WWW.CHARACTERCONFERENCES.COM mannrentoy@gmail.com

1. 22/07/2021
1
What Matters Most in Teaching
Improving One's Practice
Introductory Note
 Work on developing a teaching
persona that will enable you to
play the role whether you feel
ready or not and even if you think
it is hard to shake the “imposter”
feeling. Patrick N. Allitt (2010). The art of teaching: Best practices from a master
educator. The Great Courses.
 Take away the self-doubt
 Do away with the
inability to assess one’s
teaching
 Set aside luck as the
reason for one’s success
Time to
Rediscover
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT
DAYS IN YOUR LIFE ARE THE
DAY YOU ARE BORN AND THE
DAY YOU FIND OUT WHY.
1 2
3 4
5 6

2. 22/07/2021
2
Quick
Thinking
Activity
WHY DID I CHOOSE
TEACHING?
Central
Teaching
Question
IS IT WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT TO REVISIT
ONE’S TEACHING PRACTICES?
CT
Related
Questions
Today’s Objectives
 Why should I align my teaching to
the school’s core values?
 What are the key areas in teaching I
need to pay attention to?
 How do I reflect on my teaching
practices?
We are interested in…
Why core values
What key areas
How reflect
7 8
9 10
11 12

3. 22/07/2021
3
What are my
objectives? Why
 Faith in the Almighty who can
make the unthinkable possible
 Charity towards our less
fortunate brothers and sisters
 Freedom from ignorance,
poverty, and indifference
What are my
school’s core
values?
This is all
about me.
Calling of a Teacher
 Teaching offers the possibility of
working with people and
especially young people.
 It provides an opportunity to
serve by educating the next
generation. C. Madero (2021). Because I am called: how a calling to
teach emerges and develops in teachers working in Catholic high schools. Teaching and
Teacher Education.
13 14
15 16
17 18

4. 22/07/2021
4
Reconnect with
One’s Purpose
 What is my philosophy of teaching?
I facilitate learning.
I make a difference.
I am the ‘curriculum’.
Reflective Stance
 We have to spend time thinking about our
teaching beliefs and practices, alone and if
there is an opportunity, in collaboration
with our fellow teachers.
 We have to study our own teaching and
our students’ learning.
May I ask the
following questions?
 In your current teaching, what do
you do to provide support to
student’s understanding and use of
feedback?
 Have you ever thought about where
does your responsibility end and
where does the student’s
responsibility begin?
Aims and Values
 Thinking about aims is a way of getting a
clearer picture of what it is teachers are trying
to do, and about what would count as doing it
well.
 Teachers’ aims are closely related to values:
teachers aim at things that they value, that
they think are in some way worth achieving.
G. Haydon (2005). Values in education. Continuum.
Important Part of the
Teacher’s Work
What do we want to achieve?
How do we achieve these
goals?
What are my contributions?
19 20
21 22
23 24

5. 22/07/2021
5
Worth
Investing
Time
 What are my school’s core values?
 How do these core values shape who we are?
 How do we treat and teach our students?
Relational Pedagogy
 Students’ concrete experiences,
located in a range of relationship
building activities, are used as a
starting point for knowledge
acquisition S. Edwards(2018). Re-engaging young people with
education: The steps after disengagement and exclusion. Palgrave Macmillan.
 Combine Identity and Learning
S-O-S
Statement-
Opinion-
Support
Vocation
Core Values
Our next move
is to examine
IMPORTANT QUALITY OF A
GOOD TEACHER
Revisit Teacher Beliefs
 Refer to the assumptions that they
hold in regard to their students,
classrooms, and the academic
material to be taught.
 May function in different ways such
as filters, frames, or guides.C. Basckin, I. Strnadova, &
T. M. Cumming (2021). Teacher beliefs about evidence-based practice: a systematic review.
International Journal of Educational Research.
25 26
27 28
29 30

