We Don't All Have the Same Fingerprints

Approaches To Teaching

         I think it is important to teach in many different ways because nobody is the same and every one learns differently from one another. I, personally, am a visual learner and need to see a model or example of something to grip the concept of something  instead of just reading or hearing about it. However, I do believe teachers should incorporate all five teaching styles into each lesson to  meet everyone's needs and to keep the lesson switching up and not being boring to a class.

         Direct teaching is when the teacher is the main focus of the lesson and is doing most of the talking. However, there are different types of lectures teachers can do such as: interactive (discussion), mastery (scaffolding), or traditional. I think direct teaching should be used when introducing a topic and while learning new information.

        Indirect teaching is the opposite of direct teaching, it is student centered; this is known as inqiry. During indirect teaching teachers can perform read-alouds and use different examples of culture traditions and values, or case studies so students can make connections to what they are learning. Also, inquiry is a good method for indirect teaching because it gives students a chance to ask questions and explore. I believe indirect teaching should be used right after a teacher taught a new topic to see how much students understood what you taught, but not in a formal way. This allows teachers to know if they need to or do not need to go back and re-teach something.

        Interactive teaching is when students can interact with peers and discuss and perform their knowledge with each other. Instead of judging people's opinions students should be open-minded and know that their is no right or wrong answer. During interactive learning students can have discussions and build on each others ideas. I think that interactive teaching should be done after teachers teach using indirect teaching because it is way to  go into deeper understanding of a topic and see what your students really know and they can also  learn from each other.

         Experimental learning is active and learner centered. There are different experiments teachers can do with the class to make learning fun and bring what they learned to life. Different types of experiments can be: scientific method, interviews, surveys, role play, and games. I think experimental learning should be used when you think the class has a very good understanding of the topic they just learned and are ready to become experts and test it out for themselves.

         Independent learning is when students know enough about a topic and is ready to plan their study effectively. Students have their own time to focus on what they enjoy, or what they believe they need more time understanding. This is a time when students can reflect on what they have learned and can make improvements and set goals. Teachers can assign a project or paper to see if students can transfer their knowledge into words and show their skills. I think this should be done when teachers are done teaching this topic and ready to move on to a new topic.