Kathryn Spalding

6/24/20
TE807

Revised Stance on “Quality” Teaching

When it comes to defining quality teaching or specifically calling attention to the main

tenets of quality instruction, there remain many directions that one might take. Still, the core

principles of effective instruction should be set upon a solid foundation which emphasizes the

individual needs of all learners. Built upon this foundation remain the main tenets of teaching

which, when interconnected, should allow educators to provide a quality level of instruction (as

defined by Fenstermacher & Richardson) for all students. These main tenets consist of the

following practices and/or ideals: building meaningful relationships in order to promote a level of

trust and understanding between teacher and student, the use of classroom data in order to

plan differentiated, targeted, student-centered lessons which cater to individual student needs,

remaining flexible in order to foster student choice, promoting a high level of engagement

through the use of culturally significant materials/lessons, and providing equitable experiences

for historically disadvantaged student populations. These principles, cooperatively employed,

should work to motivate all students to grow socially and academically, in ways that are

significant to their lives outside of the school building.

Tenet of Relationship-Building

One might wonder to what extent a teacher’s relationship with his/her students might

affect student performance and motivation to succeed. After working with a variety of student

populations over the last seven years of teaching, it has become evident that a teacher’s

willingness to take the time to learn about each student’s personal background,

interests/disinterests, past areas of struggle, or any instances of trauma or privilege, drastically

improves his/her ability to understand underlying motives of disengagement. Relationship-

building also allows a teacher to find ways to inspire and encourage students who require
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reassurance in order to perform. Although teacher preparatory courses push the importance of

“knowing your students”, practicing teachers understand the ways in which experience leads to

an ease of navigating moments of student struggle. It is within these small moments of

reassurance that a teacher begins to build trusting relationships, creating a more positive

classroom culture for all (Grossman et. al, 2009).

Tenet of Data-Driven, Student-Centered Instruction

Another tenet of quality teaching calls for data driven, student-centered instruction.

Simply put, a classroom teacher should provide educational experiences that will enable

learners to walk out of the school building and use the day’s lessons/skillsets in practical ways

in the real world. These skills might be academic (i.e. how to read/measure while cooking a

dinner recipe) or emotional (i.e. how to show determination, flexibility, patience, or persistence

while cooking said recipe). The lessons might be more broad (common algorithms or scaffolds)

or more culturally pertinent. No matter the type, lessons should remain significant to the

students within a teachers’ classroom setting, should work to meet a need, and should lead to

the betterment of society (Ayers, 2016). Highly effective educators will use data (formal or

informal) pertaining to these areas of individual student needs/proficiencies in order to drive

their instructional practices toward positive growth patterns. This may mean taking a step away

from viewing state standards as a solution and instead meeting students where they are,

capitalizing upon the resources and experiences they bring to school with them, and challenging

them to grow in a variety of ways in order to reach the next step along their own educational

path (Cochran-Smith, 2009).

Tenets of Student Choice & Student Engagement

When visualizing a classroom in which quality instruction takes place, one might think of

students quietly buzzing about, engaged in differentiated tasks. Most of the work is comprised

of activities that students have evidenced (by the teacher’s collection of student work, data, and

through discourse) as essential for academic or personal growth Much of the discussion
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remains student-led and tied to the task at hand. Students have opportunities to make choices

during times of exploration and activities remain culturally significant and leave room for

creativity, enabling students to establish buy-in and showcase a passion for learning that Bettina

Love calls for in her 2020 article. Physical spaces are designed for students to be able to grab

hands-on materials independently for use with multiple activities across many subjects.

Reading materials are plentiful, culturally diverse, and learners have a choice in what they read

as they grow academically. The teacher scaffolds the activities, brings the group together for a

united purpose, but then leaves room for all students to accomplish tasks without too much

intervention. Students light up, remain motivated, and want to keep exploring when its time for

the activity to be done. The teacher acts as a guide or resource, rather than the all-knowing,

definitive source of information in the classroom. I imagine Bettina Love would be proud of a

classroom such as this, that leaves room for an appreciation of student autonomy (Love, 2020).