6. 22/07/2021
6
Actual Teaching
Beliefs & Purpose
 Teachers aspire for
 Something real: teachers make plans
and implement them
 Teachers find it important if not crucial
 Benefits the teacher and other people
Key Questions
 What are my beliefs about learning,
the learner, subject area, and the
curriculum?
 How do these beliefs contribute to
my school’s goals and aspiration to
become a better teacher?
Calling, Core Values, & Beliefs
We turn our gaze to…
IT IS SOMETHING INFECTIOUS LIKE THE COVID-19 VIRUS.
Teacher Enthusiasm
 The degree of enjoyment, excitement,
and pleasure that teachers typically
experience in their teaching and
professional activities.
 Enthusiasm for teaching and
enthusiasm for the subject taughtR. Lazarides,
B. Fauth, H. Gaspard, & R. Gollner (2021). Teaching self-efficacy and enthusiasm: relations to changes in
student-perceived teaching quality at the beginning of secondary education. Learning and Instruction.
31 32
33 34
35 36

7. 22/07/2021
7
Research Tells Us
 Enthusiasm in the work context is the stable,
positive experience of the professional
activity. In this sense, teacher enthusiasm
reflects the degree of positive emotion
experienced during the activity of teaching.
 Teachers’ enthusiasm for the subject taught
correlated with instructional quality. Y. Anders et al
(2018). Early science education: Goals and process-related quality criteria for science
teaching. Verlag Barbara Budrich.
More Than
Wonder…
Avoid Teacher Burnout
 Stress is often triggered by situations
we can’t control
 Remind ourselves: Why am I
teaching? How do I want to be the
best teacher I could possibly be?
How do I develop my
‘relational muscles’?
We cannot do it while in quarantine.
Reflecting On
My Own
Experience
It is again all about
Relationships.
37 38
39 40
41 42

8. 22/07/2021
8
Teacher
Professional Identity
 Teacher learning and identity are related
to three types of resources: material
resources (what is physically available to
teachers), relational resources (who is
available to teachers), and ideation
resources (the ideas and practices that
are valued). B. Morretini (2021). Forms of resistance: Insights into beginning
teacher development. International Journal of Educational Research Open.
Importance
of PLNs
 When educators cultivate a network of individuals who
support and extend their learning, participate in spaces
that grow their thinking, and use tools to access and curate
new information, they can improve their teaching and
student learning, expand their social support, build
confidence in their practice, and shift their identity to a
teacher-learner or teacher-leader. T. Trust and S. Prestridge (2020). The interplay of
five elements of influence on educators’ PLN actions. Teaching and Teacher Education.
3-2-1
Summarizer
Before we
leave the Why,
we introduce
the How.
Professional
Development
Give Importance to!
 In-service training
 Individual classroom observation
 Teachers engage with and use
research
 Our own version of lesson study
 Our own understanding of
collaborative teacher research
43 44
45 46
47 48

9. 22/07/2021
9
Direct Impact
 Our calling as a teacher
 Your school’s core values
 Our beliefs as a teacher
 Enjoy teaching and working with
colleagues
 Take care of our own development
We cannot give
our students what
we don’t have.
Most Important Point
We Want Them
To Learn!
We learn because…
 Making sure that a room is ready for learning
when the children arrive, having well-organized,
good-quality resources, and preparing activities
ready to engage children from the start, all
show that we value the children’s arrival. K. Taylor & R.
Woolley (2013). Values and vision in primary education. Open University Press.
I teach well, my
students learn.
 Why should I align my teaching to the school’s core values?
49 50
51 52
53 54

10. 22/07/2021
10
What
What are your
principles of
effective
teaching?
Principles of
Effective
Teaching
I am sure there are more
principles of effective teaching.
The Principles
 Consider the learner as an individual
with background knowledge and skills.
 The teacher is the director of the
learning experience.
55 56
57 58
59 60

