Methods of Teaching

Today in class (5 minutes)
At a rapid pace, call on 12 Student Teachers at random and tell them to state the one 
thing about teaching that each most wants to learn. Move so quickly that they cannot 
deliberate about it. If a Student Teacher hesitates, call on someone else. 
Introduce the course (2 minutes) 
Expanding on the course description, tell Student Teachers that this will be the first 
opportunity they have to study teaching. Remind them that though they have spent 
thousands of hours in school as students, their beliefs about teaching remain unex-
amined. The intent of this course is to help them think, write, and talk about these 
implicit beliefs and compare them against what they observe in classrooms. 

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COURSE GUIDE: Methods of Teaching
27
UNIT 1
UNIT 4
UNIT 5
UNIT 3
UNIT 6
UNIT 2
UNIT 7
Quick write (1 minute)
Give each class member an index card. When everyone has one, give them less than 
a minute to write on the card one thing about teaching that they most want to learn. 
Collect the cards and tally them later. This exercise is not precise, but it will force 
Student Teachers to respond with the first thing that comes to mind, and you may get 
a glimpse of the knowledge they already have about teaching. Because the action in 
class is fast during these first few minutes, you should have their attention.
Review the syllabus (10 minutes)
Use the summary of experiences they will have outside the university classroom in 
‘Learning and Teaching Approaches’ as the basis for this. Explain to Student Teachers 
that they have to make their own arrangements for classroom observations. Note that 
they will be given instructions about observation in classrooms. Invite questions. 
Explain the function and organization of the reflective journal (8–10 minutes)
This is important. Teaching Student Teachers how to reflect on experience and to 
establish the habit of writing in a journal are two important goals of this course. Use 
the description of journal writing, specifically in reference to reflection, in the course 
assignments section in the course syllabus.