SUCCESSFUL TEACHING
It’s a Frame of Mind
Content + Process =
Good Classroom Management
Content and Process are equal components
and together create good classroom
management.
 The two should be married they get along so
well!
 But… this requires skill and knowledge on your
part.
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Demands of the Content
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Some kinds of content
are best taught by
example.
Some by experience.
Other kinds are best
understood when
discussed and worked
on collaboratively.
Other kinds need
individual reflection and
analysis.

In addition to content
demands, learning
needs of individual
students must be
acknowledged and
taken into consideration.
The Best Teachers:

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Have at their disposal a repertoire of instructional
methods, strategies, and approaches that
continually grows, as their content knowledge
develops
Never underestimate the power of the process to
determine the outcome.
With this understanding, content is not a barrier
Successful Teachers:

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Are open
Are positive
Have a passion for what they teach
Understanding What You See

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Students communicate
important nonverbal
messages through:
facial expressions,
body postures
how they say what
they say, and
what actions they do
or the skills they
attempt to perform.
The Four Features
of Understanding
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The following are four features that distinguish how
expert teachers see what transpires in class.
The good news is the ability to see and respond to
this kind of feedback can be learned and will help
you tremendously with classroom management.
1. Focus on the Relevant
Expert

When an expert
teacher looks at what
students are doing, he
or she focuses on events
and information relevant
to the decisions that must
be made as a teacher
as pertaining to what is
being taught.
Novice

Novice teachers notice
secondary details like
what the students are
wearing, whether they
look like they are
enjoying the activity,
and if they are talking
to other students.
2. Deduce From Observations
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This is a learned skill
Observe or shadow someone who does it well!
Compare notes with an “expert” … communicate
and compare what you see.
3.Tuning into the Out of the Ordinary
Expert
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If an individual student or a
group of students responds
differently, expert teachers
automatically tune in to what’s
happening with those students.
This is true whether the
student is struggling or
excelling.
If a student learns something
with great ease, the expert is
aware that this approach
might benefit others.
Novice
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Novices develop expertise
through explicit attempts
to understand how and
why something works for
students.
With deliberate practice
you can make better sense
of instructional situations
and become adept at
finding potential in the
unusual.
4. Develop a Critical Eye
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Use your observations to make improvements
Expert teachers are relentless in their efforts to improve, and this
comes innately
Schempp & Johnson (2006) say,
“To improve in teaching, teachers must deliberately practice
their teaching skills.” (p. 32) Teachers are not born
understanding what is happening as students attempt to
learn. Moreover, they can see something happening time
and again, but that does not mean they will come
automatically to understand it. The effort must be
deliberate. The effort is work making because, “Unless you
understand what you see, your class might as well be
invisible.” (p.29)
Four Features
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Focus on the relevant
Make conclusion from your observations
Tuning into the atypical
Developing a critical eye and make changes
References

Content Knowledge: A Barrier to Teacher
Development By Maryellen Weimer, PhD. In Faculty
Focus, Special Report: Effective Strategies for
Improving College Teaching and Learning