Micro Teaching, Pre Teaching, While Teaching and Post Teaching?

Micro-Teaching:

Micro-teaching is a teacher training approach in which teachers practice teaching certain skills or concepts to a small group of pupils, often 3-5. It enables teachers to focus on specific parts of their instruction while receiving rapid feedback from an instructor or peers. This method helps teachers refine their teaching abilities and discover areas of development in a controlled environment.

Pre-Teaching:

Pre-teaching involves introducing new material or concepts to students before they are formally taught in class. This can be done through various methods, such as providing students with pre-reading materials, videos, or interactive activities. Pre-teaching helps students build a foundation of knowledge and familiarity with the topic, making it easier for them to understand and engage with the material when it is formally presented in class.

While Teaching:

While teaching refers to the process of providing education to pupils in the classroom. It uses a range of instructional styles and approaches, including lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and group work. Engaging students, establishing a good learning environment, and adjusting teaching approaches to meet students' needs and reactions are all components of effective teaching.

Post Teaching:

Post Teaching relates to the activities and methods that take place after a lesson or topic has been taught. It includes revisiting and reinforcing the subject, evaluating student learning, and offering feedback. Post-teaching activities involve reflecting on the teaching process, finding areas for improvement, and preparing for future classes.

Examples: 

Micro-Teaching: A teacher practicing classroom management techniques with a small group of students, receiving feedback from an instructor. 

Pre-Teaching: Providing students with a video overview of a historical event before discussing it in class. 

While-Teaching: Leading a class discussion on a literary text, encouraging students to analyze and interpret the text. 

Post-Teaching: Assigning a quiz to assess student understanding of a math concept and reviewing the results to identify areas where students need additional support.

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Micro Teaching 

Definition 

Micro teaching involves breaking down a lesson into small, manageable parts and practicing those parts with a small group of students or peers. In micro teaching, the teacher focuses on one or two specific teaching skills or concepts, such as explaining a concept clearly, asking open-ended questions, or providing effective feedback.

The teacher first prepares a brief lesson plan focusing on the specific teaching skills or concepts they want to practice. Then, the teacher delivers the lesson to a small group of students or peers, who provide feedback on the teacher's performance.

Micro teaching is often used as a training tool for new teachers or teachers who want to improve their teaching skills. It allows teachers to practice specific teaching techniques and receive feedback on their performance in a low-risk setting. By breaking down a lesson into smaller parts, teachers can focus on specific teaching skills and improve their overall teaching ability.

Origin and Development of Micro Teaching

Micro teaching is a teaching technique that was developed in the mid-1960s at Stanford University in California. The technique was created by Dr. Dwight W. Allen, who was a professor of education at the time. The concept of micro teaching was based on the idea that teaching skills could be developed and improved through focused practice and feedback.

Initially, micro teaching was used as a training tool for pre-service teachers who were studying at the university. The aim of the technique was to give these teachers an opportunity to practice teaching in a controlled environment before they were placed in real classroom settings. Micro teaching involved breaking down the teaching process into smaller, more manageable parts, and allowing teachers to practice these parts individually, rather than trying to tackle the entire teaching process at once.

The original micro teaching model involved a group of four to six student teachers working with a professor. The students would take turns teaching short lessons to a group of peers, while the professor observed and provided feedback. The lessons were typically no longer than ten minutes, and the focus was on practicing specific teaching skills, such as questioning, explaining, or classroom management.

Over time, micro teaching has evolved and become a popular method for teacher training and professional development around the world. Today, micro teaching is used in a variety of settings, including teacher training programs, professional development workshops, and in-service training for experienced teachers. The technique has been adapted to suit different teaching contexts, and there are now many variations of the micro teaching model, each with its own unique approach to teaching and learning.

Definitions of Micro Teaching 

Here are definitions of micro teaching from various authors:

1. Dwight W. Allen: "Micro teaching is a scaled-down teaching encounter designed for the training of teachers. It provides an opportunity for teachers in training to experiment with and refine their teaching skills in a controlled environment."

2. T.L. Good: "Micro teaching is a training technique in which a small group of teachers is given a lesson, and then required to break it down into its component parts, analyze these, and practice them under controlled conditions with a small group of pupils."

