3a:Communicating with Students

Teachers communicate with students for several independent, but related, purposes. First, they convey that teaching and learning are purposeful activities; they make that purpose clear to students. They also provide clear directions for classroom activities so that students know what to do; when additional help is appropriate, teachers model these activities. When teachers present concepts and information, they make those presentations with accuracy, clarity, and imagination, using precise, academic language; where amplification is important to the lesson, skilled teachers embellish their explanations with analogies or metaphors, linking them to students’ interests and prior knowledge. Teachers occasionally withhold information from students (for example, in an inquiry science lesson) to encourage them to think on their own, but what information they do convey is accurate and reflects deep understanding of the content. And teachers’ use of language is vivid, rich, and error free, affording the opportunity for students to hear language used well and to extend their own vocabularies. Teachers present complex concepts in ways that provide scaffolding and access to students.

Danielson, C. 2013

Artifact 3a-1

This was a lesson I taught in my Senior Practicum. It was a review of adjectives that had a lot of different sentences the students had to do with a partner. I told my students that they had to come check it with me to be able to get one more set. The students knew what I communicated to them and had very clear instructions that it was perfect for them to work on their activity by themselves with their partners. It taught me that if you don't give clear instructions and expectations that they don't even know what you want them to do, so clear communication is the biggest key in teaching.

Artifact 3a-2

This is an example of a writing conference with an individual where we could discuss her writing. I met with this girl for several weeks to help her improve her writing. I tried to focus on specific writing skills and work on how I can best improve her writing. I worked with her to come up with things to write about and ways that would best help her improve. Communicating with her one on one helped both of us to make that connection and work to better her and her skills. She had relied on me to teach her specific skills to help her improve which is key when working with students individually.