Group 107

Brian-James Casey                                                                                                  

Alexis Elcombe

Kelly McFadden

Marjon Salehi

The Teacher as a Tour Guide:

How does a Teacher as a Tour Guide give assignments? 

A Teacher as a Tour Guide would have pre-arranged readings before the tour (class) that tourists (students) should read to acquire a basic knowledge of the tour (class).  This would be done with enthusiasm and encouragement so that the tourists (students) are excited about the assignment. These assignments would be hands on and either individual or as group work, they would be creative and involve thinking about the immediate context as well as the world around us.

What is the nature of these assignments?

These assignments would provide a brief and basic understanding of what the Tour Guide (Teacher) will be discussing.  They will explore new ideas, generate discussion, research problems, encourage discovery, further develop known ideas or concepts and be hands on, the get out there and try it yourself type.

How does the Teacher as a Tour Guide introduce new material? 

New material would be introduced in the form of handouts (flyers, brochures etc.), video and through oral instruction.  This will be done in a timely manner so as not to overwhelm the tourist (student).  It will lead them from one place to the next by providing background information on topics while relating it to the tourists (students) own realities.  It will provide a universal picture but also create an individual relevance for the learner by having them filter the information through their own life experiences helping them see the relevance to their own personal lives.

What rules would a Teacher as a Tour Guide establish for behaviour in the classroom? 

The rules will be generated in a cooperative effort between the tourist (student) and the Tour Guide (Teacher) with the importance of safety being stressed.  It will unfold as a discussion that will be summed up with a list of rules that will be followed because the tourist (student) will understand the rationale behind the rules (as opposed to being forced to obey what may seem as arbitrary rules enforced by a dictator). Some examples of said rules would be : no leaving the area without permission, raise your hand if you have a question, stick together, respect each other, respect your surroundings, respect the Tour Guide (teacher) and there will be specific times set out for bathroom breaks and lunch.

What kind of learning activities does a Teacher as a Tour Guide use or plan to use? 

The activities will be very hands on and visual in an attempt to have the tourist (student) experience things with as many senses as possible.  There would be videos, demonstrations, question and answer periods, storytelling, scavenger hunts, games, treasure hunts, archaeological explorations etc.

How does a Teacher as a Tour Guide assess student performance? 

The Tour Guide (teacher) would use multiple strategies for assessment; visual indicators such as thumb up if you agree or thumb down if you disagree can give the Tour Guide (Teacher) an immediate visual on how many tourists (students) understand a certain topic without centering anyone out as not understanding.  Other forms of assessment would include self and peer evaluations, small and informal quizzes at the end of the tour (class), having a share session where tourists (students) discuss what they’ve learned and to ask students to share their likes and dislikes of the tour (class).

What might the lesson plans of a Teacher as a Tour Guide look like? 

The lesson plan would be very structured, a down to the minute time schedule of the what’s, the where’s and the when’s of the experience. It would begin with a motto or a saying for the day, it would introduce the topics for the day and it would include maps, overviews and summaries. This would be the Tour Guide’s (Teacher’s) guide, containing the things they want to convey to the tourists (students), prompts to encourage discussions and concluding activities to ensure that the goals of the tour (lesson) have been met.  It is important that it be fun and enticing as well.

What kinds of teaching aids might a Teacher as a Tour Guide use?

The teaching aids used will vary depending on the tour (lesson) and can be anything and everything that can be brought to the classroom or have the classroom brought to it. They may include: museums, displays of artefacts, noise makers, horns, whistles, pamphlets, brochures, flyers, photos, books, the internet.  It is important to convey interest in the subject through simple body language as well.

What might a Teacher as a Tour Guide communicate to a student’s parents?

The message that the Tour Guide (Teacher) wants to convey to parents is that the program is safe and of educational value, that the tourists (students) need to be on time and that they the parents need to model enthusiasm for the subject in order to help keep the tourist (student) motivated.  This can be accomplished through a one on one meeting or a mailing such as a brochure or flyer.

How would the room be arranged?

The room would be very open and decorated with maps, pictures of foreign cities, interesting articles, artefacts etc.  The tourists (students) would be arranged in linear groupings facing the Tour Guide (Teacher) so that everyone could see and hear what is going on.

What would homework be like?

