EDU 101 - Exam 1

What are the intrinsic motivations for teaching?

wanting to help others, improve their lives, and grow and learn

What are some common misconceptions about pay?

teacher’s pay can vary greatly by state but also within states

What are some common misconceptions about prestige?

education majors are less likely to score in the top 25% of the SATs, but teachers do score similarly to physicians, writers, engineers, and social workers on adult literacy surveys. these also do not take into account creativity, social consciousness, diversity of workforce, and honesty

What are some common misconceptions about workload?

teaching candidates need time not only for their college studies, but also practicing important teaching skills like lesson planning, supervising students, talking with parents, and more

What are traditional “step and lane” salary structures?

• steps reflect years of experience, scaling from no experience to however many years spent teaching

• lanes reflect amount of education, ranging from degrees held and how many credit hours earned

How do years of experience affect pay?

salary typically increases based on how many years spent teaching (a starting salary is going to be less than the salary of a teacher who has been teaching for 30+ years)

What is merit pay?

a salary system that bases a teacher’s pay on performance

What are some critiques of merit pay?

Test scores might not accurately reflect teacher performance and are rather influenced by attendance, family income, or a student’s wellbeing on test day

What are some challenges with objectivity and fairness in a teacher’s pay?

• wealthier communities often pay teacher (much) more than poorer ones

• teachers earn significantly less when compared to other college graduates

• the average teacher’s salary has actually decreased over the years when adjusted for inflation whereas other college graduates have seen a salary increase

• school politics and personality issues can influence judgement about who is a terrific teacher and thus teacher pay

What is tenure?

a system of employment in which teachers, having served a probationary period, acquire an expectancy of continued employment

What does tenure not protect a teacher from?

It does not protect teachers who break the law, are debilitated by substance abuse, or theoretically become terrible teachers

What is IDEA?

a federal law passed in 1990 that extends full educational services and provisions to people identified with disabilities

What is appropriate education in IDEA?

protects the rights of students with disabilities to an education that reflects an accurate diagnosis

What is parental participation in IDEA?

parents or guardians are required to become full partners in all stages of decision making and therefore have a larger say in their children’s education

What is nondiscriminatory education in IDEA?

a mandate that children with disabilities be fairly assessed so that they can be protected from inappropriate classification and tracking

What is least-restrictive environment in IDEA?

the program best suited to meeting a disabled student’s special needs without segregating the student from the regular educational program

What is an IEP?

the mechanism through which a disabled child’s special needs are identified, objectives and services are described, and evaluation is designed

What is necessary in an IEP?

• a statement of the student’s current performance, including long term (annual) goals and short term objectived

• a description of the nature and duration of the instructional services designed to meet the prescribed goals

• an overview of the methods of evaluation that will be used to monitor the child’s progress and to determine whether the goals and objectives have been met

What is a general education classroom in a least to most restrictive environment?

student participates in the prescribed program directed by a general education classroom teacher; absolute least restrictive

What is homebound or hospital education in a least to most restrictive environment?

special education services are provided at home or in a hospital setting; most restrictive

What is a residential school in a least to most restrictive environment?

student receive education and related services in a residential facility that also provides care 24 hours a day; second-to-most restrictive

What is a separate school in a least to most restrictive environment?

special education services are provided in a special school with specifically trained staff and facility; very restrictive

What is a separate classroom in a least to most restrictive environment?

special education services are provided for most or all of the day with a specialized teacher; mostly restrictive

What is a resource room in a least to most restrictive environment?

students are in a general education classroom for most of the day but spend part of the time with specialized instruction; a little restrictive

What is a general education classroom with supplementary instruction and services in a least to most restrictive environment?

students participate in a prescribed program directed by a general education teacher and also receives instruction and other services from a special educator within the classroom; not very restrictive

What is a general education classroom with consultation in a least to most restrictive environment?

students participate in a prescribed program directed by a general education teacher and who is supported with ongoing consultation from the special educator; second-to-least restrictive

What is due process?

the right of children with disabilities and their parents to be notified of school actions and decisions; to challenge those decisions before an impartial tribunal, using counsel and expert witnesses; to examine the school records on which a decision is based; and to appeal whatever decision is reached

What are accommodations? How do they affect learning?

changes how the student learns the material (same material with support provided)

What are modifications? How do they affect learning?

changes to what the student it taught or expected to learn (different material)

What are executive functioning challenges for children with ADHD?

inattention, misbehaviors, talking too much, issues with memory

What are some effective classroom supports for children with ADHD?

