Usually when it comes to big tasks like this research project, I am a big dreamer. I brainstorm major undertakings with noble findings that never come to fruition. However, I’ve been able to rein in my daydreams so far and focus on ideas that I can actually accomplish and even benefit from in the years to come.
Since Sunday’s orientation, I have been thinking about my own learning styles and interests. I’m hoping to turn those into a meaningful research project. So far, I’ve thought about how I respond better to teachers and their instruction style when I feel like they have a plan. Though high school teachers don’t hand out syllabi like in college, I felt more comfortable in classrooms when the teacher established a routine, or at least gave us students the day-to-day plan. My research would focus on observing the teachers’ styles, whether or not they seemed to have a plan or were just drifting through the class period. Also, I could interview or survey the students to see which style they preferred or at least made them perform better.
Another possible topic would be to observe how the teachers start class everyday. This topic would also research how teachers use time, but here I’d be more interested in how they set the tone for the day. Do the teachers jump right in and get down to business as soon as the bell rings (or even beforehand, with bell-ringers)? Or do they spend those first few minutes chatting and making relationships with their students? I observed a young teacher in my undergraduate work that started class by asking students, on a volunteer basis, to share one good and one bad thing from their day or week. The students really looked forward to that time and it kind of became a privilege.
So that’s where I am so far in this brainstorming process. I’m not so good with statistics and I’d really appreciate any help in making a plan I could really stick to in order to get consistent observations. Please, comment away.
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4 comments:
Melissa, this is a concrete assignment. You will get it done. The "plan" or "routine" topic has possibilities...you could learn a lot about how to run a classroom in studying this. The "beginning of class" topic has been done and there is not a lot of related literature, I think. Keep exploring....
Melissa, I like this idea. Since you pointed out that there are different learning styles, I wonder if there are students who would benefit from the sort of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants classroom environment that you are describing. I know I like structure, and most of us in the program (as future teachers) do too. I wonder if there is a way you could study the relationship between, or even an explanation for, learning styles and classroom organization.
How teachers start (and end) class is very interesting to me—there is so much variation! I think it changes the mood of the room. While a “to do” list on the whiteboard will get you the “bell to bell” instruction that principals desire, does it promote a positive rapport with students? The “Teacher of the Year” at my school this year starts most of his classes by asking the students how they are and letting them talk about their lives for a little while. This allows students to be more connected to him and each other. For me, I’ve had a harder time developing this skill over 4 years. Also, beginning teachers are told to shy away from this for fear of getting too personal. I didn’t even tell my students I was getting married my first year of teaching! So it would be interesting to me to find out if this is bad advice, does allowing your students to share a more personal connection benefit your instruction?
Dr. McCoy,
I know I'll get it done. But if you've got any extra pep-talks in your pocket, I'd appreciate them along the way!
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