Deck 1: What Is Teaching All About

Question 1

According to Brighouse (1995), effective teachers need to have intellectual curiosity and:

A) a keen eye for change in students.
B) an interest in their students.
C) knowledge of students' interests.
D) a passion for teaching.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Why do beginning teachers need to be freed from the implicit dispositions formed through past experiences?

Answer 2

Implicit dispositions can lead to beginning teachers using only the practices to which they have been exposed. According to Lortie (2002) they need to be freed from these dispositions so they can become 'more aware of what they do while teaching and … more readily consider practices to which they have not been previously exposed (p. xi).

Question 3

The concept of 'inspired teaching' is promoted by:

A) Steele (2011).
B) Crelos (2009).
C) Hattie (2003).
D) Hughes (2004).

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The personal characteristic of teachers that has been found to be resistant to change is:

A) knowledge.
B) beliefs.
C) attitudes.
D) skills.

Question 5

Write a letter to an employer in which you identify your ten strongest qualities as a potential teacher and describe how each would contribute to effective teaching. Drawing on the work of at least three of the theorists referred to in Chapter 1, explain how each of the qualities you have identified relates to research findings about the qualities of effective teachers.

Question 6

Is this statement true or false? 'The top reason for becoming a teacher is the same when given by primary or secondary teachers.'

Question 7

The paradoxical nature of teaching means it is important for pre-service teachers and beginning teachers to:

A) rely on their common sense.
B) critically examine findings from research and observation.
C) copy what more experienced teachers do.
D) use trial and error to determine what works.

Question 8

According to Strong (2011), the percentage of new teachers who leave the profession within the first five years of entry is:

A) 10-20%.
B) 20-30%.
C) 30-40%.
D) 40-50%.

Question 9

Hattie's (2003) meta-analysis of 500 000 studies found that effective teachers:

A) admit their weaknesses and take risks.
B) can communicate effectively with students with a range of abilities.
C) are proficient in creating optimal classroom climates for learning.
D) enjoy working with their teaching peers.

Question 10

The complexity of the teaching role was illustrated by Jackson's (1990) finding that teachers make over:

A) 50 decisions as day.
B) 100 decisions a day.
C) 150 decisions a day.
D) 200 decisions a day.

Question 11

What are the personal and professional attributes that Moyles (2007) identified as a requirement for teachers?

Question 12

A teaching behaviour that does not indicate reflective thinking is:

A) using an internet-sourced work-sheet.
B) taking time to consider beliefs and assumptions.
C) seeking out new pedagogical knowledge.
D) discussing practice with other teachers.

Question 13

Why can teaching be described as 'ambiguous'?

Question 14

Teachers who can give clear directions and manage time efficiently are demonstrating:

A) an ethic of care.
B) communication skills.
C) organisational skills.
D) reflective skills.

Question 15

The quality of teacher resilience is about:

A) being a life-long learner.
B) persisting in the face of challenges.
C) being able to resolve conflict.
D) having high personal expectations.

Question 16

The finding by Crelos (2009) that effective teachers 'actively use involving behaviours to influence their own and students' capabilities' came from a study of a cross section of the teaching population in:

A) Australia.
B) USA.
C) Sweden.
D) UK.

Question 17

A teaching practice that would not fit with Wolk's (2008) recommendation that teachers need to focus on 'joyful learning' is:

A) giving students choices.
B) letting students create things.
C) supporting rote learning.
D) showing the pleasure in learning.

Question 18

A teacher who decides to use brainstorming as a way of finding out what students already know in Science is demonstrating:

A) technical knowledge.
B) content knowledge.
C) pedagogical knowledge.
D) pedagogical content knowledge.

Question 19

According to Britzman (2003), new teachers sometimes have difficulty:

A) planning lessons.
B) interacting with parents.
C) locating resources.
D) recognising the diversity of students in the class.

Question 20

An advantage of online virtual schools is that they:

A) can deliver a broader curriculum.
B) require less teachers.
C) promote higher levels of student engagement.
D) develop students' communication skills.

Question 21

Drawing on what you have learnt in Chapter 1 about the complexity of teachers' work, explain why many beginning year teachers find the first year of teaching so challenging. Describe one strategy or attribute you could use to overcome some of the challenges identified.

Question 22

According to Cruickshank (2012), what are three factors that will affect the range and type of teaching that can be achieved within the frame of existing school structures?