Fez: The Interactive Teacher

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

Wendy Smith
EDUC 430 Fall 2014
Assignment 1

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

Fezwasmygradetenscienceteacherandgradeselevenandtwelvebiologyteacher.Fez
engagedlearnerstothinkoutsideofthenormastheylearnedaboutdifficultbiologystuff.He
referredtotheinformationweneededtolearnasstuffbecausethatwastheslangthathis
studentsusedtowardshim.Hestrivedtomakeusvisualandtextuallearners,butalsohavethe
abilitytoorallyexplainwhatwewerelearning.Fezknewtheimportanceofensuringstudents
werereadyforthecollegeworld,andencouragedstudentstoattempttheworkbeforedepending
ontheteacher.MygreatestinfluencewasateacherisFez.Althoughthispaperisfocusedonhis
teachingstyleandhispractices,itwillgreatlyreflectmine,asIwishtomodelmyteachingfrom
Fez.Fezsstrongteachingstylewashighlyillustratedthroughouthiscreativemethodand
materials,hisabilitytorepresentteachinginaconstructivistway,andtheenlightenment
environmenthefosteredforhisstudents.
Fez:Creativity101
PartnerBuddies
Byfar,thestrongestassetthatFezheldwashiscreatingteachingstyle.InFezs
classroom,peoplewerenotjustsittinginrowscharacteristicofthetraditionalclassroom.You
satwithyourpartnerbuddiesoringroups.ApictureofasimilarclassroomtoFezsisfoundin
theartifactsfolder,refertoSlide1.PartnerbuddiesissomethingthatFezusedasawaytohave
studentsinteractwithoneanother.Brophy(2001)states,studentsaretaughttoaskquestions
withoutembarrassmentandtocollaborateinpairsorsmallgroupsonmanyoftheirlearning
activities(p.9).Itcreatedarelaxedandcomfortablelearningenvironment.Aconnectionwitha
comfortablelearningenvironmenthasthepotentialforgreaterideastothenbediscussed.When
peoplefeelthattheirideaswillbelistenedtoo,oratleastcaredaboutbytheirpartnerbuddies,
studentsaremorewillingtosaytheirpieceandtotakeriskswhenitcomestotheirlearning.

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

OntoRaps&Skits
AnexampleofthecreativestyleofteachingwasthewaythatFezexplainedthefemale
cycle.Hehadeachofusdrawagraphthatincludedalldefinitionsandinformationthatwe
neededforthecurriculum.Hehadafewofthemoreoutgoingkidsperformaskitthathadfunny
rhythmstocreateinterestinstudentswhopreferrednottolearnfromatextbook.Intheartifact
folder,IprovidedasimilarskitthatwasdonethatIfoundonYouTube,refertoSlide2.The
curriculumgoalswerestillmet,butcreativitywasusedtosparkremembranceandlearning,as
opposedtopurememorization.ThereadingsbyBanks,CochranSmith,Moll,Richert,Zeichner,
LePage,DarlingHammond,DuffyandMcDonald(2008)expressedconcernaboutthecreative
teachergoingtofaroffofthecurriculuminherpoetryunit.Fezhadtheabilitytousehis
creativitybutstayinlinewiththecurriculum.Anotherexampleofcreativelearningwaswhen
Feztoldhisclassesaboutmitosisandmeiosis.Fezhadacreativerapthathesangtousaboutit.
Acopyofthisisincludedinthedigitalartifactfolder,refertoslide3.Theoralcomponent
addressedcertainlearningstylesandfortextuallearners,textbookreadingswereassigned.He
providedstudentswiththeessentialtoolsneededtolearnbutwhoistosaythateveryones
toolboxisthesame?
Fez:Constructivism101
PeerCooperation
AnotherstrongpracticethatFezexudedwasaconstructivistapproachtoteaching.
ThroughoutmythreeyearsofbeingeducatedbyFez,theopportunityforstudentstotaketherole
ofateacherwasseeninhisclassrooms.Withthebuddieprogram,theroleofteachingwas
sharedbetweenpartners.Studentshavetheopportunitytolistentootherpointsofview,debate,

