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In teaching knitting, crochet and tatting, I always tell my students that there’s really no wrong way to do things as long as it comes out looking like it should. While I still hold this to be a true statement, when on the teaching end of the needle/hook/tatting shuttle or needle, it is important to instruct the correct way to do a stitch, the right place to insert the hook or needle, the proper way to do the most basic join, etc. I would feel that I were cheating my students if I didn’t instruct them the proper way to do these things.

To superior comprehend this reasoning, think of a school instructor who tells a student that it’s okay to not memorize multiplication tables (as most of us learned when we were in school). “After all”, she says, “you can always count on your fingers and you still come up with the same total.” While this is all true, what good does this do to a student when, at the adult age of thirty, they are still counting on their fingers and working at a position which requires a lot of math? Hasn’t the instructor cheated the student by not teaching them a superior or correct way of doing math?

If I tell a student that it’s okay to place their knitting needle anywhere they want, within their work, to draw up the next stitch, it’ll work and a new stitch will be developed but what good does it do if the work is sloppy or it puckers their knitted project? One of my knitting students always seemed to do things differently, no matter how much I’d try to encourage her to do them the way that I was teaching her.

She was right handed and always inserted her working needle into the back side of the working stitch. Finally, I told her that if she felt more comfortable doing things that way, it was ok, as long as she was consistent with all of her stitches and inserting the needle in the same manner. She still knits that way and all of her stitches remain even and no matter what she does, it won’t affect other stitches. But, I did tell her that eventually she’d have to go into the front of that stitch when she has to do an increase that didn’t involve a yarn over.

New students might find it difficult to follow pattern instructions if they are doing a stitch different than what is considered to be proper. For example: For a chainless foundation row, inserting your crochet hook in a different area than is designated might still grant you to draw up a loop and create a chain to do your chain less foundation row single crochet in but, when the work is complete, that first row will not look at all as it should and will distract from the beauty of the rest of your object.

When teaching a knit cast on, even though there are several ways to draw up new stitches to add to your needle, it’s important to instruct the proper way so that when the student is taught to knit, it’s a easy change from what they’ve already been doing. Later, they can change their knit cast on method if they select to do so.

What’s a negative of teaching incorrectly? Suppose it’s the first lesson for a student and you’re trying to instruct them your uncommon way of doing things? What will happen when they get home and can’t remember the way you try to instruct them? So, they look it up on the world wide web and can’t find a single site that instructs your uncommon method. This is not a good position to place new students into. It can leave them feeling incompetent and they might place down their work and not accomplish anything until their next lesson with you. This discourages a student and can place a roadblock in their fiber arts learning process.

So, when teaching a mortal a new skill, please instruct the conventional method. After your student feels more comfortable with this new craft you can feel free to introduce new ideas/ways of doing things. You might say, “Hey! I see that you have the knitting down pat but, now I’d like to instruct you a new way of holding your yarn and I think it’ll help you to knit faster. I know that it helps me. I haven’t seen anybody else do this but, you might like it. You can give it a try and if you don’t like it you can go back to what you’re comfortable with.”

Before you take on your first student, it might be prudent to do some research and see that you’re teaching in a way that’s conducive to the rest of the world and not a way that is done only by yourself. This is especially true if your student has never done this craft before.

Introduction

Practice teaching occupies a key position in the programme of instructor education. It is a culminating experience in instructor preparation. It provides opportunity to beginning instructors to become socialized into the profession (Furlong et.al, 1988). Performance during practice teaching provides some basis for predicting the future success of the teacher. Outgoing popularity and centrality of practice teaching is an important contributing bourgeois towards the calibre of instructor education programme. During practice teaching working with students in schools provides a high degree of emotional involvement of a mostly positive nature. Student instructors feel themselves grow through experience and they begin to link to a culture of teaching. During practice teaching, they feel engaged, challenged and even empowered (Trowbridge and Bybee, 1994; sharafuddin, and Allison, 1969).

Definitions of Practice Teaching

A number of terms such as the practice teaching, student teaching, teaching practice, field studies, infield experience, school based experience or internship are used to refer to this activity (Taneja, 2000). The term practice teaching embraces all the learning experiences of student instructors in schools (Ashraf, 1999). The term practice teaching has three major connotations: the practicing of teaching skills and acquisition of the role of a teacher; the whole range of experiences that students go through in schools; and the practical aspects of the course as distinct from theoretical studies (Stones and morris, 1977).

Practice teaching is the study of the preparation of student instructors for teaching by practical training. It is the practical use of teaching methods, teaching strategies, teaching principles, teaching techniques and practical training and practice / exercise of different activities of regular school life.

Objectives of Practice Teaching

According to Akbar (2002) Following are the objectives of practice teaching:

 To wage the prospective instructors with an opportunity of establishing an appropriate instructor pupil relationship.
To wage an opportunity for evaluating the student potential as a instructor and suitability for the teaching profession.
To develop individualized relationship with others: administrators, teachers, parents and students.
To wage the future instructor with practical experience in school to overcome the problems of discipline and enable him / her to develop method of control.
To wage with an opportunity to place theories into practice and to develop a deeper understanding of educational principles and their implication for learning.
To enable the student instructors effectively to plan and prepare lessons.
To develop skill in the use of fundamental procedures, techniques and methods of teaching.
To develop desirable professional interests, attitudes and ideas relative to teaching profession.
To enable student instructors to acquire desirable characteristics / traits of a instructor and to display appropriate behaviour.
To wage student instructors with an opportunity to have teaching evaluated and to acquire from the benefits of constructive criticism.
To wage an opportunity for self evaluation and to discover own strengths and weaknesses.
To develop skills in future instructors related to teaching like fluent speaking, meaningful reading, using blackboard and other teaching material.
To wage an opportunity to liaise with school environment, its functioning and with community and its resources.
To wage for the exchange of ideas and methods between practicing school and instructor training institution, by instructor training institutions’ staff and students, perceiving new ideas material and equipment in use in practicing schools and introducing new ideas, material and equipments into the school.

Stages in Practice teaching  Following are the stages in practice teaching

 

Primary Stage

 

It is necessary to make a trip of student instructors to that particular school, where they are going for practice teaching. The main aim of this tour is to see the concerned head teacher, class instructors and school staff in order to acquire information about school and its environment. Student instructors must notice the teaching methods of school, methods of concerned class teacher, duplicates or notebooks of the students and their usual routine. On return from the tour student instructors must have the details about scheme of studies, age of the students, strength of the class, capabilities and specific problems of the students, timing of the school, textbooks and teaching aids.

Preparation of Lesson

For the preparation of lesson student instructors must know the subject, the relevant books and audio visual aids. Which he / she is going to teach. Because already prepared lessons give confidence to the teacher. Student instructors and supervisor can reform the teaching learning process after its evaluation.

Qualities of a Good Lesson

A good lesson has the following qualities:

i)   Lesson planning should be in complete detail.

ii) Lesson should be interesting.

iii)   Effective and timely use of teaching methods and teaching aids.

iv)   Student should be ready for learning.

v) Students should be involved practically in teaching learning process.

vi)   Lesson should be taught in professional and friendly environment.

vii) All students should be given same attention by keeping in view their individual differences.

Teaching in Classroom

The stage of teaching in the classroom is known as  practice teaching. Student instructors while teaching in the classroom passes through different steps of his / her teaching (Introduction, presentation, recapitulation) and concerned teacher  / supervisor assesses / observes his / her lesson.

Evaluation of Teaching Practice

In order to evaluate the teaching practice supervisor notice the student instructor while teaching in the classroom. Supervisor evaluates / observes the punctuality, lesson planning, teaching methods, use of audio visual aids, adequacy of audio visual aids, pitch of voice, dress, begin and end of lesson, interest of the students, discipline of class, use of black / white board, students’ notebooks and objectives of the lesson.

Participation in Other routine Works of School

Teaching in the classroom is not only the neutral of teaching practice, but also to wage training in all activities / work which student instructors are going to perform in future during their job. For this purpose they have to spend whole day in school as teacher. They have to participate in all the activities of school e.g preparation of timetable, preparation and maintenance of different registers, evaluation of class work and home work, arrangement of tutorial groups, sports / games, morning assembly, co-curricular activities, duty during recess, duty as day master, duty before and after school timing, decoration of classroom, preparation and maintenance of attending board, news board, information board, look after and arrangements of A V aids room, home economics room, science laboratories and library.

 

How to deal with students’ parents, officers of the school, school employees and guests are also the part of teaching practice. Duties as invigilators, preparation of question papers for examinations, evaluation of answer scripts and compilation of results is also part of teaching practice.

Role of Supervisor in Teaching Practice

Supervisor has an important role in practice teaching as:

i)   A resource person

ii) An adviser

iii)   A general moral booster

iv)   An interpreter of feedback

v) An assessor

 

Supervisor’s duty is not only to evaluate the lessons of teaching practice, but by using his / her all the capabilities to make this experience (All the stages of teaching practice) result oriented. He / she should has all the planning before hand. He / she should have meeting and conversion with instructor educators, experienced instructors of the institution, educationists, concerned school head instructors and other teachers.

 

Introductory lectures should be arranged before the departure of student instructors to the practicing schools in order to aware the student instructors about the preparation of lesson plans and other assigned activities. During teaching practice it is the duty of supervisors to supervise their lessons, other assigned activities, guidance and counseling as well as wage the student instructors with feed back and to enable them so that they can criticize and reform themselves. During the teaching practice student instructors should not be criticized in front of the practicing school staff and students. If there is a need then all the student instructors should be gathered and should be scolded and warned without nominating and asking the name. Supervisors’ role is to prepare instructors for future, therefore he / she should act as a facilitator.

Teaching Practice in Pakistan

Different instructor training programmes are being offered in Pakistan. In all the programmes teaching practice is compulsory component except M.Ed (Master of Education). In true spirit we can produce good instructors through this activity, but the procedure adopted in Pakistan is just to pass / kill the time. Teaching practice duration is very short, it is about 4 to 8 weeks or teaching of 60 to 75 lessons. During teaching practice student instructors are bound to the classrooms for teaching. They are not trained for the other activities performed in schools. Therefore, effective learning could not take place. Student instructors are bound to use simple principles and methods of teaching. They are just being taught how to begin the lesson, how to control the class, how to keep an eye over the students while writing on the black / white board.

 

Teaching practice is doing nothing to teaching other than adhoc basis. The schools where teaching practice is conducted are doing nothing but only bearing it and not taking active part in the preparation of instructors of future. The administration and instructors of practicing schools are not aware with the information and evaluation techniques, which are used during teaching practice. They are not fully aware about the importance of teaching practice for student instructors and future generations.

 

It is a fact that student instructors are not perfect teachers, practicing schoolteachers can’t give them full authorities but they can trust on them. Practically two ways are being seen here in Pakistan. Firstly these uninvited guests are think about inferiors instructors and criticized without any justification. Secondly some instructors transfer their all burden to them.

 

In some instructor training institutions selection of lessons is kept up to the choice of student instructors and they choose such lessons which are very simple and in which minimum audio visual aids are used.

Suggestions to Improve Teaching Practice in Pakistan

Here are some recommendations to improve the teaching practice in Pakistan.

a) In instructor training institutions teaching methods were not only instruct but also practically demonstrated by the instructor educators.

b) The duration of teaching practice should be increased up to 12 weeks at least, so that practical training should be given for a quarter of the year.

c) Teaching practice should not be consisted of classroom teaching only. Other aspects like attending of students, collection of fee, calculation of fee, preparation of registers, conduct of morning assembly, conduct of co-curricular activities, preparation of question papers, marking of answer scripts, compilation of results, solution of students’ problems and meetings with students’ parents should be included.

d) Microteaching should be adopted in instructor training institutions and model lessons should be given before student instructors by experts as well as by video films.

e) Student instructors are not given marks only for model lessons and all the aspects of teaching practice should be included in evaluation.

f)   In order to make the evaluation of teaching practice more effective, appropriateness of lesson, teaching methods, teaching aids, practical organization of lesson, interest of students and instructors and students’ answers should be included in evaluation.

g) It should be encouraged that student instructors make audio visual aids by them selves and student instructors should be given  / provided guidance after each lesson.

