#04 - The Alphabet Game (II)
#04 - The Alphabet Game (II)
Embedded Files
Dear Teacher Educator,
The fourth edition of Perspectives in Practice is here!
Last month we covered A to M of the essential terms and concepts in a teacher educator's toolkit. In this edition we take you through round 2 of the game. Read on!
Neuroscience explains how humans process new information, retain it, and under what conditions and methods learning is better. Aligning teaching practices with this research is likely to improve outcomes for teachers and students.
Teacher Educators using neuroscience-backed learning principles, including spaced repetition, neuroplasticity, and building emotional resilience into learning experiences - are more likely to create learning cultures that are open, curious and engaged.
Image Credit: https://theawkwardyeti.com/comic/motivation-learn/
In observation, trust is the key,
It helps teachers feel safe and free
With honest insight,
And feedback done right,
Growth blooms when they are let be
Observations are important for teacher educators because they provide a first-hand real-time view of a teacher's practice. They allow for specific, constructive feedback, support reflective practice, and help assess teaching competency. Observations based on trust can make a world of difference to teacher learning and performance.
Like many areas of life, program design and professional development efforts often follow a power law—a small number of well-chosen actions tend to drive most of the meaningful outcomes. In education, this means that a few focused interventions can lead to significant improvements in teacher practice and student learning.
This is the essence of the Pareto Principle, or the "80/20 rule"—where roughly 20% of the inputs yield 80% of the impact. For teacher educators, recognizing this helps avoid the trap of trying to do too much. Instead, it encourages us to identify and invest in the few strategies that truly move the needle.
Image Credit : https://www.edgecrm.app/articles/how-to-use-the-pareto-principle-to-set-and-achieve-any-goal
Quality is a key word for teacher educators. Professional teaching standards, as one measure of quality, provide clear expectations for teaching practice. Teacher educators work closely with standards in some form - rubrics, vision statement etc. They serve as guides towards the development of teacher learning interventions and understand classroom performance.
Quality’s no rigid rule,
It’s the chisel, the hammer, the tool.
It deepens the craft,
Guides judgment and path,
And anchors the work of the school.
Reflective practice enhances self-awareness and adaptability. It leads to teachers assessing their effectiveness, and gradually transitioning to student-centered planning & execution. It further builds their ability to be auto-didacts, increasing the pace of their learning and professional growth.
Image Credit : Sarah zimmerman (Unearth Comics).
Viewing teaching as an isolated act limits the teacher educator’s impact. To truly foster a culture of engaged and committed teaching (vs frustration or disengagement), we need to build an awareness of the structures, policies, and constraints in the system we are part of, and build a mindset of working within and with the system to improve the learning, well-being and outcomes of teachers.
Training is... not the magical solution to all teacher learning situations. It is of the many options of instructional choice. Teacher learning has reduced to and become synonymous with training.
Training is structured, hands -on, short term and often for practical, job-specific skills and cannot replicate the nature and quality of learning that emerges out of learning communities, coaching, mentoring or other experiences. Teacher educators need to be selective of their instructional approaches and not default to training.
Image Credit : Fran, https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoon?searchID=CS167560
Image Credit : http://kimberlyfaith.com/gallery/
Biases are mental shortcuts / rules that help us process information quickly, but they often lead to flawed judgments.
As teacher educators, we must continually examine these internal rules. Biases can distort our perceptions of teachers, students, and situations. By questioning them, we improve our understanding, build more respectful relationships, and collaborate more effectively to address real challenges in education.
Teacher voice is important for teacher educators because it provides real-world insights, promotes collaboration, and helps shape relevant, effective teacher learning opportunities that are grounded in the real experiences and needs of teachers. It's also an avenue through which teachers exercise their agency and express their individuality.
A teacher who’s heard feels equipped,
Not silenced, dismissed, or outstripped.
Their knowledge and flair,
When given due care,
Make systems more agile and flipped.
When teachers' well being needs are taken care of, they usually turn up in the classroom with high levels of motivation, initiative and problem-solving skills.
Teacher educators can support teacher well-being by modeling healthy work habits, advocating manageable workloads, fostering a supportive culture, and consistently monitoring well-being indicators.
Experiential learning is one of the fastest and most effective ways to make learning happen as it involves emotion, action and reflection (all of which had their own alphabet in this newsletter!). It connects theory to practice, provides immediate feedback, builds confidence and improves a teacher's ability to respond to unpredictable classroom situations. Teacher educators need to think about how they can all make learning experiential.
Image Credit: Mike Flanagan https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoon?searchID=CS184042
Teacher educators influence not just through what they teach, but through how they are. Teachers often emulate their mentors’ habits and attitudes—sometimes without even realizing it.
If what the educator teaches doesn't match how they act, their message may not be trusted or accepted.
But when educators "walk the talk" and live the values they teach, they’re more likely to make a real impact.
Image Credit : Gary Delaney and Gerry Rasmussen, retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/ZPDee
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), introduced by Vygotsky, refers to the gap between what a learner can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance. ZPD highlights the importance of scaffolding—supporting learners as they develop new skills. In in-service education, ZPD recognises that even experienced teachers need guidance to improve and mentoring, peer-learning, coaching help them trascend the gap to new learning.
TAG! Your turn!
What would you add to the Alphabet Game? Tell us here https://www.menti.com/al1xcwrwo1do
Are there key ideas, values, or challenges you think we’ve missed? We’d love to hear your suggestions for words or concepts that deserve a place in the teacher educator’s playbook!
You have come to the end of this edition!
Thank you for engaging!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse