Professional Development: Teaching for Success
If you do book studies with your teachers for professional development, consider reading the book Teach Me, I Dare You! by Judith Allen Brough, Sherrel Bergmann, and Larry C. Holt. The authors have provided discussion questions below to help teachers and leaders work through Chapter 5 together.
Chapter 5 – Minimizing the Dare: Teaching for Success
Can all teachers, students, and parents define what “on grade level” means and what it looks like?
How can we build more meaningful activity into the school day?
Describe how students are specifically taught about appropriate behaviors and academic skills (as opposed to merely being punished for inappropriate behavior).
Make a chart that describes “traditional” classrooms with those that are designed to build student success. Then, think of ways to move along the continuum. Example:
Describe some of the prevalent behavior problems encountered and design means of teaching students to self-regulate.
Think of curriculum that kids have had difficulty mastering. Look at the suggestions on pages 75-78 and determine which ones may help with the various content/skills.
Are we assessing concepts that really matter, or are we merely giving tests to grade the students? How can assessments be used as learning tools? What do we do about students who do not master a certain skill?
Are we using self-assessment and goal setting appropriately?
Click here to read sample chapters of Teach Me, I Dare You! by Judith Allen Brough, Sherrel Bergmann, and Larry C. Holt.
Chapter 5 – Minimizing the Dare: Teaching for Success
Can all teachers, students, and parents define what “on grade level” means and what it looks like?
How can we build more meaningful activity into the school day?
Describe how students are specifically taught about appropriate behaviors and academic skills (as opposed to merely being punished for inappropriate behavior).
Make a chart that describes “traditional” classrooms with those that are designed to build student success. Then, think of ways to move along the continuum. Example:
| Traditional (1) | Reformed (5) | Where We Are | What We Need To Do |
| Students seated in rows | Students in a variety of seating arrangements, dependent on task | 3 – We are getting better at various groupings, but we seem to be overreliant on rows of students working independently | Look at the curriculum and work to add more student ownership of learning. Observe each other’s classes and dialogue about possibilities for change |
| Teacher talk prevails | Student talk (about the objectives) prevails | 4 – Lots of students are volunteering, but some students rarely participate | Have one-on-ones with students who are reluctant to speak/participate and co-design a plan |
Describe some of the prevalent behavior problems encountered and design means of teaching students to self-regulate.
Think of curriculum that kids have had difficulty mastering. Look at the suggestions on pages 75-78 and determine which ones may help with the various content/skills.
Are we assessing concepts that really matter, or are we merely giving tests to grade the students? How can assessments be used as learning tools? What do we do about students who do not master a certain skill?
Are we using self-assessment and goal setting appropriately?
Click here to read sample chapters of Teach Me, I Dare You! by Judith Allen Brough, Sherrel Bergmann, and Larry C. Holt.
I really like this idea, I love when teachers think out of the box. It's thinking like this that will make a great teacher. And when you do things that other teachers do not do it keeps the students more entertained and keeps them interested in the class. I really like what you are doing and keep up the good work.
Reply to this