h) In order to make teaching practice more effective, it is also proposed that student instructors should watch the lessons of experienced instructors for one week and write evaluation report about them and supervisors should wage guidelines to student instructors in the light of this evaluation report.

i)   It should be ensured that student instructors keep the sequence of lessons in such a way, so that they can instruct all types of lessons and use different teaching methods.

j)   Prior to teaching practice student instructors should practice in their fellows in order to build more confidence in them.

k) During teaching practice student instructors should be given projects, which cover all the aspects of teaching practice i.e. (preparation of teaching kit, planning for decoration of classrooms, betterment of environment and supplying of facilities).

l)   During practice teaching prospective instructors should be prefabricated habitual of preparing regular lesson plan.

m) Practice teaching should be more realistic and suited to the actual class room situations.

Conclusion

Teaching practice is an activity, which can play an important role in the preparation of teachers. Its effectiveness is necessary for the nation. It is a milestone for professional adolescence.  It is a combination of personality, professional skills, knowledge and training, which is fuel for an endless journey. Now it is the duty / responsibility of instructor educators and instructors of practicing schools to make this fuel / expenditure endless.

Bibliography
Akbar, R.A. (2002).A study of Practice Teaching of Prospective Secondary School

  Instructors and Development of a Practice Teaching Model, Arid Agricultural

  University, Rawalpindi (Unpublished PhD Thesis).

Ali Murtaza,(2005). Comparative Study of Practice Teaching in Formal and Non formal

  Systems and Development of a Model, Arid Agricultural  University, Rawalpindi

  (Unpublished PhD Thesis).

Brown, P.D. & Brown N.R.(1990). Effective Teaching Practice. Stanley Thornes,

England.

Cohen, a. & Carver, N. (1970). A Students’ guide to Teaching Practice. University of

London Press, London.

Cohen, L.& Manion, L.(1983). A Guide to teaching Practice. Methuen, London.

Furlong, V.J.;P.U. Hirst and K. Pocklington.(1988). Initial Instructor Training and The

  Role of the chool. Open University Press, Philadelphia.

Govt. of Pakistan. (1997). Pakistan Vision 2010. report; seminar on education. Planning

  and Development Division, Islamabad.

Malik, S.R.(1992). The System of education in Pakistan. National Book Foundation,

Lahore.

Muhammad Ashraf (1990). Dictionary of Primary Education. A.P.H. Publishing

Corporation, New Delhi.

Shah, R.A.(1995). Education and Instructor education in Pakistan. Pakistan study Centre,

University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

Taneja, R.P.(2000). Encyclopedia of Comparative Education, Vol.4. Anmol Publications

Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

Walkin, L.C.( ). Instructional Techniques Practice. Stanley Thornes, Bargenham.

Related Teaching Methods Articles

The rapid development of science and technology to grappling the new century requires us to do everything doable to improve the calibre of teaching and training that can meet the challenges of the comprehensive development of innovative high-quality talent. No doubt, this is an ongoing, systematic project. Among them, the introduction of new teaching methods and teaching methods are an important aspect of cultivating creative talents. This paper aims to increase primary school of modern teaching media in philosophic and moral calibre of the important role of teaching and instructors how to make good use of teaching methods and other issues that make some preliminary discussion.

1, use of modern media, philosophic and moral education is to improve the calibre of teaching an important means of

Impart knowledge to students, should first create a good learning environment to stimulate students interest in learning.

