathaniel a test that requires him to apply the different components of bloom’s taxonomy. If he can apply them, then Shelley will understand that the strategy has been effective.
The other strategy Shelley can use is peer teaching. The approach has proven to be useful in the classroom. Thus, since Nathaniel is academically gifted and his knowledge surpasses that of the other learners, the teacher can have him teach his peers in the classroom. Nathaniel may feel engaged when the teacher gives him an opportunity to share information with his fellow students in the classroom. However, this strategy should not always dominate the classroom. The approach will not only benefit Nathaniel but will also benefit the other learners in the classroom. To assess whether this strategy is effective, the teacher can decide to talk to Nathaniel and gauge her views regarding the strategy. For instance, she may ask him questions such as how he feels explaining a certain concept to his learners. Shelley will, therefore, know whether this strategy works for Nathaniel.
The last strategy that Shelley should use is differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction will allow Shelley to not only accommodate Nathaniel’s learning styles but also that o the other leaners. As Howard Gardener states in his theory of multiple intelligence, each person has a mind that is distinct from that of the other people ( Gardner, 2011). . Consequently, people learn and understand information differently. Differentiated instruction will allow Shelley meet the needs of all the learners. One help and most significant strategy to this type of instruction is learning station that is designed to cater for students with diverse abilities. Shelley should thus set stations that ensure that all the students achieve similar tasks but at a style and a level that is specifically designed according to their learning abilities.
Case Scenario 4
For the 30-minute lecture, Suzie can opt to use demonstration. 5th-grade learners get bored easily in the classroom and thus, using lecture method alone to teach math can create boredom in the classroom. Suzie should combine lecture method with the demonstration. Demonstration is a strategy that involves learning through experiments. In this case, Suzie should come to the class with various shapes of different sizes such as rectangles, triangles, squares, and circles. Depending on the topic, Suzie should choose the size she would like to focus on and teach the students how to calculate the area. Demonstration will reinforce the retention of the learned content. To determine whether the method worked, Suzie should give the students a test, and this will indicate whether the learners have understood the concept.
The other strategy that Suzie can use is collaboration ( Orlich et al., 2012) . Under this strategy, should allow the learners to participate in the class by calculating some sums with each other and listening to their answers. Collaboration will help establish a connection between the topic at hand and the students. To know whether the strategy has worked, Suzie should choose learners of different abilities and have them calculate the area of the shapes. When the average learners and below average leaners are able to calculate the areas of the shapes, then Suzie can assume that the strategy was effective
Lastly, Suzie can use is inquiry-based instruction which entails involving the students actively in the learning process so that they may understand what they are taught ( Orlich et al., 2012) . With his strategy, Suzie can engage the students by creating a conducive environment where they feel free to ask questions. Thus, Suzie should keep on asking the students whether they have understood the learned content. Eventually, Suzie should give the students a quiz to determine the effectiveness of this strategy.
Conclusion
As the teachers play their role in the classroom, they experience various challenge as well as disruptions. Some of the challenges may include how to use different teaching strategies to ensure that the students are engaged actively. Further, the teachers may also meet challenges such as how to cater for the learning differences of the learners. However, despite these difficulties, the teachers should always be focused to achieve the leaning objectives and engage all the students in learning. To achieve this, they should continually plan and critically think how should solve issues whenever faced with different scenarios.
References
Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences . Basic book
Orlich, D. C., Harder, R. J., Callahan, R. C., Trevisan, M. S., & Brown, A. H. (2012). Teaching strategies: A guide to effective instruction . Cengage Learni
Yager, R. (1991). The Constructivist Learning Model towards Real Reform in Science Education . Retrieved 27 February 2016, from http://castle.eiu.edu/~scienced/5660/gotta/G-4_R-3.html
