TEACHING GOALS

I will extend my knowledge of adolescent and middle school student development, as well as problems associated with this age group in order to help me plan appropriate lessons and interventions so students will be successful in my class. I will improve my skills or leading, collaborating and mentoring students, preservice teachers and peers to improve the quality of the instructional program. I will further my understanding and use of methods to integrate technology into the classroom and curriculum for instruction, assessment and as a tool for communication. I will increase my knowledge of strategies to manage groups of students in order to improve classroom discipline. Effective teaching empowers student centered, active learning which enhances intellectual character. Successful pedagogy cultivates high-quality thinking and dialogue, and impels deeper knowledge. This constructivist approach connects learning to the real world, and relies on dynamic assessments to advance achievement. By building upon prior knowledge and scaffolding learning, effective teaching allows students to construct, apply and transfer meaning. A supportive and challenging learning environment fosters these outcomes of effective teaching. Collectively, these characteristics of successful constructivist pedagogy signify that the goal of education is not an end, but rather a means encouraging the life-long process of intellectual character development.