One key thing that I would do in a classroom would be knowing each of my student' s names and other key things about them. In an elementary classroom I will be able to find ways to know my student's interests and ways to use them within my teaching. Knowing my student's will help them to feel like they are real part of the class and using their interests will help them to see how the material is relevant in their lives. Teaching in such a way shows that I would be informed by social learning theory and behaviorist learning theory. It would be behaviorist learning theory because I am doing one thing in hopes to see a response in their behavior. It is informed by social learning theory because I am encouraging social interaction between my students and myself. I would also most likely be using language that is familiar to my students if I am using their interests within my teaching as well.
Another key thing that I would do in a classroom is that I would have a balance between authority and being the more knowledgeable peer. In the early years of elementary school, student's schema of school is being built. Students of preschool and kindergarten particularly need to see a steady balance of authority and a more knowledgeable peer. This way students will know that they need to follow directions and stay focused but they will also know that the teacher is there to help them. Teaching in this way would show that I am informed by the social learning theory. This is most evident through the use of a more knowledgeable peer but can also be seen in knowing a student's zone of proximal development. This meaning that in order for a teacher to act as the more knowledgeable peer she or he must be teaching within a student's ZPD. This allows for the student's to be challenged and use the teacher without feeling discourage/overworked or frustrated with the level of work due to the lack of challenge.
One more key thing that I would do within a classroom would be having high expectations for my students. Having high expectations for my students would challenge them to always be trying their hardest and trying new things. Hopefully, this would also lead to the students feeling confident; even confident enough to fail. Having high expectations for students, when used correctly, will lead to the students being able to try new things even when they are unsure of what to do. This would be because in correctly using high expectations students should be able to see how much the teacher respects them and their ideas. In return it may lead to the students having a high level of respect for the teacher. In having high expectations for students it is key to remember that mistakes are okay because holding students to high expectations does not mean expecting perfection. It is key to know each student's individual strengths and weakness when implementing your high expectations on them. Teaching in such a way would be informed by the behaviorist learning theory, social learning theory, and constructivist learning theory. Behaviorist learning theory is seen through the teacher's hopes a student's will try harder and hold them self to higher standards. It is also informed by the behaviorist learning theory because you desire that by respecting your students in such a way they will in return respect you and the other students within the classroom. This would be connected to the social learning theory because you are trying to use social interaction to work with students. Students will know not only from a classes work load but more so, through your relationship with them, that they are being held to high expectations. This is also social learning theory because when student's are held to positive high expectations, they are more likely to use their teacher as a more knowledgeable peer.
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