What makes an expert teacher

The idea of becoming an expert in your field can be a big motivator. We like to think that we get better at the things we do every time we do them. That as we continue to practice, we become more expert at it. No one can jump from novice to expert without gaining the necessary experience. Experience without reflection can trap you in a cycle of repeating the same mistakes.

Then make adjustments the next time a similar situation comes up. Practicing in the real-world forces you to confront new and complex situations every day.

In some ways, this is the opposite of what Ericsson is saying. After reaching a certain level of expertise, practicing what you know causes you to stall. Relying on familiar experience without challenging yourself may even cause your skills to deteriorate.

Instead, Ericsson recommends Deliberate Practice to help you grow and maintain your expertise. Deliberate Practice is practice that pushes you beyond your comfort zone by keeping you challenged and engaged. Science Livingston, C. Journal of Teacher Education Simon, H. American Scientist 61 4 Sternberg, R. Educational Researcher 24 6 Sweller, J. The expertise reversal effect.

Educational Psychologist, 38 1 , With regards to experts thinking rapidly and accurately, it may be worth considering the impact of cognitive load. Automaticity increases as expertise increases and one of the main reasons for this according to Sweller and the research following his work is due to reduced cognitive load, thereby allowing experts to solve problems quicker than novices.

Whilst I recognise that expert teachers may not always communicate their rationale and thinking, I do not think this makes a case for replacing an expert with someone who is competent or proficient. Daniel Kahneman talks in his book of the need to maintain scepticism of experts and their intuition in circumstances that are not regular. For example, the shift in curriculum, testing, the move to EBT, with the move towards comparative education and standardization to name just a few.

Therefore, may an over-reliance on experts help perpetuate outdated dogma and inflexibility towards the changing nature of the educational and political landscape? Hi Dan, Thanks for the thought-provoking comment. A new curriculum or assessment will certainly be a jolt for an experienced teacher. But a history teacher who knows the Nazi rise to power well and is experienced in explaining it and common student misconceptions will adapt to this change far more quickly than a novice who is struggling with everything.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Exact matches only. Search in title. Search in content. Search in excerpt. Behavioural psychology. Education Around the World. Ethical dilemmas. What makes an expert? Gary Klein describes an expert firefighter at work: It is a simple house fire in a one-story house in a residential area.

My classroom is all about respect. You respect me, I'll respect you. I do communicate with students first and give them the chance to change their behavior. Setting rules, communication through their planners, notes home, and conferences are all things I feel any good teacher does. If you have good help at home, you can do anything. How about long-term goals for your students? I coach two sports: Track and Field and Cross Country.

I would like to continue to do this until I reach the 25 year mark. Currently, I have been coaching for 14 years. I really enjoy teaching children and coaching young adults. I would like to continue taking classes to better myself. I started a masters program in administration, but it wasn't for me. For my students? Take advantage of good opportunities. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Graduate from high school. Pursue something after high school: college, trade school, military.

Be fair and impartial. You are the best part of many student's day! Expertise in Teaching. When asked to name the teachers who have had the greatest positive impact on us, we tend to name those who were warm, energetic, enthusiastic, organized, impartial, and competent in their field.

Expert teachers employ all of these traits, and, as the text states, are "experienced" and "effective" and have "developed solutions for common classroom problems" Woolfolk, I chose to interview my fourth grade teacher, Mr. Brian Mendez, because he not only demonstrates expertise in teaching, but also has created a fun and proactive learning environment, which I hope to emulate in my future classroom.

In order to teach effectively, the teacher must have a strong knowledge base of the material Woolfolk, Mendez feels confident teaching all areas of the curriculum. A teacher who does not feel comfortable in his or her ability presenting a certain aspect of the material would most likely have difficulty relating the material to children. Specializing in a subject is not only important for advanced knowledge base, but for practicality as well. Mendez noted that having different teachers specializing and teaching in different areas of the curriculum saves time in lesson planning: students visit another classroom for science, for example.

This arrangement also offers him an opportunity to meet with other students. Expert teachers are also instrumental in motivating all students to learn Woolfolk, When a student lacks motivation to learn or do work, these experts scout out ways to encourage learning.

One of the problems with expert teachers is that they can make teaching look easy, yet nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that expert teachers make a conscious effort to ensure that their teaching intentions are in accord with the learning expectations they have for their students.

Expert teachers are aware of what they are doing; they monitor and adjust their teaching behaviours to bring out the best in their students. One of the reasons that teaching is a complex business is because it revolves around decision making.

Teachers are constantly making decisions about a range of ideas, issues and events: content, student behaviour, homework, catering for different learning styles, assessment and so on. Teachers do not all think the same way about the same things.