In class assignments would be done in groups and assigned for homework should they not be completed in the allotted time.  The tourists (students) would be expected to make their own explorations whether it be a physical excursion or a cyber one.  They would be expected to create presentations and discussions based on these explorations as well as writing reflective essays.

What model-of-the-learner would be most prominent?

There are three model-of-the-learner that suit this metaphor: the first is hypothesis generating because we want them to explore the world around them and make inferences based on their findings. The second is constructivist because they come out already motivated to learn and they build their knowledge on the scaffolding laid out by the Tour Guide (teacher).  The third is novice to expert because they are learning from the supposed expert who will take them from inexperienced to a master of the domain.

What roles of the teacher would be most prominent? Least prominent?

The most prominent roles of the teacher are: Instructional Expert, Counsellor, Leader, Manager, Model and Reflective Professional.

The least prominent roles of the teacher are: Motivator.

What purpose of school would be most prominent? Least prominent?

The most prominent purpose of school would be: Citizenship, Happy People, Good People, Builders of the Future and Scholars.

The least prominent purpose of schools would be: Workers and Radical Change Agents

What is being constructed or built?

Ideas, Students, Knowledge, Society, Professions, Methodologies, Self, Story, Problem Solvers and Thinkers are being constructed and built.

Group # 418

Group Members

Alicia Aguilar

Amanda Jirjis

Emilia Aloe

Leslie Labadie

Mark Moscicki

Vanessa Hodgkins

Date of Submission:  September 24, 2009

Teacher as coach is much like students are to team members.  Teaching and coaching are alike in many ways.  If a teacher was to teach using similar techniques coach’s would to coach, your teaching style might look like...

1.       In terms of assignments

Like teachers, when a coach assigns tasks to his/her players he/she takes into account their specific position. The varying positions on the field or court can be compared to the varying learning styles of students within the classroom.  In group work the different roles ensure that each group member is responsible for their own portion of an assignment, and like a team you need all of the roles in order to complete an assignment.

2.       The nature of these assignments

The natures of the assignments which coach’s give to their players are drills which teach the players to work as a team, and to practice the new techniques they have been taught. The ultimate goal of learning or practicing is to better their skills and to better their ability to be a team player.

3.       Introduction of new material

Introduce new material in steps, while still engaging the students.  First introduce the name of the project/task at hand.  Then perhaps ask a student to demonstrate. (ie. if a Coach is teaching a ‘Right-handed lay-up,’ first get the students involved, ask if anyone has an idea of what this is?)  The teacher can now gather the class together and demonstrate the task by breaking it down into steps.  If everyone understands the task then they may begin to practise on their own, if some do not, then the teacher may need to further break down the steps.

4.       Rules established for proper behaviour on the field

a.      When any one person is talking, either the teacher or a fellow student in the class, everyone pays full attention, while ensuring that they make no disruptions.

b.      Displaying fairness and moral respect is an essential trait a teacher must convey to the class or team player.  Having students understand and display equality and respect to one another, and function as a mini civil society allows for students to apply those same character traits into the work field. (ie. a coach would sit a player out of a game if they display signs of misconduct.)

c.      With respecting one another comes respecting the environment.  Teaching students to throw their garbage in the trash, recycle, etc. is just another aspect in moulding students into model citizens.

5.       Learning activities used by coach

The activities a coach puts forth are much like the activities a teacher in a classroom would use.  The outcomes of both disciplines are similar in nature.  The idea is to build confidence, respect, and become a team player.  Classroom activities involve brainstorming individually then discussing one’s results with one’s peers, much like the players on a soccer team learn to work together and pass the ball up the field in order to develop skills and score.

6.       The coach’s approach to lesson plans or drills

If a coach is like a teacher his/her lesson plans would be designed for the number of players on the team just like a teacher would design a lab experiment to fit everyone in the class. The coach’s lesson plans for drills and activities would fit the age and team and flow from simple to complex.  Both coach and teacher offer ideas on how to grow and improve. A coach is like a teacher where he/she would self reflect, in order to improve.

7.       In terms of communication between coach and parents

As a coach/ teacher it is important to make sure parents are aware of the policies of the team/ program in order for the child to fully excel and receive the most from the experience.  As a coach/ teacher one would make sure that the parents are aware of any issues that may concern their child whether it is positive or negative.  