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

discuss,andforminsightsintonewideaswhileworkingcollaborativelywiththeirpeers(Cole,
2008,p.47).Imagineyourselfinagroupsettingatwork;ifyouhaveagoodidea,andyoushare
thatideawithseveralotherpeople,thepotentialforthatideatobegreatisincreased.Brophy
(2003)speaksabouttheimportanceofcooperationbetweenstudentsandthemetacognitiveand
cognitivebenefitsitprovides,itadditionallyenhance[d]learningoutcomesiftheycombine
groupgoalswithindividualaccountability(p.28).APowerPointintheDigitalArtifactfolder
outlinestheimportantdetailsofaconstructivistapproachtoteaching,refertoSlide4.
PushingYoutoGettheRightAnswer
ThehandsonlearningapproachthatFezdisplayedallowedstudentstothinkcritically
aboutataskandtousetheirownproblemsolvingabilities.Theyarenotreadingatextbookor
copyingnotes,theyactuallyhavetoputthatknowledgeintoreallifecontext.Fezwouldhave
studentsthinkanalyticallyaboutataskandthentrytoformulateananswer.Hewouldnot
provideanyhelpatfirst,butallowedyoutopushthroughtheinitialproblemsthatyouhad,and
allowyoutofirsttrytofigureoutthesolution.HismainsentencewasImtellingyou,Imnot
theexpert,youare,youaretheonelearningaboutthisrightnow.Hebelievedinhisstudents,
similartotheideasproposedbyBrophy(2013)whenhespokeaboutpositivestudentteacher
interaction,effectiveschoolspresentpositiveteacherattitudestowardsstudentsand
expectationsregardingtheirabilitytomasterthecurriculum(p.31).Fezstimulatedstudentsto
actuallylearntheinformation.Constructivisttheorysuggeststhatthegoalofschoolingisnot
simplyacquiringspecificknowledgeandexpertise,butratherbuildingunderstanding(Cole,
2008,p.47).Fezsclassroomswereinlinewiththisnotion;youlefttheclassroomwithenough
skillsandunderstandingtoteachittoothers.

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

5
Fez:Enlightenment101

TeacheroftheSemester
OneofthemajoraspectsthatenabledFeztobesosuccessfulinhisteachingwashis
faculty.Fezwasapartofafacultythatallowedhimtohavethefreedomtoteachinthefashion
thathedid.Aslongashisstudentswerecomingouteducatedandgettinggoodmarks,Fezwas
abletocontinueteachinginthewayhedid.WithBiology30beingadiplomacourse,Fezhadto
ensurethatthecurriculumwasbeingtaught,sothereforehiscreativitydidnotdeterthechildren
fromlearning.Bulach,Lunenberg,andPotter(2011)states,facultyaregiventhefreedomto
controltheirownbehavior(p.6).TheenlightenedschoolboardthatFezbelongsto,used
incentivesandreinforcementstocontrolthestudentsandteachers,asopposedtopositionand
coerciondoingthecontrolling(Bulach,Lunenberg,&Potter,2011,p.4).Theschoolrecognized
studentsandteachersonamonthlybasis,withspecificrewardsincludingstudentofthemonth
andteacheroftheyear.Fezwasrecognizedforthis,andIhaveattachedinmydigitalartifact
folder,aremakeoftheawardsimilartotheoneFezreceived,refertoSlide5.Thisisatechnique
usedbytheenlightened,traditionalschools;incentivesareputinplacetoencouragedesirable
behavior(Bulachetal.,2011,p.6).Therewardspushedthefacultyandstudentstoperformto
theirfullest.Studentbehaviorandteacherimprovementdevelopedbecauseofthisadded
extrinsicmotivation.
ThistrickleddownintoFezsclassroomaswell.AsastudentofFezsIstrivedtoreceive
hisadmiration.IrememberoneinstantinparticularIworkedinagroupwithastrugglingstudent
andhelpedthatindividualtocompletelycomeoutofhisshell.Thestudentwasengagedinthe
groupplanning,andweasagroupproducedagreatassignmentforFeztograde.Fezdidnotsay

