“The greatest effects on student learning occur when the teachers become learners of their own teaching and ….when students become their own teachers” (John Hattie, 2009)
According to John Hattie (2009), a key part of successful teaching and learning has to do with the teacher’s mind frame – the teacher’s view of his or her role. He says that:
“It is critical that teachers see themselves as evaluators of their effects on students. Seeking interventions and actions that have positive effects on student learning should be a constant goal for teachers. Teachers should be vigilant to see what is working and what is not working in the classroom. Then teachers must use this evidence to inform their actions and their use of every possible resource (especially peers) to move students from where they are now to where the teacher thinks they should be. It is when a teacher has an appropriate mind frame combined with appropriate actions that these two work together to achieve a positive learning effect.”
What particularly stood out for me, is that Hattie points out the role of the teacher as evaluator of their effects on students. This is very different from the role I’ve been familiar with – the teacher as evaluator of students. This statement started me thinking about my teaching in a new light. What effect have I had on my students in the past? Has it been good? Has it been bad? I’d like to say it’s been “all good,” but in reality it’s been a bit of both, with some neutrality sprinkled in. Expert teachers view students progress as feedback that the teacher is having on learning. This requires regularly gathering information through various means – questions, observations, and quizzes to know who is not understanding, and to make teaching adjustments to bring them along. Know better. Do better.