8.        In terms of spatial arrangement

The entire group would be intermingled; the coach/teacher would position himself/herself for class instruction so that all students/players can see.  The room must be large in order to accommodate the large number of individuals as well as being a safe environment with all potential dangers being removed or dealt with (i.e. slippery floor, broken bench/ bleacher etc).

9.        In terms of Homework

If approaching my class as a coach approaches their team, the goal of homework would be to improve ability by practice and repetition.  A basketball coach might assign a student to go home and shoot 20 baskets while a math teacher might assign a student to complete 20 textbook questions.  In both cases, the student learns by practicing and indirectly developing the required skills they need to succeed. 

10.    In terms of the most prominent model-of-the-learner

The constructivist model would be most prominent.  This involves the development of skills in a stage-like progression.  As basic skills are learned at the onset, these can be complimented with more advanced skills later in the process.  A coach would strive to have their team master the basic principles of a sport first before moving on to more detailed skills, or plays.  This is similar to a teacher in the science fields where basic principles are taught at the beginning and then expanded upon in a structured fashion.

11.   The purpose of the school that is most important

The role of producing happy people would be the most prominent role of the school using the coach metaphor.  The purpose of sports, games, and extracurricular activities are to provide students with a fun diversion so they do not have a mindset that school is all business.  Team work develops a sense of pride in their team, teammates, school, and themselves. 

12.    What is being constructed or built

A coach is ultimately building a team. A team is a group of people who trust, understand, and fulfill a specific and useful role in one another’s lives. A team is a network of people that get along together, and provide a safe atmosphere to learn and work. Like a coach’s team, a teacher should strive for similar goals with his/her students in the classroom. In a classroom everyone has a voice to be heard, a role to play, and others that they can go to for support and help. Like a team, the classroom is dependant upon participation and teamwork. A tightly knit classroom means that the teacher has built a community amongst his/her students.                  

Teacher as a Researcher

With this metaphor in Mind, we as a group have visualized that Teacher as a Researcher is helping other Student Researchers to work together in the Lab (classroom) for digging out some thing new from the already acquired Knowledge and apply it to understand self and the world around him or her

A Teacher Researcher would always find out the interests of his/her students first and get to know them by going through their OSRs and talking to their previous teachers if in the same school. Keeping in view his/her students` strengths and needs, a teacher Researcher would assign tasks using a variety of instructional strategies so that each and every student of his/her would be able to utilize his/her abilities to find success and encouragement to thrive on.

A teacher Researcher’s nature of assignment would always be open-ended, so that the students are able to work at their level with a feeling of accomplishment. The following Teaching –learning strategies may be used by the teacher researcher to introduce new materials:

·        through Socratic Dialogue, a direct instruction strategy

·        through Activity based strategies like Field Trip, Panel Discussion, Survey, etc

·        Through Arts Based Strategies like Collage, Forum Theatre, Tableau, etc

·        Cooperative strategies like Think/Pair/share, community Links, Mentoring, Peer Teaching, ,,,

·        Independent Learning Strategies like Maintaining/writing Log or journal, Reflection, report writing, Response Journal

A classroom resembles a Lab., where students are like scientists, trying to figure out a meaning out of the controlled and uncontrolled environment. Hence a Teacher Researcher would establish an equitable environment that:

·        values rights and opinions of each and every student in the lab/class

·        emphasize and implement rules for cooperation and collaboration, in other words maximizing positive student involvement

·        may use Charts to reinforce acceptable behaviours

·        most important,  the teacher researcher would provide engaging and interesting structured and semi-structured activities that would help build up the self esteem to create an Assertive discipline, where every one is in charge of their own behaviour and considered fully accountable

Based on the needs of his/her students, a Teacher Researcher would use a variety of Learning Activities which may include but are not limited to the following (not mentioning the ones already mentioned):

·        Analysis

·        Experimenting

·        Graphing

·        Map- Making

·        Model Making

·        Statistical Analysis

·        Inquiry Process, which may include Historical/Geographical Inquiry, Scientific Method, Research Process, Mathematical Problem solving, Technical Design Process

