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Stephenson, Frederick J., Jr., (Ed.) (2001).
Extraordinary teachers: The essence of excellent
teaching. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel.
Extraordinary Teachers is a collection
of 36 reflective papers about what constitutes excellence
in teaching, based around six key attributes of extraordinary
teachers.
The Six Attributes
- Extraordinary teachers have great passion
for their work.
- Extraordinary teachers know what to
teach, how to teach, and how to improve.
- Extraordinary teachers excel at creating
exciting classroom environments.
- Extraordinary teachers connect exceptionally
well with students.
- Extraordinary teachers challenge students
to meet their full potential.
- Extraordinary teachers get extraordinary
results.
The contributions come from winners of
The University of Georgia’s Meigs Award winners, who represent
the top 2% of teachers at the university. Contributors
have an average of 31 years of teaching experience.
I. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS
HAVE GREAT PASSION FOR THEIR WORK
Passion for:
- Learning
- Their fields
- Their students
- Teaching
They possess a deep sense of the importance
of teaching, feel responsible to help students, are themselves
serious students, and have an intense desire to master the
craft of teaching. They find teaching deeply satisfying
and meaningful.
II. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS KNOW
WHAT TO TEACH, HOW TO TEACH, AND HOW TO IMPROVE
Extraordinary teachers see their task,
not as merely imparting information, but as trying to prepare
students for life. Extraordinary teachers learned
how to teach, no thanks to their graduate programs, which
didn’t prepare them for teaching. There’s no single
blueprint for an extraordinary teacher: each has his/her on
teaching style and they all excel because each can
be themselves.
Top teachers look everywhere for help.
They have the courage to risk and experiment. They try, modify,
and try again until they get it right. They practice,
practice, practice.
III. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS EXCEL
AT CREATING EXCITING CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS
Students look forward to their classes.
Extraordinary teachers have boundless energy and enthusiasm
that is contagious. They keep their material fresh.
They make students understand why material should be learned.
They set a positive tone for learning from the very first
class meeting. They manage their classrooms skillfully,
but they share control with students. They talk with,
not at, their students. Their classes are planned and
well-organized, but they’re not slaves to a learning plan.
Most are skilled entertainers with a good sense of humor.
IV. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS CONNECT
EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WITH STUDENTS
Students trust them and work with them
rather than against them. Teachers connect students not only
with the material but with each other.
OK, that’s it (you didn’t think we’d give
the whole thing away, did you? ;-> |
