Name ________Cassandra Welsh_______________ Study Guide Eight. Teaching and Learning in Comparative Perspective 1. Using bullet format, list the key characteristics of American teachers, as described on pages 222 through 228 in the text. Preparation in many states inadequate US ranked near bottom of the scale of teacher preparation and status in the industrialized world. Most teachers come from middle two quarters of high school students & bottom half of college grads Lower college entrance exam scores Enjoy working with people Want to make a difference in life of a child Want to see children develop & mature Most teachers are people, people Tend to have lower expectations than many other countries 2. Using bullet format, list the key characteristics of the students, as described on pages 229 through 232 in the text. Over 80% say they just work to get by Study & pay attention only in high interest courses Disengaged Coast during school hours 40% of American students report they neither try hard nor pay attention in class Most students will allocate less time to schooling than to work or social life 3. Using bullet format, list the reasons that teaching is "ambiguous and uncertain work." Large groups, mixed abilities Permeable boundaries Multiple goals Isolation from colleagues 4. What are the four "behavioral consequences." of the ambiguous and uncertain nature of teaching? Defensiveness Conservatism Pragmatism Elitism 5. How did Lortie's view differ? (1) work with large, heterogeneous groups of students, (2) work that requires high levels of group concentration but is marked by many interruptions, (3) work that has multiple goals rather than a single, overriding goal, and (4) work that is performed in an environment generally lacking in collegial support distinguishes school teaching according to Lortie. 6. What is the difference in classroom ecology between the countries described in the text? Be succinct. China and Japan Differences in ability downplayed Effort is important Errors do not cause embarrassment Errors are a means to improvement Intensive focus on smaller numbers of examples or problems Recess after each lesson More planning time in relation to instruction Mixed ability groups (heterogeneous) Majority of time and full group instruction Students help with discipline in the classrooms Class loads of 38 to 50 7. How important do you think classroom order really is? Why? Very important for all teachers Leads to higher levels of learning Leads to high morale Good order requires a focus on learning and a willingness to learn 8. What are the characteristics of effective teachers? Use bullet format. Concentration on task-oriented activities Emphasis on reading and writing Clearly communicated expectations High (but not out of reach) expectations Quick corrections of errors Diagnostic quizzes Clarity and repetition in lectures Frequent assessments and feedback Strong (but not exclusive) emphasis on meaningful grades Varied daily routine Use of many different types of learning materials Student participation Hands-on activities Less lecturing: more labs, projects and discussions Positive emotional tone, rather than flat tone Ample (but not overly-generous) praise for students' achievements and contributions 9. How do teaching styles differ in the Third World? Teaching styles in most developing countries are teacher centered to an extreme. Students are expected to copy what is on the board and to memorize textbooks; they are not expected to engage with their textbooks or lessons in any more probing way.