·        Guided and Unguided Exploration

·        Guided and unguided Reading and Writing

·        Seminars

·        Tutorials

·        Buddy System

·        Peer Teaching

·        Discussion/Panel Discussion

·        interviews

·        Debates/Speeches

·        Games

·        Media-based applications like CAD(computer Aided Design), Internet Technologies, Media productions and Presentations, etc

Assessment could be Diagnostic, Formative or Summative, so based on the type of Assessment the Teacher Researcher strategies may range from

·        Paper and pencil Based Tasks like Visual Representations, Written Description, organizer/table

·        Performance Based Tasks like writing an essay, research project, lab report, book report, creation of Product, Presentation of what is searched out and their findings,

·        Observation

·        Presentation/performance

·        Self-assessment and peer-assessment

·        Rubric

·        Student Learning Logs

·        Anecdotal Notes

·        Any Work Samples

·        Interview/Conference

Meeting the learning needs of all as there would be generally three types of Learners: Audio, Visual and Kinesthetic, a Teacher Researcher’s lesson plan would clearly define the problem like a hypothesis and accommodate all learners by providing clear instructions and a hard copy for visual learners. The plan must have Background information of where does that lesson fit into i.e., whether is it Introductory, middle or culminating. The Teacher Researcher must mention clearly about the GROUPINGS:

·        whole class

·        small groups of a specific number

·         independent

The Lesson Plan must state the Learning Expectation (from the Ontario Curriculum guides, provided by the Ministry of Education) Hence the skills and Knowledge being taught and reviewed must be written as the Purpose of the Lesson. It should have the MOTIVATION HOOK as well as clear sequencing of the tasks that would be taken by the Teacher Researcher and the students like what will they do, timmings, distribution of materials, Instructional Methods/strategies used, and how the lesson would be wrapped up and finally any questions or comments. Here, the Teacher Researcher must mention modifications or accommodations for his/her students with special needs.

Again, as already discussed, teaching aids must take into account the various needs of Audio, Visual and Kinesthetic of the Learners. That could be bringing in Technology into his/her Lab/classroom e.g., using overhead projectors for introduction to the information NASA is providing about Mars.

·        using the MOBILE Laptops for research project

·        frequent use of Overheads to help maintain focus during instructions

·        Various soft wares that helps students with various learning disabilities learn efficiently and communicate in writing more accurately

·        Weekly/Monthly Student Planners installed Visibly in the Lab/classroom

·        Posters related to the specific Age Group of his/her Students

·        Teacher PLANNERS helps to keep the record of Short and long term Plans

·        Newspapers, Books, Teacher Magazines

·        Government and Board Websites that helps in providing up to date information and resources necessary for boosting up the Teaching-Learning environment

·        Colleagues/School Administrative staff/Guidance Staff and Community Resources

A Teacher Researcher would always highlight his/her student’s strengths first and then throw some light over the needs and places where improvement could be achieved with some effort. Over all, a teacher Researcher would always be polite and answer all the questions of his/her student parent(s)/guardians with professionalism. His Lab/Class room would have flexible arrangement of stations as per required by the instructional design. Again, students are to be treated equitably and as students would be considered as researchers, hence homework would mean more of a students` seat work extension.

 According to the website of SCIENTIFIC REASONING RESEACRH INSTITUTE,

"The premises of constructivism as epistemologies are:

Knowledge is constructed, not transmitted.

Prior knowledge impacts the learning process.

Initial understanding is local, not global.

Building useful knowledge structures requires effortful and purposeful activity.”

Another explanation of Constructivists Teaching is provided by the Association for Constructivist Teaching on their website which clearly defines:

“Constructivist teaching provides a rich, problem-solving arena that encourages the learner's investigation, invention and inference. The constructivist teacher values learner reflection, cognitive conflict and peer interaction. The Association for Constructivist Teaching is a professional educational organization dedicated to fostering teacher development based on these same principles.”

Hence, the model of Learner employed by the Teacher Researcher would be Constructivist approach. He/She would be as a digger of facts from the already available data and a helper in order to incorporate that finding to help understand student himself, and the world he /she is living in. The Teacher Researcher’s would definitely not be an Active Learner but will act as a midwife while in his Lab/Class in giving birth to new ideas/discoveries/inventions

References:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/teachingtools.html#elemsec

http://www.ocup.org/

http://srri.umass.edu/topics/constructivism

http://www.odu.edu/educ/act/