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Chapter 1

Educational Psychology: A Tool for Effective Teaching

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DIVE-RSIT '-AND EDUCATION The Cultural School

Valerie Pang (2005), an expert on cultural issues in schools, believes that many teachers don't adequately take into account the cultural context of the school and cultural backgrounds students bring to the classroom. Teachers may not share their students' cultural expe[iencesJJecause tbey live in neighborhoods far from the school in which they teach. The teachers and students 'also may have grown up in very different cultures. Pang (2005) says teachers should become more familiar with the neighborhood in which the school is located if they live outside of it. They might ShOP,21 neig~~orhood stores, get to know the community leaders, and read community newspapers. In this way, teachers can become more in tune with their students' rhythm and culture. Pang also recommends that teachers bring examples from the children's lives into their teaching. An example of bringing local, cultural meaning to students involves a San Diego high school social studies class whose teacher invited Dr. Dorothy Smithan African American college professor, community leader, and former chair of the San Diego School Board-to speak to her class. Dr. Smith talked about issues the students and parents were dealing with as citizens. She brought up many issues: What does it mean to be an African American? How important is it to go to college? How can I make a contribution to my neighborhood? In preparation, the students developed interview questions to ask Dr. Smith. Also, one group of students videotaped her discussion so that the interview could be shown to other classes. Another group took notes and wrote an article about her talk for the student newspaper. When students are given the opportunity to meet people like Dr. Smith, they are provided not only with important cultural role models but also with connections to the culture of their own neighborhood.

Because of NCLB, the extent to which instruction should be tied to standards, or what is called standards-based instruction, has become a major issue in educational psychology and u.s. classrooms. This issue is all about standards of excellence and what it takes to get students to pass external, large-scale tests. Many educational psychologists stress that the challenge is to teach creatively within the structure imposed by NCLB (McMillan, 2007). Much more information about No Child Left Behind is provided in chapter 15, "Standardized Tests and Teaching." Before you become a teacher, your subject matter knowledge and teaching skills are also likely to be assessedby the state in which you plan to teach (Tittle, 2006). A large majority of states now use the PRAXISTM test to determine whether prospective teachers are qualified to teach. Because of the increasing use of the PRAXISTM test, this text includes a number of --resources to -help you prepare for this test. --_. --'"
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Technological Skills Technology itself does not necessarily improve students' ability to learn. Other conditions are also necessary to create supportive learning environments (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 2006,a,b; Berson & others, 2007; Bitter & Legacy,2006). These conditions include vision and support from educational leaders; teachers skilled in using technology for learning; content standards and curriculum resources; assessment of effectiveness of technology for learning; and an emphasis on the child as an active,constructivelearner (International Societyfor Technologyin Education,2001). Effective teachers develop their technological skills and integrate computers appropriately into classroom learning (Cruz & Duplass, 2007; Sawyer, 2006). This integration should match up with students' learning needs, including the need to

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TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION

Schools-and -Communities
Not only is technol0gy helping children homework, learn about technology, and learn more effectively in school, but it is participate in active learning experiplso increasingly opening up schools to ences. Such programs are especially communities (Dick, Carey, & Carey, 2005). important because, according to one In many districts, students and pa"ents survey, Americans earning less than cant6mmui1itatewIth teachers and $30,000 a year comprise only 18 percent administrators through e-mail. Teachers pf Internet users, despite comprising 28 can post students' work on Web pages. percent of the population. Low-income Some schools provide students with lapyouth are especially vulnerable, being ~p-c0mputerslhey can take home (Pea eight times less likely to use computers & Maldonado, 2006; Silvernail & Lane, at home as children in families earning 2004; Zucker & McGhee, 2005). $75,000 or more (Local Initiatives SupBetter communication between parport Corporation [LlSC],2005). ents and teachers was one goal of a stateIBM recently created a Team Tech Volunteer program that will provide funded Indiana program called the Buddy Cherokee Middle School students technology services to more than 2,500 System (Rockman & Mayer, 1994). In this tackle LEGO robotic kit. program, computers and modems were health and human service agencies. The placed in theJ10mes of 7,000 elementary school students, Team Tech program gives students opportunities to become most of them in grades 4 and 5, for 1 or 2 years, The stuvolunteers in their community and provides technological serdents'" parents, many of whom had never been to their chilvices that can improve the education and learning of students. dren's schools, had to go there to pick up the computer Another project was created by Steve Scott, an IBMemployee equipment and get training. Many of the parents and teachin North Carolina, who recruited five IBM peers to hold a ers report that the computer connection has resulted in technology cap for 28 eighth-grade Native American students increased communication with each other. at Cherokee Middle School (IBM,2006). The IBM employees A special concern is to enable students from low-income discussed career opportunities and presented technical inforbackgrounds to have adequate access to computers. The mationin interesting, easy to understand ways. One project Foshay Learning Center, a K-12 public school in Los Angeles, involves having teams of students work on LEGOrobotic kits. Do a thorough assessment of the businesses in your comhas created eight satellite learning centers in low-income munity. Like IBM, some might be willing to provide technoapartment complexes. Without leaving their buildings, students in this schoOl can use the computers to get help with logical services and expertise for your classroom.

