Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/four-questions-to-guide-teachers-thinking-about-their-practice/5020714/
Over the years, I have organized a series of activities for professional development that, rather than focusing on a particular topic, revolves around four questions related to teachers’ values and beliefs:1. What characteristics do I want to help the child develop?
2. What can I be teaching in this situation?
3. Why do I do what I do in the classroom?
4. Would I want to be a child in this classroom?
These questions are designed to help teachers become more reflective about their values and beliefs, more intentional in their teaching, and to improve the match between their beliefs and practices. The questions and discussion help teachers ‘unpack’ their own ideas and help facilitate self-awareness.
Question 1:
What kind of person do I want to develop?
This first question involves teachers in thinking about the characteristics they are trying to nurture in young children. Here’s an outline of the steps for this activity:
a) State the goals of the activity: To help teachers become more reflective about their values and beliefs, more intentional in their teaching, and to improve the match between their beliefs and practices.
b) Share the question.
c) Distribute a list of characteristics to describe children. ...