• treat it like the disability that it is

• externalize important information

• externalize problem solving

• make the classroom concrete, clear, and predictable

• give as much structure and organization as possible

What is dyslexia?

a learning disability that affects a students reading ability

How does dyslexia affect students?

• confusion of similar words

• difficulty using phonics

• problems reading multi-syllable words

• slow reading rate

• difficulty with comprehension and retention of material that is read

What is dysgraphia?

a learning disability that affects a student’s writing ability

How does dysgraphia affect students?

• difficulty with sentence structure and grammar

• omitting words

• frequent spelling errors or inconsistent spelling

• letter reversal

• poorly formed letters

• difficulty with spacing, capitals, and punctuation

• difficulty with expressing themselves clearly and precisely

What is dyscalculia?

a learning disability that affects a student’s math ability

How does dyscalculia affect students?

• difficulty memorizing basic facts

• confusion or reversal of numbers, number sequence, or operational symbols

• difficulty copying problems and aligning columns

• problems with reasoning and abstract conceptd

What are some characteristics of gifted students?

individuals with exceptional ability; students that perform exceptionally in areas such as artistic and creative talents, intellectual and academic abilities, and leadership skills

What are some challenges gifted students face?

• a great number of gifted students are unidentified and thus continue to struggle

• a tendency to not succeed without intellectual stimulation and support, isolation and loneliness

• feeling different or wanting to be “normal”

What are some options to support gifted students?

• being removed from class to receive special accelerated instruction

• participating in classes like AP or IB

• participating in college courses at school or at local community colleges

What is a transitional approach in dual-language learning?

where students’ native languages are used as a bridge to learning in English only

What is immersion in dual language learning?

teaches students with limited English by using a “sheltered” or simplified English vocabulary with no use of the native language

What is ESL class in dual language learning?

An immersion approach that removes students from the regular classroom to provide instruction in English

What is a maintenance or a developmental approach in dual language learning?

emphasizes the importance of acquiring English while maintaining competence in the native language

What is two-way immersion in dual language learning?

These programs enroll both native English speakers and native speakers of another language. English-speaking students learn a second language and non-English speakers learn English

What are some limitations of pull-out ESL programs?

• Students may struggle academically while still learning English

• Home language is often underused or ignored

• Risk of confusing language difficulty with ability

What are some benefits to bilingual and dual language programs?

• bilingual programs have a significant positive effect on student achievement in English literacy, as well as increasing student performance in other education courses as well

• bilingual programs also enhance brain development as well as social-emotional skills

• Supports identity, culture, and family communication

What are some differences between ESL and dual language programs?

• ESL classes use English only whereas dual language programs use the native language and English in the classroom

• ESL classes focus on English acquisition whereas dual language programs focus on content and biliteracy

• ESL classrooms only require as ESL trained teacher whereas a dual language program requires a bilingual teacher

• ESL classes are good for diverse classroom with students who speak different languages whereas dual language programs are good for a large group that all speak the same native language

How do diverse backgrounds affect students?

• Students bring intersecting identities, experiences, strengths, and needs

• different cultures can carry different values and behaviors from the smaller community culture or the larger national culture

• these can also challenge what is taught in the curriculum. for example, a native American student’s history might come into conflict with the history taught in a textbook

• race and/or ethnicity can come into conflict with stereotypes that teachers already hold, usually in a negative way. for example, students of color often receive harsher and unfair punishments which negatively affect their learning, like in-school suspensions

• students can feel unsafe coming in to school so its important to provide a safe space for them in the classroom

What is CASEL?

a leader in social and emotional learning research developed by researchers, educators, and child advocates who focus on thinking about how to teach and learn SEL skills from preschool through high school

What is SEL?

the process through which people understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions

What are some benefits to SEL?

reduced behavior problems, increased academic success, and increased ability to manage stress, depression, and positive self-image

What are vulnerable decision points?