prepare for tomorrow's jobs, many of which will require technological expertise and computer-based skills. In addition, effective teachers are knowledgeable about various assistive devices to support the learning of students with disabilities (Provenza, 2005). National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) have been established by the International Society for Technology in Education (lSTE) (2000, 2001). The NETS standards include:

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Technology foundation standards for students, which describe what students should know about technology and be able to do with technology;-Standards for using technology in learning and teaching, which describe how technology should be used throughout the curriculum for teaching, learning, and instructional management; Educational technology support standards, which describe systems, access, staff development, and support services needed to provide effectiveuse of technology; and Standards for student assessment and evaluation of technology use, which describe various means of assessing student progress and evaluating the use of technology in learning and teaching.

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To think further about schools, communities, and technology, see the Technology and Education box.

What are some important aspectsof incorporating technology in the classroom? 11

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Chapter 1

Educational Psychology: A Tool for Effective Teaching

Commitment and Motivation

Being an effective teacher also requires commitment and motivation. This includes having a good attitude and caring about students. Beginning teachers often report that the investment of time and uy 0 uAre the Coolest" effort needed to be an effective teacher is huge. Some teachers, even experienced ones, say they have "no life" from September to June. Even I jd't"Want"'tb'thankyoUfodlll the extra time putting in hours on evenings and weekends, in addition to all of you took to help me. You didn't have to do the hours spent in the classrci'om, might still not be enough to get that..buf~,}(m~:.4iq~8dIwan~;tPJba~kyou for things done. . ---,--_. it. Thal!.ks ~i~o for being str~ight up with me In the face of these demands, it is easy to become frustrated or to and.,not b;ating ar9~Ild the bush and for that get into a rut and develop a negative attitude. Commitment and motiyou:'~re tfJ~coolese'd'm'sorry'>for' the hard vation help get effective teachers through the tough moments of til11~S: [-gaVk'you. Youotake~o'l11uc~Junk but teaching. Effective-teachers have confidence in their own self-efficacy, thrct!Jgh..~lrtfJat yoO.s,~flycalrr a ",," ,J'"o," 1-1""., f"oo",ang';YbUare '.' 'f', don't let negative emotions diminish their motivation, and bring a greatte.Qch~ri .~ '~ '" ... . ,,0 '" positive attitude and enthusiasm to the classroom. These qualities are contagious and help make the classroom a place where students want Jes~i;c~;.~~en~h-Grade Sty,d~Ilt to be. Mas;on>6eorgia Letter to Chuck.Rawls, Her Teacher,'at the End So, what is likely to nurture your own positive attitudes and conof thej.School YearJ' ",' '''''' ,I.," tinued enthusiasm for teaching? As in all fields, success breeds success. It's important to become aware of times when you've made a differ} ence in an individual student's life. Consider the words of one of the expert consultants for this book, Carlos Diaz (1997), now a pro' fessor of education at Florida Atlantic University, about Mrs. Oppel, his high school English teacher:
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To this day, whenever I see certain words (dearth, slake) I recognize them fondly as some of Mrs. Oppel's vocabulary words. As a teacher, she was very calm and focused. She also was passionate about the power of language and the beauty of literature. I credit her, at least partially, for my determination to try to master the English language and become a professor and writer. I wish I could bottle these characteristics and implant them in all of my students.

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@ The New'Yorker Collection.'1989 ,Lee Lorenz from cartoonbant.com. All Rights Reserved.

The better teacher you become, the more rewarding your work will be. And the more respect and success you achieve in the eyes of your students, the better you will feel about your commitment to teaching. With that in mind, stop for a moment and think about the images you have of your own former teachers. Some of your teachers likely were outstanding and left you with a very positive image. In a national survey of almost a thousand students 13 to 17 years of age, having a good sense of humor, making the class interesting, and having knowledge of the subject matter were the characteristics students listed as the most important for teachers to have (NASSP, 1997). Characteristics secondary school students most frequently attributed to their worst teachers were having a boring class, not explaining things dearly, and showing favoritism. These characteristics and others that reflect students' images of their best and worst teachers are shown in figure 1.1. Think about the roles that.a-good-sense-oflmmor..and.your own genuine enthusiasm are likely to play in your long-term commitment as a teacher. Also, notice other characteristics in figure 1.1 that relate to the caring nature of outstanding teachers. Effective teachers care for their students, often referring to them as "my students." They really want to be with the students and are dedicated to helping them learn. At the same time, they keep their role as a teacher distinct from student roles. Beyond their own caring, effective teachers also look for ways to help their students consider others' feelings and care about each other. To think about the best and worst characteristics of the teachers you have had, complete Self-Assessment 1.1. Use the self-assessment to further explore the attitudes behind your commitment to become a teacher.