These tenets of quality teaching, which call for student choice and a teacher’s flexibility, leads to

citizens who feel capable, loved, and important enough to make their own decisions and

accomplish tasks independently.

Tenet of Employing Equitable Practices for All Students

This final tenet of quality teaching speaks to our historically disadvantaged students’

need to be heard, considered, understood, and accommodated both academically and socially.

Often, individuals want things to be “equal”, not understanding that equitable practices are what

truly remain “fair” to bridge the gap that society has created for marginalized students

throughout time. Equity calls for allowing historically disadvantaged groups to have a voice in

the classroom, both in what they are interested in learning, as well as during times of

collaborative work. (Philip et al, 2019). Equitable practices means including materials

representative of all classroom cultures, rather than relying solely upon the curriculum

developed by majority groups that your administration provides for you. Finally, quality teaching

means finding ways to incorporate frameworks, such as cooperative learning techniques, into
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the classroom environment to ensure all groups to become involved and heard (Brody, 2004).

Tenets in Action, School-Wide

A school that values quality teaching will give teachers the space needed to make a

classroom like this work. Teachers will have a set of standards to follow, maybe even a set

curriculum to work through, but will be valued for their insights and knowledge of how to teach

these sets of lessons in ways that reach his/her students in individualized, engaging ways.

Teachers in such schools are encouraged to supplement in hands-on ways and administrative

staff are welcome to pop in at any time to see that good things are happening, and all students

feel valued. Staff members work collaboratively to best meet the needs of all students, and

constructive feedback is appreciated, rather than taken as offensive. Teachers remain valued

for their ability to show grit, further their own education, and would be given enough grace to

improve if shortcomings are recognized. Schools that house teachers that remain dedicated to

providing a quality education for all students also encourage family members to extend these

beliefs to the home setting as much as possible or applicable.

I have been fortunate enough to observe quality teaching in many different settings,

across grade levels, and throughout many school districts. A common thread seems to be the

buy in of staff and the level of dedication and heart it takes to not just get through the day, but to

meet students where they begin and encourage them to continue to grow and thrive. These

staff members continue to push themselves to explore new methods and styles of learning and

are not afraid to try new things for the sake of their students. The heart exhibited as teachers

employ these main tenets of quality teaching is what truly makes the difference.

.
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Katie Spalding
6/25/20
TE807

Think-Pair-Plan Reflection

Section 1: Think

As we busily work each day, trying our best to reach students, provide them with

valuable learning opportunities, and make their time in our classrooms count, it is easy to get

wrapped up in the day-to-day, the checklists, the curriculum, those time-consuming, immediate

needs. Often, we are so wrapped up in the process and duties of teaching that we forget to give

ourselves enough time to reflect on our practices in larger ways to ensure we are teaching in

ways that will allow us to stay inspired and passionate about what we do. Taking the time to sit

down and think about what quality teaching means to me, after seven years of teaching, sent

me back to my time as an undergrad in which I spent a good amount of time writing out my

philosophy of teaching. The extent to which my views of teaching have changed is astounding

to think about; a little less rosy, a little bit more passionate and realistic. Still, even now, writing

out my stance on teaching has changed me. It has made me realize the importance of equity,

understanding the struggles of historically disadvantaged groups, and taking the time to look

more deeply into the resources I am using each day in my classroom, as well as the messages I

am sending to parents/guardians and students.

Looking over my General Information Letter as an artifact that remains representative of

my teaching, I noticed components of my stance on quality teaching that were left out and could

be included within the letter for future use. First, I would like to ensure that parents/guardians

understand the importance of differentiation, work ethic, and student choice within my

classroom. I would also like parents/guardians to understand the extent to which I value

academic rigor, with the foundations of my lessons tied to the actuals needs my students

present to me. Finally, I would like to be able to illustrate the importance of hearing all student
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voices at school, and the ways in which I ensure all students will be able to bloom socially

throughout their Second Grade year.

