Teachers' Roles
The teacher's role in understanding students' needs, and engaging them
in their learning experiences includes:
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learning about the students and their interests, abilities and learning
styles
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planning classroom environment and routines
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organizing classroom facilities and resources
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planning and organizing for instruction
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planning and organizing for assessment and evaluation
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planning to teach each unit of study
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planning for communication with students' families
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reflecting upon the effectiveness of their planning, instruction and assessment
as a means of gathering information about their students' progress and
instructional needs, and the success of their practice.
Learning About the Students
One important aspect of planning and organizing for instruction is acquiring
an understanding of the students. Early in the school year, it is useful
to learn as much as possible about the students, their interests and their
learning abilities and styles. While talking directly with each student
provides information about how each student perceives himself or herself
as a learner, it is also useful to:
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administer oral or written diagnostic questionnaires or surveys to assess
students' current abilities, attitudes and interests
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consult available personnel, student portfolios and records from previous
years
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consider the potential for using previously successful adaptations with
each student, and plan other adaptations that address specific students'
learning requirements.
Instruction and learning are both improved when teachers take every opportunity
to learn about their students' strengths and needs. The diagnostic information
gathered allows teachers to individualize instruction and assessment to
meet the needs of each student.
Planning Classroom Environment
and Routines
Another aspect of planning and organizing for instruction involves establishing
the classroom environment and routines conducive to learning in
Middle Level classrooms. Middle Level students need to feel that
they are members of safe, structured learning communities where routines
are evident and often predictable. Teachers are encouraged to include
students in setting some of the routines and expectations for use of classroom
spaces, and for conducting themselves appropriately as a community of learners.
When establishing positive environments and clearly defined routines, it
is important to:
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emphasize the value of a classroom community where students feel safe enough
to take risks when expressing their ideas or attempting new learning experiences
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establish roles and expectations for group members during collaborative
and cooperative discussion and activities
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establish expectations for independent learning experiences
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establish routines and expectations for movement from one activity to another,
and around the classroom in general
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involve students in determining some expectations and routines so that
they take ownership and responsibility for adhering to them
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explain and discuss the regular use of learning and assessment tools (e.g.,
learning logs/notebooks, computers and computer programs, portfolios, checklists).
Organizing Classroom Facilities
and Resources
Some suggestions for organizing classroom facilities and resources to support
the philosophy of learning advocated in this curriculum guide include:
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Arrange the classroom furniture to accommodate both group and individual
student activity. Clusters of desks or large round tables facilitate large
and small group interaction, while single desks and secluded nooks provide
places for individuals to work and learn independently.
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Collaborate with the teacher-librarian or other personnel to develop a
classroom resource collection that supports the current unit of study.
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Reserve at least one wall or bulletin board area for displays related to
the current unit of study (e.g., news articles, photographs and pictures,
maps, diagrams). Encourage students to contribute to the display.
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Designate display areas for students' projects and multimedia products.
Planning and Organizing for Instruction
and Assessment
Saskatchewan Education has identified the amount of instructional time
that must be allocated to each Required Area of Study at each grade level.
For grades 7, 8 and 9 Social Studies, teachers are expected to timetable
for 150 minutes each week. Timetable flexibility is essential and it is
important to vary the learning activity or instruction to accommodate the
needs of Middle Level learners. Often, through interdisciplinary units,
teachers can develop and reinforce Social Studies concepts in other Required
Areas of Study (e.g., providing opportunities in English Language Arts
for students to read, write and speak about Social Studies concepts; making
connections between the concepts introduced in
English Language Arts
, Health
or
Science
and those being developed in Social Studies).
Instructional procedures and assessment strategies are suggested in
this document for each lesson within the units of study. As well, two sections
following the units of study include detailed information about instructional
strategies and assessment techniques.
Planning Units of Study
Planning ahead facilitates both teaching and learning. As teachers prepare
for each unit of instruction they may find it helpful to:
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Review unit lesson plans: concepts, objectives and suggested instructional
and assessment strategies. (The lesson plans are organized by topic within
each unit of study.) Make any adaptations necessary to accommodate particular
students or groups of learners (e.g., adapt an abstract learning experience
by creating a more concrete example).
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Collaborate with the teacher-librarian or other personnel to identify and
select necessary resources. (It is important to preview these resources
prior to student use.) Select a variety of resources including print, non-print,
mulimedia and human.
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Make adequate copies of student information sheets and assessment templates.
Click here to go to the page in this guide that has more information about developing interdisciplinary units.
Communicating with Students'
Families
As Middle Level students' allegiance and standards begin to shift from
their families to their peers and the media, it is important to establish
regular, positive communication with their families. The following suggestions
may be helpful:
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involve students in establishing procedures for frequent and regular communication
with their families (e.g., develop a class newsletter with program information,
a calendar of events and samples of student work)
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provide opportunities for significant, relevant involvement of parents
in classroom activities and learning experiences
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acknowledge and be sensitive to the diversity of family structures, and
to the economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of family members
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be aware of and sensitive to such matters as family schedules and availability
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involve family members in an orientation assembly or meeting that welcomes
newcomers to the school, informs them about their child's Social Studies
program and provides time for them to ask questions and interact informally
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encourage the exchange of informal notes and telephone calls between family
members and the teacher
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arrange in-home visits to get to know parents and caregivers, and encourage
them to ask questions and to discuss students' progress reports
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use available technology (e.g., post, e-mail, Internet) whenever possible
to enhance communication with family members
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invite students' parents/caregivers or other family members to volunteer
in the classroom or school, in capacities that make them feel comfortable
and feel that their contribution is worthwhile.
Reflecting Upon Practice
Whether beginning the second year or second decade of their careers, teachers
gain from the benefits of accumulated understanding that results from reflection
on past practice and experience. In the contexts of their classrooms teachers
are making the kinds of observations and asking the kinds of questions
that, in the past, theoretical researchers have addressed. The information
gathered by reflective teachers helps to shape their practices as they
apply what they discover to subsequent classroom teaching and learning
situations.
Teachers who approach each day as reflective practitioners consider
questions such as the following:
About the Students
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What are their interests, strengths, needs?
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What knowledge, experience and understanding do the students bring to the
classroom?
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What are the students' personal learning goals?
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What knowledge and understanding do I have about Middle Level students?
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Have I created an environment in which my students feel safe to take risks?
About their Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
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Which instructional and assessment/evaluation strategies advocated in this
curriculum are already a part of my repertoire? Which strategies work for
me? For my students?
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What do I need to learn more about and where can I learn this?
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Have I created a community of learners among my students? Am I a co-learner
in that community?
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What knowledge and beliefs do I hold about learning and about Social Studies
education?
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Why am I using this method of instruction and/or assessment or evaluation?
Is it effective?
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How are my students responding to my chosen methods? Is it meeting the
needs of all students?
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Do I model positive, lifelong learning processes and skills?
About the Curriculum
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What is the underlying philosophy of this curriculum? What is the aim and
what are the general goals and principles?
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What are the foundational objectives (concepts, skills and attitudes) outlined
in this curriculum guide?
About Reflection and Continuous Decision Making
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What have I learned to improve student learning?
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How do my teaching practices develop students' sensitivity to others?
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What is the purpose of my reflection?
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Is reflecting upon my teaching experiences useful? How can I improve the
effectiveness of my observation and reflection?