Well-known educator Comenius said: “interest is the creation of a happy and bright one of the main teaching environment.” Interest is the catalyst for people to learn, is that people’s internal motivation to learn. Teaching practice that: students learn lively, active learning tasks to complete, is to improve the calibre of teaching and the full implementation of the important factors of calibre education. With the wave of educational reform have launched the modern teaching equipment continuously into the classroom, it is increasingly clear to modern teaching media in the implementation of calibre education played an important role. Because modern teaching media (multimedia combination) of teaching, with set text, shape, light, sound, color, static and dynamic in one of the advantages of teaching content can vividly display in front of students, changed the abstract, a single visual teaching vivid three-dimensional teaching, it is often used in modern education and teaching a new method, is one of many ways of creating learning situations in the leader. Primary philosophic and moral discipline, full use of modern teaching media to optimize the classroom structure, teaching effectiveness is particularly notable. For example, in studying the “aggressive” article, in accordance with lessons to learn new lessons in the former, were first prepared to instruct “children the first week of a child’s story,” the CAI courseware presented to the students to see. The set of personal courseware character modeling and movement, dialogue, thinking in one, combined with color photos of the physical projector, the students demonstrated in the course of the characters vivid look, while listening, side would like, which show the child the first week of a child learning from the failure, through their tireless efforts, proactive, results, finally catching up, and later became a world-renowned biologist. At this point, ask students to think: a man of learning should be greatly improved, what kind of learning should be the attitude? To inspire students to comprehend the problem, raises issues of personal screen: one proactive. Timely and inspire students: This text by a famous mathematician of modern spoken Zhang thick, he is also a good example of a proactive, ask someone to look at how the text describes him. In this way, using text, audio and video combination of methods to lead to new courses, greatly stimulate the students interest in learning new lessons, mobilized the enthusiasm of students.

Stimulate students interest in learning the fundamental purpose is to improve the calibre of teaching is to train students of its important manifestations of the spirit of innovation. Develop students awareness of innovation and innovation is to improve the comprehensive qualities of the times. Information technology advances of science and technology today, innovation is particularly important. Successors and culture of a nation builder, if not good at innovation, but only in accordance with the teaching of their elders to production and life cycle, only the introduction of foreign science and technology – the production – and then imported – reproduction, it will always be behind the others. Therefore, General Secretary Jiang Zemin pointed out that a nation without sense of innovation, is a nation without hope, “knowledge economy, innovation, essential to our development of the 21st century.” However, the long-oriented education, rote learning, high sub-low, so that our students the calibre of creative consciousness and creative capability have not been very good training and development. And this mode of education is continuing, the ills caused by this mode of education and the issues that still affect us in the younger generation. To this end, vigorously develop students awareness of innovation and innovation is urgent.

Student’s character and behavior of the formation depends largely on its own around the impact of neutral things, influence, the more deeply, the greater the tendency shown by the more powerful. These are the creative consciousness and affect the capability of students to the development of important factors. In the philosophic and moral teaching, to promote students to form a creative act, in selecting appropriate teaching strategy, to create the right region to encourage students to express their views boldly, students unconventional, pioneering courage, which is to train students in creative spirit of the guarantee. The modern teaching media in the expansion of student thinking, and promote students to form a good sense of innovation, the innovative spirit of students could play a good role.

More Teaching Methods Articles

Ahhhh, yes! To be a teacher. What a noble thing to do. I will stand up in front of my student(s) and let them hear my erudite and elaborate explanations about how the universe works, and they will hang on my each word. They will listen with each cell in their bodies, and then, nearly as if by osmosis, they will suddenly know it. They will get it! They will have knowledge! Job well done I say! Job well done!

Not!

This is not the way it works my fellow friends, instructors and parents. The reality is very different. The student’s mind is a very interesting thing… and place. Inside you will find that there any number of thoughts that are distracting them from the task at hand. For example: What will I do later today? Is so-and-so going to text me? Did I just feel my phone in my pocket? Was that a vibration? C’mon phone. Vibrate! Anything, but this…

Wait! The instructor just stated something important. What? I forget my pencil. Hey! My nose itches.

This happens to all of us. Yes- myself included (even though I hate to admit it). And those are just the “internal” distractions. There are also “external” distractions: dog barking, sister speaking on the phone, blow dryer, automobile just went by, this seat is hard, sister’s voice is going up in volume (ha-ha-ha), did I just hear my my phone again. Please notice that the cell phone keeps making it way into my examples. Hmmm…

Well, I think you get the point. So, that brings me to the point of this article: you must assess the student’s understanding of what you are teaching as you go.

That bears repeating: you must assess the student’s understanding of what you are teaching as you go. Only then do you know if you should proceed further with the lesson or reteach the skill, intent or concept until basic mastery is achieved.

Now, you might ask, “Well, Mr.

