Course | Becoming a More Effective Teacher

Six weeks, one module per week
Affordable Course Content (ACC) provided at no cost to learners through generous donations.

Course Description

This course is designed for current and future teachers who desire to improve their practice in classroom instruction. The course contains six modules.

Modules

Module 1: Role of the Teacher
This module explores the history of educational theory. The importance of the role of the teacher is introduced within the zone of proximal development. The module provides a thorough introduction to an effective method of instruction, the gradual release of responsibility. It explains techniques used for direct instruction, the first step in the gradual release of responsibility.

Module 2: Planning a School Day
This module explains that an effective teacher uses a plan for curriculum that includes a weekly plan and daily schedule. The module teaches about routines such as student schedules and morning messages. It provides a deep dive into the elements of a direct instruction lesson plan.

Module 3: Multiple Intelligences
This module provides definitions and characteristics of the seven multiple intelligences suggested by Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It explores how people with each intelligence learn best. The second step of the gradual release of responsibility is the focus, as the module provides activities for students to do during guided practice that incorporate the multiple intelligences.

Module 4: Differentiating Instruction
This module explores perspectives on learning as school leaders, teachers, and students. It instructs teachers to develop an effective learning environment, which includes the setting and culture of a classroom. The focus of the module provides different paths for students to master a lesson plan objective by challenging, reviewing, or reteaching during guided practice.

Module 5: Bloom’s Taxonomy
This module introduces Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy by investigating its six levels of thinking. It suggests that Bloom’s Taxonomy is useful to classroom instruction to ask questions of students and to write lesson plan objectives. The third step of the gradual release of responsibility is the focus, as the module provides tasks for independent practice that relate to each of the levels of the Taxonomy.

Module 6: Assessment
This module explores formative assessment used throughout the three steps of the gradual release of responsibility. Learners review ways to check for understanding during direct instruction. They learn how students can self-evaluate during guided practice. And they investigate a teacher checklist during independent practice. Equally, the module focuses on creating a summative assessment to determine if a student mastered the direct instruction lesson plan objective.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is there no fee for this course?
Online course fees are funded by committed donors to reduce barriers to access high quality professional development for teachers and school leaders. The monetary value of this course is $120USD.

However, we recognize that everything comes at a cost. Your investment as a learner requires:
Time - Once enrolled, you will have access to this course for six weeks.
Technology – You must secure a reliable internet connection to work through the course.

• What is your responsibility to qualify for this donated course?
Committed time and engagement

This course is designed to be completed in six consecutive weeks. Once enrolled, a learner completes the modules in sequence to earn a Certificate. The estimated time to complete lessons and recommended course work:

Week 1 - Module 1: 2-3 hours
Week 2 - Module 2: 3-4 hours
Week 3 - Module 3: 4-5 hours
Week 4 - Module 4: 4-5 hours
Week 5 - Module 5: 5-6 hours
Week 6 - Module 6: 2-3 hours

Reliable Internet

- Must have access to a device – desktop or laptop (preferred), mobile device (supported)
- All devices require speakers
- Supported web browsers - Chrome and Firefox (preferred), Safari and Edge (supported)
- One can complete a system check to ensure that your system is properly configured.
Application – In collaboration as colleagues, we ask you to pledge to apply what you have learned to your classroom instruction. TTT values underserved educators for the sake of the next generation.

• How can I earn a Certificate?
For an individual learner to earn a Certificate, one must earn a total of six badges. To earn one badge, a learner must receive 100% on the assessment at the end of each of the six modules. Learners are given multiple opportunities to review content and improve their scores. If a learner earns a Certificate, one may complete a "Course Approval" form to seek credit for professional development points or government licensures.

• Is this course available in other languages?
In 2023, this course is available in English.
In 2024, this course is available in French and Spanish.

Enrollment Policy

Limit one six-week enrollment per individual.
To increase mastery of the course, TTT requires enrolling in one course at a time.
Learners will be automatically unenrolled from the course after 14 days of inactivity.

Credit

Credit may be available for this course and may vary by country or institution. Please verify eligibility with Teaching Training Together