Section 2: Pair

Many of these gaps between my stance on quality teaching and what my teaching

artifact presented to the reader actually became apparent to me during my “Pair” assignment in

which I worked with a classmate to discuss my artifact through a different lens. I appreciate that

my partner was able to shed light upon the pieces of my stance on quality teaching that were

highlighted quite a bit, as well as the tenets that could be more obviously represented. For

instance, she made me realize that my viewpoints on data-driven academics, work ethic, and

the importance of student choice were left out of my General Information Letter. These are now

included in my revised General Information Letter for us in the fall. The times of challenge

during this process were found in the moments in which I found myself constructively critiquing

one or two areas of my partner’s work, as it overlooked some culturally significant elements of

mathematics that I thought she should look into. Still, I did so with a large amount of sugar-

coating and nicety, when I could have directed my partner toward scholarly articles, rather than

lightly touching on how mathematics is more than numbers and is truly affected by culture.

Section 3: Plan

Using what I had learned from my time spent thinking about my stance on quality

teaching, as well as from the information gained during my “Pair” experiences with my partner, I

felt much more prepared to plan out a professional inquiry. I knew that I wanted to focus on

finding ways to allow my historically disadvantaged to have their voices heard within my

predominantly white student groups. I was most concerned about my ability to find outside

sources that would help me along this path, but I was pleasantly surprised at the wealth of

scholarly knowledge that is out there concerning cooperative teaching frameworks that might

help teachers to ensure all voices are heard and/or represented at school.

I am looking forward to the fall and incorporating a heightened level of cooperative

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learning within my classroom, to tracking the voices I hear during group-work and classroom

discourse, and to see if these structures help my marginalized students feel more comfortable

voicing their opinions. My hope is that they will feel heard and that others will begin to

acknowledge the source of knowledge that all students possess. I am also excited to include

my 2nd Grade team members in my inquiry in order to use them as a sounding board, provide

support so that they might be able to make gains with their students, and discuss struggles and

successes. My biggest concern is that I will get lost in the other demands of teaching and the

inquiry will fall to the wayside, but I am hoping that my inquiry project can remain at the top of

my teaching to-do list. Planning my professional inquiry truly made me realize how passionate I

am about making historically disadvantaged groups of students feel valued within my

classroom, and why I will strive to maintain an equitable learning environment for all students.

Section 4: Summary of What You Learned

The Think-Pair-Plan framework taught me many things. It taught me the importance of

taking time to reflect, of finding what is truly important to me as an educator, and of looking at

the needs of all of my students before moving forward. It taught me the value in sharing

inquiries and classroom materials with other educators in hopes of finding differing viewpoints,

areas for growth, and as outlets for sharing moments of success. It taught me how to set up an

inquiry that works to promote valuable change for the students in my classroom, and it reignited

my desire to teach about what matters, rather than simply what I am told to teach by

administration. More than anything, it taught me a bit more about my own stance on teaching,

and for that I am thankful.

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References

Ayers, W. (2016). Teaching with conscience in an imperfect world: an invitation. New York,

NY: Teachers College Press.

Brody, C. M., Cohen, E.G., & Sapon-Shevin, M. (2004). Teaching cooperative learning: The

challenge for teacher education. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Cochran-Smith, M. (2009). Toward a theory of teacher education for social justice. doi:

10.1007/978-90-481-2660-6_27.

Fenstermacher, G. D., & Richardson, V. (2005). On Making Determinations of Quality in

Teaching. Teachers College Record, 107(1), 186–213. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-

9620.2005.00462.x

Grossman, P., Hammerness, K. & McDonald, M. (2009). Redefining teaching, re‐imagining

teacher education, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 15:2, 279, doi:

10.1080/13540600902875340

Love, B. L. (2020, April 29). Teachers, we cannot go back to the way things were.

Philip, T. et al. (2019). Making justice peripheral by constructing practice as core: How the

increasing prominence of core practices challenges teacher education. Journal of

Teacher Education, 70(3), 259, doi/10.1177/0022487118798324