Smarty Pants, just how do I do that?” Assessments should have three basic components, and all are equally important.

1. Frequency: assess primeval and often. Instruct a basic idea, skill or concept and then quiz the students on their understanding of that item only. Ideally, an assessment takes place each few minutes. For example, if you were reading Tom Sawyer, you might read one to three pages and then stop and start to verbally assess whether your students are understanding what they have read. So, staying with our reading example, in any twenty minute period, we might have five to eight verbal assessments.

2. Content: assess for basic understanding and then probe for critical thinking or application. This area takes practice to develop, and you must be patient with yourself; however, this method of assessment employs a sound strategy of “building” the student’s capability to think independently (preparing them for mastery) and to think critically. So, the first assessment is always easy and straightforward. Staying with our Tom Sawyer example, we might ask, “What happened when Tom would not let his friend paint the fence?” This is a fact based question which grants the student instant success by locating the answer in the text. Our follow up question will build upon the first and require the student to access their own knowledge base of human characteristics and qualities. We might ask, “Why did these friends actually pay Tom to paint the fence, and if it was so great to paint the fence, why didn’t Tom paint it himself?”

3. Praise: whether the student succeeds or not when answering the question, we always praise their attempt. A student answering questions right after learning the material for the first time is similar to a baby trying to take those first baby steps. How many times does the baby try to get up and take those first steps? Over and over and over the baby stumbles and falls (trust me – I know), and yet the only thing that comes out of the parent’s mouth are words of encouragement, lavish praise, and even cheering! Yes. Cheering! So, it is no different when a student is trying to answer an assessment, easy or complex, for some material they have just learned. If they get it right, then hooray for all concerned, and everyone moves on to the next item; however, if they get it wrong, or partially right, that it okay too. Our message to the student is that it was a great try, and they are still making progress. It becomes an opportunity for the item to be retaught or viewed from a different angle or perspective.

I hope this helps with your students. Remember: assess frequently, assess for basic understanding, and always, always, always praise your student’s efforts.

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Taking up teaching jobs is no huge deal these days as there are plenty pf opportunities around with increased funding for education by government and private investors. Teaching jobs can range from elementary teaching jobs to college teaching jobs. There is no set in stone policy for teaching as the method has to be fine tuned according to student demographics. If you follow these time tested tips, you will fulfill all teaching requirements.

Don’t pussyfoot

Do not pussyfoot, but take charge of the classroom right away. Your ideal bet would be to keep the initiative in your hands which comes in handy when you are into high school or college teaching jobs. Instructors are seen to be ineffective if they lose the initiative and grant students to dominate the classes. With teaching salaries more or less comfortable coast to coast depending on living standards in different federal states, you have more opportunities for finding the right employment.

Stop lecturing

In teaching jobs, do not lecture.

If students feel you are lecturing, they could easily get bored and lose interest in the subject. Some teachers, who are extremely favourite with their students, follow an anecdotal teaching approach. Intersperse your teaching with lively stories and bring in limited doses of humor to make dry lessons interesting. After all, teaching stipulations harp on making the students comprehend what is being taught. Set the mood right away by kicking off in a lighter vein.

Know them

It pays to know your students more closely. Many instructors make the primary mistake of finishing the classes somehow. Your ideal bet would be to build a rapport with students slowly. It could take a few classes before they would look forward to your coming. They would automatically take an interest in the subject you are assigned to teach. Explain them with relevant situations and draw parallels with what is going around you and what ever is in the news.

Study prior to taking classes

Keep a schedule for studying up the lessons before you come over to take the classes. Your students might know more from other reference books or they could pose questions for which you might not be having a ready answer. Instead of finding yourself in an awkward situation, do a lot of home work on your own. Teaching salaries are good these days and you do not have to do part time teaching jobs.

Involve students

Check out apiece each student in the classroom and refer the ones that you think are not following your lessons carefully. There could be some who might not find the subject or the approach interesting. Be frank with them and ask for recommendations right away without fail. This sort of an approach comes in handy in college teaching jobs. Instructors need to assess them on the basis of their involvement in the classrooms, which will directly impact teaching jobs.

More Teaching Methods Articles