11. 22/07/2021
11
 Provide equal opportunities for all
students to learn the content.
 There is no need to learn all subject
content but there is a need to learn
the core content.
Do you have
an additional
principle?
Teacher
as the
Director
Things to Consider
 Learn how to walk
in between desks
 Learn how to let go
but not let go
totally
 Allow the students
to play the game
Two Important
Areas
Assessment for learning
Collaborative learning
61 62
63 64
65 66

12. 22/07/2021
12
AfL Framework
 Clarifying learning goals & criteria for success
 Gathering of a range of formal & informal
assessment evidence
 Feedback to students
 Peer and self assessment C. Brooks et al (2021). Teachers activating learners.
Teaching and Teacher Education.
About
Feedback
Use Strategies That Work
 Use classroom discussions and
instructional activities to know the level
of student knowledge and skills
 Plan and implement effective feedback
during the class activities
 Help students develop self-assessment
or help their classmates improve
What is my IRA?
 What is my insight?
 What is a reference material I
could consult?
 How do I apply it tomorrow?
Importance of Collaborative Learning
Collaborative activities do more
than provide opportunities for
socioemotional learning. They can
also provide students with support,
feedback, a sense of belonging, and
opportunities for friendship. B. Oakley, B.
Rogowsky, and T. J. Sejnowski (2021). Uncommon sense teaching. Practical insights in brain science to help
students learn. TarcherPerigee.
About
Community
67 68
69 70
71 72

13. 22/07/2021
13
Take Care of the
Following
 Buy-in from students, colleagues,
and parents
 Choose the “right” room
 Have the right stance: students
are sometimes “better” teachers
than their teachers
Take Note
of the
“ings”
 Forming
 Norming
 Storming
 Performing
 Adjourning
Two-Pronged Approach
Teacher directs
Student learning
Builds a community
Quick Write
HOW DO I IMPROVE MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
AS A CLASS DIRECTOR?
Learner’s
Background
73 74
75 76
77 78

14. 22/07/2021
14
 Our students are not ‘postage
stamps’.
 A postage stamp is a small
piece of paper issued by a post
office, postal administration, or
other authorized vendors to
customers who pay postage
Culture of Caring
 Teachers have a professional responsibility
to build relationships with pupils that
support progress and learning.
 ‘Positive relationships with significant
others are cornerstones of young people’s
capacity to function effectively in the
social, affective and academic domains’. S. Ellis
and J. Tod (2015). Promoting behaviour for learning in the classroom: Effective strategies, personal
style and professionalism. Routledge.
It is about
positive education!
Lecture Wrapper
 Identify key points
 When was the last time
my students experienced
positive emotions in my
classroom? How did I
make it happen?
Various Types of
Relationships
 With the curriculum
 With their classmates
 With their teachers
 With oneself (well-being,
emotions)
Relationship with the Curriculum
 A stronger connection between
evidence and practice requires the
development of intentionally
designed learning environments whose
main purpose is learning about learning
R. A. Ellis and P. Goodyear (2018). Spaces of teaching and learning: Integrating perspectives
on research and practice. Springer.
79 80
81 82
83 84

15. 22/07/2021
15
 We have to connect
our teaching with our
students’ learning.
Who are my students?
 Background knowledge
 Family and community
 Interests and Needs
 Preconceptions and misconceptions
 What are they afraid of? What
do they long for?
One-Two Punch
Caring Teacher
“Cared for Learner”
Write a
Letter
Write a short letter to a fictional
colleague of yours who is an
‘authoritarian’ or even a ‘tyrannical’
teacher.
Learning
the
Essential
Content
85 86
87 88
89 90

