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Module Four |
Reading One: Teacher as Educational Leader |
Dialogist
This teaching role gives clarity to the understanding that the student has reached
the point of being a willing and competent learner, that the role of the teacher
can be advanced to a sense of collegiality in looking together for answers,
moving to recognize paradoxes, to quest for deeper meaning, to validate questioning
as an advanced state of self education.
Characteristics of the Low Task, High Relationship Teaching Role
available and open
initiates discourse and shared inquiry
both directs and participates
reduces psychological size
shifts energy flow from self to group
listens attentively
inspires personal response
creates mutuality and cooperation
keeps materials flexible and open ended
thoroughly knowledgeable in subject area
aware of diversity of class members
General aptitudes for this teacher role
initiates and sustains discourse effectively
able to induce group interaction
employs own knowledge indirectly in interests of group discussion
employs questions oriented toward shared inquiry
allows adequate "wait time" when questioning
makes use of student remarks to move discussion on
helps group distinguish between real and apparent misunderstanding
employs exercises in skills of empathy
creates opportunities for students to take positions different from their own
gives students practice in clarification and precise usage of terms
opens student to richness and subtleties of discourse
moves group to function on both cognitive and emotional levels
probes learning materials in more detail
moves group members to see dialogue as communal knowledge sharing
increases own awareness of each student's unique subjectivity
works on reducing own biases in regard to students
helps group to recognize and deal with diversity in backgrounds and values
Student Aptitudes
intrinsically motivated to engage in discourse
takes equal responsibility for success of discourse
comes alive as a person through relationships
practices higher learning skills via discussion
converses form adequate knowledge base
sees discourse as natural way of learning
able to state own position clearly
able to clarify and distinguish among terms
learns to examine subject material and issues in more detail
becomes aware of both cognitive and affective aspects of learning
learns to identify with positions of other class members
comes to view learning as open ended process
appreciates communal aspect of learning from Reinsmith (1992) pp. 96-97