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

anythingtomeoutloudbutprivatelyemailedmetoletmeknowhowmuchheappreciatedwhat
Iwasdong.Itwasagroupoffour,soforhimtonoticethatitwasIinparticularwhowas
helpingthisstudentisaveryselectivequality.Theabilitytoseparateoutstudentsandtoknow
whoisdoingwhat,isaskillFezisstrongat.Asstudentswewantedtoworkhardbecausethe
externalmotivationandrecognitionthatwewouldreceive.TheAssociationforSupervisionand
CurriculumDevelopmentoutlinessomeoftheseideas,whereinanarticleitspeaksaboutschool
organizationandtheabilitytofosteringacultureofhardworkanddevelopment.Thisarticleis
foundinthedigitalartifactfolder;refertoSlide6.
Conclusion
Fezwasaoneofakindteacher.Ihopethatthroughoutthispaper,Ihaveinformedyou
aboutthegreatnessthatFezcontains.Hewantshisstudentstosucceed,andiswillingtogive
themthetoolsneededtobesuccessful.ThereisnotonestyleoflearnerandFezunderstands
that,andwaswillingtobeflexibleinhisteachingstocreateanatmosphereoflearningforall.
Fezbelievesthateverybodyisresponsibleforeachotherslearning,andthatcooperativelearning
isbetterthanindividual.Healsostressestheimportanceofstudentsgainingtheknowledgeand
beingabletoteachit,asopposedtoalwaysassumingtheroleofstudent.Studentsthathavethe
abilitytoteachaswellendupbeingthosewiththestrongestabilitiestobelearners.Fezallowed
forthoselearningpracticestohappeninhisclassrooms.InadditiontoFez,wastheschoolboard
thatFezbelongedto,theytrustedFezenoughtogivehimfreerangeofteaching.Thefreedom
thatFezwasgivenwasahugeassetthatallowedhimtobetherolemodelofateacherheis
today.

Fez: The Interactive Teacher

References
Banks,J.,CochranSmith,M.,Moll,L.,Richert,A.,Zeichner,K.,LePage,P.,&McDonald,
M.(2005).Teachingdiverselearners.InL.DarlingHammondandJ.Bransford(Eds.),
Preparingteachersforachangingworld:Whatteachersshouldlearnandbeabletodo
(pp.232274).SanFrancisco:JosseyBass.
Bulach,C.,Lunenburg,F.,&Potter,L.(2011).FourTypesofSchoolCulture.InK.Nielsen
(Ed.)Anintroductiontoteaching,learning,andschoolcultureforbeginningteachers(pp.
18).Dubuque,Iowa:KendallHunt.
Brophy,J.(2001).Genericaspectsofeffectiveteaching.InM.C.WangandH.J.Walberg(Eds.),
Tomorrowsteachers(pp.345)Richmond,CA:McCutchan.
Cole,R.(2008).EducatingEverybodysChildren:WeKnowWhatWorksAndWhatDoesnt.
InK.Nielsen(Ed.)Anintroductiontoteaching,learning,andschoolcultureforbeginning
teachers(pp.2256).Dubuque,Iowa:KendallHunt.
Danielson,C.(2002).Enhancingstudentachievement[Web].Retrievedfrom
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/102109/chapters/SchoolOrganization.aspx
Freire,P.(1993).Pedagogyoftheoppressed.NewYork:ContinuumBooks.
Fyre,C.(2012).Constructivistapproachtoteachingandlearning[Web].Retrievedfrom
http://www.slideshare.net/ChristyFrye/constructivistapproachtoteachingandlearning
Morledge,S.(2014).Reproductiveskit[Web].Retrievedfrom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvdV1i63wCY
Shaping collaborative and education for the 21st century [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.smartdesks.com/images/classroom-floorplan-750G-600.png

Fez: The Interactive Teacher