Saturday, February 21, 2009

Welcome to the Professional Certification Cohort Blog!

Hello all!  With all of our online assignments that need posting and responding - wow!  It is difficult to keep track in our SU email inbox!

Blogging could help our cohort keep track and be able to comment directly to a post!

Can it work?  We will see... :D 

1 comment:

Kathy said...

What is a student-focused learning environment?
How do you create it?
How do you sustain it?

In a student-centered class, students don't depend on their teacher all the time, waiting for instructions, words of approval, correction, advice, or praise. They don't ingnore each other, but look at each other and communicate with each other. They value each other's contributions;they cooperate, learn from each other , and help each other. When in difficulty or in doubt, they do ask the teacher for help or advice but only after they have tried to solve the problem among themselves. The emphasis is on working together, in pairs, in groups, and as a whole class.
A student-centered classroom isn't a place where the studens decide what they want to learn and what they want to do. It's a place where we consider the needs of the students, as a group and as individuals, and encourage them to participate in the learning process all the time. The teacher's role is more of a facilitator than instructor; the students are active partiipants in the management of their activities, and direct their learning.
Students may be working alone, in pairs or in groups and/or students will be teacher -led as well. Some examples are: Working alone, preparing ideas or making notes before a discussion. Working together in pairs or groups, comparing and disscussing their answers. Before students work together, their teacher will help them prepare to work together with explanations. While students are working together,their teacher will be available to give advice and encouragement.

This is created by how you teach and how you run your classroom. As a teacher you will establish the guidelines in all of your teaching, class room management style and what is important to making the class run in a positive and effective way.
This student led concept is maintained by juct continuing the students being in a student led environment. This will just happen in a natural way as the students will be successful and will be invested in their learning.