Class-Centered Teaching

Overview

Class-centered teaching is one style of teaching and learning developments. This approach is different from traditional teaching and learning that has been rooted in our society, students merely listen explanation from a teacher.  This teaching style encourages students to learn from their friends in a group. Surely this environment will encourage attractive and rewarding classroom climate as follows: (1) creating social interaction or interpersonal communication among members of the group; (2) activating students to have more engagement with their friends; (3) developing students’ self-confidence;  (4) giving a chance to students to be more active in the classroom.

The idea behind this approach was that the environment of teaching language in the classroom must be changing—it must create interaction between numbers of personal, interpersonal, and social aspect (Senior, 2012, pg. 39). Apparently, class-centered teaching principle has the answer to that notion.  

Listed Implication for My Teaching

Class-centered teaching is applicable for teaching writing skill or grammar. A teacher groups his students then gives brainstorming and assigns them with error analysis question for amount of time. In finding the answer, student will surely discuss and try to solve the problem with their peers in a group. At the end, the teacher will discuss with the students why they come up with their answers. It gives more opportunity for students to talk more than the teacher. This situation creates a positive atmosphere since a teacher will not dominate the process of teaching and learning. Thus, social interaction and students’ engagement will be achieved through this setting.    

Responses

There are two main weaknesses I found from this teaching style:

First, the merit of learning relies on groups’ value during the process of teaching and learning in the classroom. It certainly requires attentive teachers to control group behavior most of the time.

Second, the concept of social constructivism is easy to gain when all members of the group are cooperative. Nevertheless, the notion of class-centered teaching has possibility of domination and lack participation from the student. One student might be too superior for others and another feels inferior to engage with their friends.

Indeed, there will always strength and weakness in the approach of teaching. Therefore, a teacher must select appropriate material which will work and will not for his classroom teaching.    

Is syllabus different from a curriculum? In what ways are these terms similar of different?

Define these two terms for your partner

In a broad definition, syllabus and curriculum are the same; both are ways to construct effective teaching and learning so that the goal of education can be gained. There is only different style in describing the detail.

Curriculum is a set of guideline for teachers of what competencies and topics that must be achieved by students at the end of the course. It also has its standard testing on how to measure students’ merit. Curriculum is a picture for teachers to breakdown their own syllabus, it is broader concept of educational purpose. It is commonly developed by the governing body of a country or a district and not distributed widely to every student.

Meanwhile, syllabus is more detail description of course content. It gives a clear picture for students about what they are going to do for the whole semester as they can see on material, assignment, sources, and time frame. Syllabus is set out by individual or a group of teachers; it is usually more focus on one subject. Therefore, a student can easily list reading material on what he is going to learn and even plan on his own schedule for one semester.