Chapter 7: Thinking About Teaching and Learning

Gene Hall, Linda Quinn, and Donna Gollnick, authors of The Joy of Teaching, discuss different ways of thinking about teaching and learning, from philosophy to the focus of the classroom.  One idea that they describe that I would like to include in or somehow incorporate into my teaching philosophy is different aspects of the various philosophies mentioned.  Although there was only a brief description of each of several of the philosophies, I think that parts of each of them could be used in conjunction with one another to ensure creating the most learning opportunities possible.  Armed with a balance of multiple philosophies and theories, I believe a teacher has the ability to engage all students in ways that they will benefit and learn from.

The student-focused classrooms discussed in this chapter (286), seem to be a beneficial format for teaching.  Certainly there are scenarios in which this structure is not possible to maintain, but I think that for the most part, using this as a focus for teaching can lead to increases in engagement, productivity, and overall learning.  I hope to use this method for instruction as much as possible in my classroom, and only resort to the teacher-focused classroom (284), when absolutely necessary.

Hall, Quinn, and Gollnick examine the positive role that good ideas play in the classroom.  I strongly believe that constantly reflecting on one's teaching skills and strategies leads to improvements.  As Hall, Quinn, and Gollnick suggests, "Constant thinking about teaching can lead to new ideas that will improve education for teachers and learners alike" (264).  For the most part, new ideas only surface when someone realizes that an old idea has either become outdated, is inefficient, or is not beneficial; therefore, it is important to critically reflect on the practices and strategies used in the classroom and determine which work and which should be replaced.  I think that the ability for a teacher to do this is important in order to be a successful teacher, and I hope to be able to demonstrate this ability as I begin teaching.