16. 22/07/2021
16
What is worth teaching?
 This is a naturally recurring
question.
 We have to deal with it
when we plan our lessons.
Learning for the
21st Century
 4 Cs: critical thinking in complex
situations, collaboration,
communication, and creativity.
 Civic participation, Ability to
evaluate information, Facility in
collaborative activity, Ability to
learn efficiently, Develop confidence
 A. M. Lesgold (2019). Learning for the age of artificial intelligence: Eight education
competencies. Routledge.
Deal with 21st Century Problems & Issues
Idea of Deep Learning
Deep learning occurs when we
use the competencies to
engage in issues and tasks of
value to students and the
world. M. Fullan, J. Quinn, & J. McEachen (2018). Deep learning: Engage the
world change the world. Corwin.
Support the
Statement
below
DO I INVITE MY STUDENTS TO
REGULARLY TAKE A DEEP DIVE
INTO THE CONTENT?
Consider the following
 Use high-order thinking skills
 Authentic and challenging tasks
 Immerse themselves in the content
 Need social-emotional learning skills
 Impact on the school and the
community
91 92
93 94
95 96

17. 22/07/2021
17
Learner at the Center
Great Tandem
 Actively think
 Go beyond
themselves
Update Your
Colleagues
WRITE A BRIEF MEMO TO
YOUR CO-TEACHERS
WAITING FOR YOU TO TELL
THEM SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS PRINCIPLE
Provide
Opportunities
to Learn
We have to ask
ourselves
 How do I maximize learning in my
classes?
 Do I offer choices for my students?
 Do I practice ‘appreciative inquiry’?
97 98
99 100
101 102

18. 22/07/2021
18
Scaffolding Strategies
 Task-specific support, designed to
help the learner independently to
complete the same or similar
tasks later in new contexts V. L. Hemmler et
al (2021). Using scaffolding to support CLM students’ critical multiple perspective-
taking on history. Teaching and Teacher Education.
Crucial for Student Success
 Introducing new knowledge and skills
 Understanding difficult parts of the
lesson
 Plan and do performance tasks
 Model, Ask questions, Think-aloud
 Teacher as the ‘Expert’
Student as the
‘Apprentice’
UDL & Executive Functioning
 Will the student remember to make a
connection, think before reacting, and
make the shift between various
demands?
 Use KWL charts, Use graphic organizers,
Summarize content using their preferred
style, Use chunking, Teach them how to
self-monitor W. W. Murawski and K. L. Scott (2019). What really
works with universal design for learning. Corwin.
Providing the learner “unlimited access”
to the curriculum
What is your 2-minute
message?
What are the key areas
in teaching I need to pay
attention to?
103 104
105 106
107 108

19. 22/07/2021
19
IS IT WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT TO REVISIT
ONE’S TEACHING PRACTICES?
Shift to
the last
section
How
Question
for the
Day
HOW DO I DEVELOP AS A
REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER?
Key
Opportunities
Social Capital
 Built through meaningful interactions
with peers about instruction based
on feelings of closeness and trust.
 Teachers do engage in meaningful
interactions around teaching in
corridors and staffrooms and during
formal and informal meetings. E. K. Demir
(2021). The role of social capital for professional learning and student achievement: a
systematic literature review. Educational Research Review.
109 110
111 112
113 114

20. 22/07/2021
20
Talk to Your Colleagues
PLC: Knowledge
Sharing
 Develop new knowledge to
improve school performance. The
search for, examination, and
gathering of knowledge takes place,
while the important aspects related
to performance have been
disseminated to members. N. Intanam & S.
Wongwanich (2014). An Application Of The Professional Learning Community
Approach To Developing The Learning Process And Enhancing Academic
Achievement In The Mathematics And Science Teaching Of The Primary School
Student. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Professional Development
 No longer considered an individual effort,
but a phenomenon influenced by the others
with whom teachers interact and the quality
of these interactions.
 Considered necessary for a teacher to
interact with a variety of people with whom
they have different qualified relationships in
a collaborative network R. Sancar, D. Atal, & D. Deryakulu (2021).
A new framework for teachers’ professional development. Teaching and Teacher
Education.
PD in Online Learning
 Internal factors are crucial for teacher's
professional development: a prerequisite for
professional development is that teachers
are willing to participate and engage both
cognitively and emotionally
 Put forward expectations as a central barrier
affecting online participation. The
participants' attitude against technology and
their ability to work towards goals are more
important than the technological aspects. K. B.
Dille and F. M. Rokenes (2021). Teachers’ professional development in formal
online communities: A scoping review. Teaching and Teacher Education.
115 116
117 118
119 120

21. 22/07/2021
21
Mentoring
 A mentor is typically an experienced
teacher assigned to a novice entrusted
with the task to “support the mentee’s
learning, development and well-being”,
as well as “to observe and provide the
new teacher with instructional support
and feedback. J. Burger, H. Bellhauser, & M. Imhof (2021). Mentoring
styles and novice teachers’ well being: the role of basic need satisfaction. Teaching
and Teacher Education.
What do Mentors do Best
 Teachers referred to their mentors as
peers, coaches, and friends. They
considered being observed while
teaching, generating feedback, and
reflecting to be particularly helpful
elements of mentor support. S. K. Ruitenburgand A. E.
Tigchelaar (2021). Longing for recognition: A literature review of second-career teachers’
induction experiences in secondary education. Educational Research Review.
I have a
comment.
Modeling
 Conceived of as are presentation of
practice which might serve to help
teachers develop an image of the activity
and embedded practices under study.
 To make visible to novices aspects of the
practice they aim to learn, and couple this
vision with opportunities for discussion of
pedagogical reasoning to provide rich
learning opportunities for the observing
teachers. E. S. Saclarides and J. Munson (2021). Exploring the foci and
depth of coach-teacher interactions during modeled lessons. Teaching and Teacher
Education.
121 122
123 124
125 126

22. 22/07/2021
22
Teachers Need To
Understand Good Practice
 Development and changes of practice takes time,
and long term interventions give teachers
opportunity to discuss PD-content, try it out in
their classroom, get coaching and receive
feedback along the way, and reflect on results
with colleagues.
 Teachers are more likely to implement new
instructional materials when they participate in
longer programs. B. S. Haug and S. M. Mork (2021). Taking 21st century skills from vision to
classroom: What teachers highlight as supportive professional development in the light of new demands from
educational reforms. Teaching and Teacher Education.
Coaching
 To motivate teachers' continuing
development: it should be personalized
based on their learning needs
 Implementing a coaching approach allows
teachers to work individually experts or
peers and receive support through lesson
planning, observation, reflection, and
problem-solving Y. C. Liao, A. Ottenbreit-Leftwich,K. Glazewski, & M. Karlin (2021).
Coaching to support technology integration in elementary schools: a multiple case study. Teaching and
Teacher Education.
Classroom Observation
 A powerful tool that offers an
unobstructed view of classroom
practice and allows us to
understand how teachers teach
within a realistic context. F. Martinez, S. Taut,
& K. Schaaf (2016). Classroom observation for evaluating and improving teaching: an
international perspective. Studies in Educational Evaluation.
Power of Video
 Research has documented impacts of video-
based PD on facets of teachers’ beliefs about
the nature of learning, content understandings,
collegial conversations about teaching and
learning, and changes in enacted pedagogical
techniques.
 Studies highlight how video can be a
supportive tool for facilitating teachers’
noticing and analysis of student thinking and
for supporting responsive classroom
instruction that builds on students’ ideas. J. Richards
et al (2021). Complexities and opportunities in teachers’ generation of videos from their
classrooms. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction.
127 128
129 130
131 132

23. 22/07/2021
23
Summary
 Classroom observation
 Coaching
 Modeling
 Professional
development
 Mentoring
 Building social capital
Guided Notes
 Classroom observation contributes to….
 Mentoring is a …
 Professional learning community is
important because…
What is Your
Takeaway?
133 134
135 136