What do you think is the most important role a teacher plays?

Every role a teacher plays is important, and some children specifically benefit from one over another. I don't know if it is the most important, but one role I have found that helps each child at the same time, is being a classroom manager. Some students have a particularly difficult time learning with distractions around them. A good teacher is very aware of the entire situation of the classroom, and manages it in such a way that is conducive for all the children to be able to learn and to be safe. I have started observing in a new classroom (4th grade) and one thing I noticed today is that the teacher was very good and disciplining in a way that wasn't shaming to the children. He would instruct and discipline one child on an individual level, instead of in front of the whole class. I think this is a good way of managing the classroom, because even though there is a large group of students, there is still one-on-one attention where it needs to be. It also makes the children feel safe, like they aren't going to be made an example to the class. Another thing he was very good at, was validating students for positive behavior. There was so much focus on the positive, that there was significantly less negative behavior than what I've seen in the other classes I've been too. I love being able to see the different teaching styles each teacher brings to the classroom.

How does this teacher manage assessment?

As I have talked about in a previous blog, this teacher assesses students with "Fluency" readings. Each child has a minute to read a short story and I count the words the read and mark the ones they made mistakes on. Then I read the story to the child, and they take it to their desk to read a few times. Then I call them back and they do it again. They are supposed to double their words read. I do this assessment almost every time I go to class, but have yet to see any end results or "check ups" with the kids. I don't know whether she goes through the binder to see how each kid is doing, etc. I have done this in 2 other 1st grade classes, and have seen the same thing. I'm not sure how they manage the assessments. I know they do other things, such as read the class a story, and then give a quiz on the content. Or the obvious weekly homework assignments. I have also mentioned before, that individual homework packets are given to children based upon their level. It will be interesting to see if anything is done with these fluency readings, and how the teacher uses them to assess the children.