Contextual events or elements that increase the likelihood of implicit bias affecting decision-making in schools

How do vulnerable decision points affect responses to student behavior?

VDP can result in snap decisions that often don’t reflect a teacher’s true values and are rather unconscious, automatic, and based on stereotypes

What are neutralizing routines?

an alternative response that works to diffuse a situation rather than escalate it

What are some good examples of neutralizing routines?

• Delay decision until I can think clearly

• Remind myself of my values

• Ask the student to reflect on their feelings/behavior

• Take two deep breaths

• Recognize my upset feelings and let them go

• Assume student’s best effort at getting needs met

What are benefits to neutralizing routines?

can help avoid implicit bias and acting out based on external or internal triggers. instead they allow teachers to support fairness, equity, and instructional accuracy

What is implicit bias?

A form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, that nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors

How does implicit bias affect expectations and discipline decisions?

• it can rely on shortcuts and biases and thus reinforce bias

• it can make teachers miss quieter students

• teachers may give out harsher punishments than what is fair or give punishments to undeserving students just based on biases

• the intention may be fair but the resulting behavior is not

What are the teacher career stages?

• survival

• consolidation

• renewal

• maturity

What is the early career stage for teachers look like?

teachers move from day to day, just trying to get through the week. support and professional development are crucial at this stage

What is the mid career stage for teachers look like?

starts with focus moving to children’s learning. skills learning during the survival stage are consolidated and synthesized intro strategies to be applied in the classroom

after teaching skills and an understanding of student development have been mastered and several years of teaching completed. is a crossroads moment where teachers can either remain in what is comforting and familiar or move forward. this can be participating in regional or national professional development programs and visiting successful colleagues to seek new ideas for teaching and learning

What is the veteran/mastery career stage for teachers look like?

teachers move beyond classroom concerns and seek greater professional perspective. they can focus on things like educational philosophy, ways to strengthen the teaching perspective, and educational ideas that can enhance education throughout the school, region, or nation

What does the National Board Certification do?

recognize superior teacher performance whose skills and knowledge indicate their high level of achievement

What are some benefits that the National Board Certification provide?

you might receive additional pay, more responsibility for school-wide instruction, or be given released time to work with new teachers

What role do organizations like NEA and AFT play?

they are alternative pathways for teaching candidates

How do state policies impact working conditions?

What do learning styles reveal about students?

while there is no research-based evidence that learning style exist, we do use different learning modalities to learn based on what is being taught and what modalities are available. learning and using different learning modalities can help students retain information more deeply and apply information more creatively

How can visual learning be integrated into the classroom?

use charts, course outlines, flash cards, videos, maps, illustrations, slide shows, and guided imagery

How can kinesthetic/tactile learning be integrated into the classroom?

• students can sit during class time or pace quietly in the back during instruction

• ask students to take notes or make physical flash cards

• use skits and role-play

• integrate hands-on lessons, observations, and field explorations

How can auditory learning be integrated into the classroom?

• listen to background music while studying

• encourage students to read aloud both in class instructions and at home homework or studying

• ask students to share ideas verbally or in small groups/whole class discussions

• audio tape classroom activities to be listened to later

How can lingustic learning be integrated into the classroom?

• have students read, write, and give presentations

• give lectures

• encourage word play games

How can logical learning be integrated into the classroom?

• ask students to show the logic (or illogic) of an argument

• include critical thinking exercises

• have students create flow charts

• provide facts and statistics for students to interpret

How can social learning be integrated into the classroom?

• have students work in pairs or small groups

• encourage whole class discussions

• have students conduct interviews for their projects

How can solitary learning be integrated into the classroom?

• provide time and space for students to work alone quietly

• provide time for thinking and reflection