Direct instruction? Student-centered instruction? Which is more effective? (Entry 4)

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So, what is the most effective way to teach students? Through direct instruction? Student-centered instruction? There are cons and pros to both types of instruction. Direct instruction is where the teacher directly delivers information to students (Slavin, 2020, p. 166). They play the main role in the learning process. The lessons are strategically structured by the teacher. I feel that direct instruction can be beneficial in that the teacher is the best source of information and the best feedback provider. However, student participation is at a minimum. With this type of instruction, students are more likely to be disengaged and get bored. In student-centered instruction, students are active participants in their learning process. They are able to collaborate with their peers and get hands-on experience through this instruction type. However, this type of instruction can also cause chaos in that students can become off task more easily. Not to mention, all students may not have the same opportunity to interact with the material as some students may outshine others. With all of this being said, I feel that both types of instruction can be rather effective. There just needs to be a generous balance between the two. I, as the teacher, will need to make data-driven decisions when it comes to the most effective teaching method to implement. 

Concerning the context of my classroom, I feel that I alternate between both approaches to learning. There are times when I result to one more than the other, but overall, I provide a good balance of both to take place. For instance, I start the majority of my lessons with direct instruction. I deliver the content to my Kindergarten students as they are on the carpet at the front of our classroom. With this, I allow students to turn and talk periodically to their nearest peer to discuss the content or question(s) I may have asked. This is to keep them interacting with the content in some form, so they can remain engaged in the lesson. Upon completing this part of the lesson, I then result to a more hands-on learning approach, student-centered instruction. I have students break apart into groups and practically reteach each other and practice the material we just covered. Slavin (2020) notes that to make information relevant to students, I must give them opportunities to find out and implement ideas of their very own (p. 194). They need to be the ones thinking about their learning and use their own strategies to effectively retain the information. When this is done, students are more likely to store this newfound knowledge into their long-term memory for future use. Ultimately, they make the necessary personal connections to relate to what they are learning. 

To become a better teacher, I can apply what I have learned about problem-solving to better propel my students in thinking for themselves. One problem-solving strategy that appealed to me from chapter 8 is the five-step strategy coined by Bransford and Stein (1993): IDEAL. The strategy IDEAL is an acronym: I stands for identify problems and opportunities, D stands for define goals and represent the problem, E stands for explore possible strategies, A stands for anticipate outcomes and act, and L stands for look back and learn (Slavin, 2020, p. 209). I would first model this strategy with my Kindergarten students a few times and gradually release the reins. I would still provide scaffolding and support when needed. This would be an exceptional method to introduce to my students to get them problem-solving on their own.

Personally, I had no additional questions that were sparked by what I read from both chapter 7 and chapter 8. Both chapters provided elaborate and enlightening information that I will store and utilize in many lessons to come. I thought I had a fairly good understanding of what direct instruction and student-centered instruction entailed. However, after this week’s reading, I feel much more knowledgeable about what each of the types of instruction are and how to best apply them in my classroom for student success. All in all, I feel that both models are effective forms of instruction.


References

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education.


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