Reflection about a Chemistry Teacher in Grade 10

Lesson: Ions










Topic: Elements of Cooperative Learning


As we know, there are five basic elements of cooperative learning:

1- Face-to-face Interaction
2- Positive Interdependence
3- Individual Accountability
4- Social Skills
5- Processing

Taking the third element into consideration, when talking about "promoting individual accountability" it is directly linked to "motivation" which can be build in many ways which are:

1- Success
2- Concern
3- Interest
4- Meaning
5- Knowledge of Results
6- Positive Feeling Tone

It was clear the Chemistry teacher  in Majdal Anjar official high school was trying to motivate his students through several ways and this has accounted for “Promoting Individual Accountability”. When the teacher involved the whole class to solve in pairs, solve on the board, share ideas, and offering help by giving hints, this let all students to have the sense of involvement. Also, it was shown that the teacher started the idea with simple examples and then when he was sure that the idea was reached, he offered harder ones. This is was in calculating the molar mass of some molecules and in writing the dissociation reaction for various compounds. Thus, involving students in meaningful and sequencing learning, from simplest to most complex, to make students be “successful”, a way to achieve motivation. Moreover, starting the new idea with a question for the whole class as a way to hold all students on the alert, encouraging them to solve and practice the new material on the board, moving between the students’ seats while they are writing to let them be more concerned about participating in the lesson, specifying the time needed to complete the task (5 minutes) as a way to let students be concerned about the intensity of their effort; all these are factors for another method that contributes motivation under the title “Concern”.

In addition, explaining this Chemistry lesson has made students excited for its new ideas, they were interested in knowing what a dissociation reaction means, how the subjective question’s parts will be solved. This let students enjoy learning as a mean to keep them motivated. Also, it was good from the teacher to give a specific, direct feedback toward the students’ solving, he praised their good work and effective interaction, allowing them to know how they are doing and feel that they are successful by believing in their abilities. Such way reminds us with “Knowledge of Results”.

Finally, the positive spirit the teacher built in the class by following certain rules had a big influence in creating a safe environment. And the acceptance and respect being between the students and between the teacher and students. All these had contributed in creating a “Positive Feeling Tone” to be known the last way in promoting motivation for students.