Free Custom «An Effective Teacher » Essay Paper

Motivation theories

Motivation has been known to alter the responses of a class to whatever they are being thought. A motivated learner is keen to learn and thus makes it easy for the teacher to achieve the objectives of teaching. Among the motivation theories that have been identified by Eggen and Kauchak, (2010, 348), as leading tools for learning is the incentive theories. Incentive theories assert advocates for reward of behavior. Positive behavior is rewarded by an incentive to increase the chances for recurrence while negative behavior should be rewarded by a punishment to deter its recurrence. Incentive theories can lead to conditioning of students to a certain desirable behavior. The incentives theories borrow heavily from the pavlovian conditioning which creates room for innovativeness among teachers to motivate their classes. Teachers should ensure that whatever the motivators are, they induce the need for learning as this is the ultimate need for education.

Need theories such as the assertions that it is human nature to desire to learn something new are also of paramount importance in teaching. It is the responsibility of the modern teacher to ensure that the need for learning is cultivated among the young learners to ensure that they are continuously motivated to learn. The reducing desirability of something once a need is satisfied should not b experienced among the children. The children therefore should learn encouraged to continuously cultivate the need for education. Behavioral theories of learning such as Pavlov and classical conditioning are indicators that teacher can effectively shape the behavior of his or her class the way he or she wants. These behavioral theories should be used by the modern teacher to motivate learners to induce the need for hard work while not alienating them from their virtual environment.  The humanistic theories advocates for empowered learners and indicate that learners are always ready to learn.  It is therefore the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the learners are given the best knowledge that shall be inline with their environment. Cognitive theories of learning on the other hand advocate for learners who are keen on constructing their own view of phenomenon

Classroom Management

An effective teacher ought to know how to manage a classroom. Effective classroom management strategies for effective teachers of the second decade of the 21^st century must be in line with the changing nature of the learners. It is imperative that teachers should focus their energy towards perfect management of various strategies to ensure that there classes meets the expectation of the learners. Teachers must make the learning experience attractive to learners to ensure that they enjoy learning and thus look forward to knowledge acquisitions. It is therefore important that teachers utilize the motivation theories to motivate the students to remain focused to the learning process. Commanding respect among the learners is of importance and thus the teacher of 2010 and beyond must have a better way to ensure that he or she commands respect of the learners. Managing to associate with the feelings of the learners is an important way that a teacher can command respect of the learner Eggen and Kauchak, (2010, 427).

Pedagogies of Teaching and Learning

The education sector has received a major shift especially due to the changing nature of the learners. Today’s learner interacts with a virtual environment as opposed to the past’s learners who interact with the real world. Since pedagogies of the past were entrenched in policies that were based on learners who interacted with the real world, the teaching approaches of then cannot be said to be representative of today’s world and thus there is need for a shift of policy and approaches to ensure that the learner is well catered for. This is the only way that the learners shall benefit from their teachers.

Today’s learners interact via the technology, shop via the technology and create relationships via the technology. An effective teacher in 2010 and beyond must be able to relate to this virtual world and ensure that these tenets are incorporated in the classroom. The teacher must be able to bring the pedagogies in this virtual world for the learners to understand the concepts being taught. Bell, (2009), identifies play area as one of the areas that has undergone a major shift from real world games to virtual games. An effective teacher of 2010 and beyond therefore should be able to use what the students understand to be effective.