Techniques of an Effective and Memorable Educator

Mr. R. was my tenth grade English teacher. He was tall, loud, had long hair, didn't dress like the other teachers and at first impression, was generally intimidating. However, after only a couple of classes, this feeling gave way to a sense that his was going to be a great class. By the end of the year the feeling had come true, as what had traditionally been my worst subject, English, became my favorite. Mr. R. definitely brought an individual style to the classroom and what stood out in my mind was his enthusiasm for the material and sense of humor in presenting it. As I learn more about the different teaching techniques, I am coming to realize that there was much more to Mr. R. than met the eye.

To start with, he was loud; there was never any sleeping or straining to hear a point. Along with the volume of his voice, he managed to turn the typical English curriculum into entertaining material. At the same time as he implemented these strategies, he simplified the material. To do this he took the time to clearly demonstrate different writing methods and the meanings of different terms. His method was a direct, step by step approach with no time-wasting. His preparation and smooth transitions assured that nobody ever acted out. When he called on people, everybody was included and his movement around the class had the same effect. Finally, after only a couple of weeks of class, Mr. R. managed to know a little something about every student in the class. When all this combined it had the effect of being the first English class to make sense.

Reviewing the Standards for Licensing Beginning Teachers developed by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) reveals several reasons that Mr. R.'s class was so successful. The first is that he had a firm grasp of Principle One - Knowledge of subject matter. He never expected us to be responsible for any material that he had not personally covered and when he covered something he did not proceed until the topic was thoroughly understood by the class. The second principle Mr. R. mastered was Communication Skills. While I do not remember a great variety in his approach to communication, his verbal skills were so powerful that not much else was needed. He was always clear and concise without there ever being any ambiguity in his instructions or lesson. Finally, Mr. R. had complete command of Principle Ten - Relationships and Partnerships. After the first few weeks of class, Mr. R. had somehow found the time to build a personal relationship with every student. His affability and this personal touch were enough to make you look forward to his class every day.

Chapter three of Myra and David Sadker's Teachers, Schools, and Society covers the traits and methods of effective teaching and provides several more insights into the success that Mr. R. enjoyed. For instance, through his classroom management skills, he managed to maximize the engaged time. His rule was simple - you respect me and I'll respect you. From that and the fact that his class was entertaining, there was never outbursts or disruptions. Students came into class, sat down and he began teaching right away. Another thing Mr. R. did that I was unaware of at the time, was master the pedagogical cycle. I remember one class in particular where he was teaching us the difference between abstract and concrete statements and he went around and around the cycle until we all knew the difference. He was using different examples, calling on various students, listening attentively to our responses, and reacting accordingly. Which brings me to the next point - he managed to keep a feeling of optimism in the classroom by his constant use of praise. Teachers, Schools, and Society mentions that most educators use praise only 11 percent of the time, but certainly this was Mr. R.'s most frequent response. In summation, while I remembered his class as being the most entertaining, in truth, it was Mr. R.'s clear command of the principles of effective teaching that made his class so successful.

-- Walker Asserson