Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/teaching-plan

Introduction

### Course Review: Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning In today's ever-evolving educational landscape, the demand for effective teaching strategies transcends traditional classroom boundaries. Whether you're an experienced educator, a parent assisting with homeschooling, or a professional trainer in the workplace, Coursera’s "Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning" offers a comprehensive resource to enhance your teaching skills and methodologies. #### Course Overview This eight-course program, presented by seasoned professionals from across the Commonwealth, ensures that participants not only acquire core teaching skills but also develop a deeper understanding of planning and professionalism in education. The dynamic lessons are designed to engage learners from diverse backgrounds and contexts, making it suitable for anyone eager to enhance their teaching capabilities. ### Detailed Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Mindsets for Learning and Teaching** - The inaugural week sets the tone with a focus on fostering a growth mindset. Participants explore how to establish goals and leverage a learning model that underpins effective teaching practices. - Engaging questions prompt self-reflection and curiosity, essential for any educator aiming to improve their planning strategies. 2. **What Do We Know About Teaching and Learning** - Week two encourages participants to evaluate their planning through the lenses of considering, reflecting, and understanding. - This segment emphasizes the blend of diverse worldviews in teaching, urging educators to think critically about their practices. 3. **Four Key Questions and Why They Matter** - In the third week, participants encounter four essential questions that act as diagnostic tools to assess teaching effectiveness. - Real-world examples illustrate how schools utilize these questions, inspiring educators to adapt them to their unique contexts. 4. **Spirals of Inquiry for Planning and Teaching** - The fourth week introduces a spiral inquiry model, encouraging educators to closely monitor and assess learner experiences. - The approach prompts continuous reflection on teaching impact, fostering a culture of inquiry within educational settings. 5. **Teacher Professional Learning** - This week focuses on adult learning needs, highlighting the connection between teacher development and student outcomes. - Practical examples and ongoing professional learning strategies are shared, ensuring that educators are equipped to enhance their own skills in tandem with their students’ learning. 6. **Innovation and Change** - The final week culminates with a focus on designing innovative learning environments. - Participants are encouraged to explore the roles of perseverance, relationships, and professional networks, all critical elements in shaping successful educational experiences. ### Recommendation I wholeheartedly recommend the "Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning" course to anyone interested in enhancing their teaching craft. The combination of theoretically grounded concepts and practical applications makes it invaluable for all educators. What truly sets this course apart is its emphasis on continuous learning—for both students and teachers. It is structured to promote not just skill acquisition, but also an ongoing inquiry into one’s teaching practice, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation. Whether you are looking to refine your existing skills or seeking a solid foundation to start your teaching career, this course will provide you with the necessary tools and insights to thrive. The diverse perspectives and rich content will certainly inspire you to explore new possibilities in your teaching journey. Each week builds upon the last, ensuring a cohesive learning experience that is both enriching and rewarding. ### Final Thoughts Investing in your education through the "Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning" is a step toward becoming a more effective, innovative, and reflective educator. The skills gained here are not just applicable in the classroom—they extend into all areas of teaching and learning, including training in professional settings and supporting informal learning at home. Don’t miss the opportunity to empower yourself as an educator through this transformative course!

Syllabus

Mindsets for Learning and Teaching

This is our first week together and we are pleased you have decided to participate in this course focused on planning for teaching and learning. This week we will discuss developing a growth mindset and setting goals as a planning professional. We will also explore the importance of working from a model of learning when planning for teaching. We encourage you to be curious in your approach to planning for teaching and learning.

In this week you will think about your planning from three perspectives: considering, reflecting, and understanding. You will use these three perspectives to better understand how you can use learning principles to incorporate different worldviews into your teaching. We are going to ask you to think about how you could weave together practices from these three perspectives in your own setting.

In this week we introduce four key questions. The questions are diagnostic tools that can tell you how successful you are at giving your students clear expectations and providing them with good feedback. In this week’s lectures, readings and videos you will be provided with examples of how a range of schools are using these questions to focus their learning. We encourage you and your professional planning partner to design you own ways of using these questions in your school or setting.

Week four follows the pattern we have set in the first three weeks. This week we explore how you can inform and deepen your planning for teaching and learning by engaging in a specific inquiry cycle. All of the lectures this week focus on the various phases or stages of the spiral of inquiry. The spiral of inquiry asks us to start with the experiences of our learners and to continually ask ourselves these questions: What’s going on for our learners? How do we know? Why does it matter?

As teachers, we usually think about planning from the perspective of how we can better teach our students. This week we are going to focus on planning for the learning needs of the adults in our schools. One of the most important findings from the research on teacher professional learning is that it must be tied to the learning needs of the students. We are going to provide you with some practical examples of what this might look like. By the end of this week you will know how to apply current research knowledge to your own professional learning and planning. We hope that you will continue to reflect on new forms of ongoing professional learning as part of your teaching life.

This is the final week of this course and we appreciate your perseverance! This week you are going to have the opportunity to think about designing more innovative learning environments for young people. You will see how teachers are planning intellectually and socially engaging practices for learners. You will also extend your thinking about the growth mindset by exploring the notions of perseverance and grit, a quality that is highly correlated with adult success. As well, you are going to think about the important role that both trusting relationships and professional networks play in your development as a teacher. We encourage you to think about the ways in which you are contributing to strengthening relational trust in your settings.