1.2 Component 3a: Communicating with Students in the area of Expectations. To me, 1.2 involves a few key teacher understandings and actions, including acknowledging each student as an individual, maintaining quality interactions with each student, assessing student knowledge and interests, and presenting lessons that access student knowledge and call for peer collaboration or feedback. Establishing each student as a person who feels valued and respected, is an essential first step in engaging them in the learning process. Marzano (2007) relates how the teacher treatment of high-versus low-expectancy students is one of the most influential differences in a student’s success therefore, I must form and maintain quality interactions with each student. In order to create a meaningful learning environment, I will need to get to know my students and provide ways in which I can assess students existing knowledge, skills and interests. When students can relate their own personal experiences with the lesson, they become active learners who are motivated to achieve because they care about what they are learning and according to Medina (2008), generate longer lasting retention of this learning. Embellishing explanations with vivid language and content that connects the lesson with prior student experiences and real world applications, produces more meaningful and transferable

understandings. The provided text box further addresses the benefits and methods of having students create personal connections with lessons. I wrote this for EDU 6132, Learners in Context.  One particular quote from this text box that acknowledges the need for connections to prior experiences is, “In a middle school classroom, the more personalized I can make a lesson the better, showing why they need to learn the information and when and where it will be used.” By presenting lessons in ways that incorporate more of the student’s senses, such as with visual, auditory, and hands-on components, as well as, providing ample time for students to think and talk about the presented information, I will help students make a more enduring memory (Medina 2008). I think it is important for students to realize that they have the information and skills to solve a lot of problems already. Lessons that call upon and promote this awareness will help build student’s self-confidence and result in engaged, active learners. A couple of ways I can increase my effectiveness in this area is by understanding the cultural backgrounds of my students, learning to incorporate multimedia components, and collaborating with teaching mentors on cross-curriculum projects.

Reference

Marzano, R. J. (2007). The art and science of teaching: A comprehensive framework for effective instruction.

Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules. Seattle, WA: Pear Press