3. R.M. Smith: "Micro teaching is a teacher training technique which involves breaking down the teaching learning situation into its components parts for the purpose of analysis, practice and feedback."

4. N.L. Gage: "Micro teaching involves a teacher educator and one or more pupil(s) in a classroom-sized encounter which is videotaped for subsequent analysis."

5. R. Sudharshan Reddy: "Micro teaching is a technique of teacher training that enables the teacher trainee to acquire practical teaching skills by experimenting with teaching behaviour in a planned and controlled situation involving a small group of pupils."

Micro teaching is a training technique that involves breaking down the teaching-learning process into smaller parts, allowing for focused practice and feedback. The technique provides opportunities for teacher trainees to experiment with and refine their teaching skills in a controlled environment before applying them in real classroom settings.

Aims of Micro Teaching

The main aim of micro teaching is to improve the teaching skills and effectiveness of the teacher. By breaking down a lesson into smaller parts, the teacher can focus on specific skills or teaching strategies and receive feedback on their performance from colleagues or peers. The specific aims of micro teaching include the following:

1. Developing specific teaching skills: Micro teaching aims to help teachers develop specific teaching skills, such as questioning techniques, explanation, classroom management, and feedback provision.

2. Practicing teaching skills in a controlled setting: Micro teaching provides teachers with a safe environment to practice their skills before using them in a real classroom setting.

3. Receiving constructive feedback: Micro teaching provides teachers with immediate feedback on their teaching skills from peers or colleagues, allowing them to improve their skills and effectiveness.

4. Reflecting on teaching practices: Micro teaching encourages teachers to reflect on their teaching practices and adjust them based on feedback received during the practice.

5. Enhancing student engagement and learning: Micro teaching helps teachers develop new teaching strategies and skills that can enhance student engagement and learning in the classroom.

Overall, micro teaching aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom by helping teachers develop and improve their teaching skills.

Objectives of Micro Teaching

The objectives of micro teaching are closely related to the aims of micro teaching and can be summarized as follows:

1. To develop specific teaching skills: The primary objective of micro teaching is to develop and refine specific teaching skills, such as questioning, explanation, use of visual aids, classroom management, and feedback provision.

2. To practice and refine teaching techniques: Micro teaching allows teachers to practice and refine their teaching techniques in a controlled and safe environment where they can receive feedback from colleagues and peers.

3. To gain confidence in teaching: By practicing their teaching skills in a supportive and non-threatening setting, teachers can gain confidence in their teaching ability, leading to better performance in the actual classroom setting.

4. To enhance self-evaluation and reflective practices: Through micro teaching, teachers can reflect on their teaching practices and evaluate their effectiveness, leading to continued professional development.

5. To improve student engagement and learning: The ultimate objective of micro teaching is to improve student engagement and learning by helping teachers develop effective and engaging teaching techniques.

In summary, the objectives of micro teaching are to help teachers develop and refine specific teaching skills, practice and refine teaching techniques, gain confidence in teaching, enhance self-evaluation and reflective practices, and improve student engagement and learning.

Elements of Micro Teaching 

Micro teaching involves several elements to help teachers develop and refine their teaching skills. The key elements of micro teaching are:

1. Setting clear objectives: The teacher should set clear objectives for the micro teaching session, focusing on specific teaching skills or concepts that they want to practice and refine.

2. Preparing a lesson plan: The teacher should prepare a brief lesson plan that includes the learning objectives, teaching strategies, and activities. The lesson plan should be tailored to the specific teaching skills or concepts practiced.

3. Delivering the lesson: The teacher should deliver the lesson to a small group of students or peers, using the teaching strategies and activities outlined in the lesson plan. The lesson should focus on the specific teaching skills or concepts practiced.

4. Receiving feedback: The teacher should receive immediate feedback and evaluation from colleagues or peers on their teaching performance. This feedback should be used to identify areas for improvement and adjust teaching practices accordingly.

5. Reflecting on teaching practices: The teacher should reflect on their teaching practices and engage in self-evaluation. This can help them identify areas for improvement and engage in continuous professional development.

6. Revising the lesson plan: Based on feedback received during the micro teaching session, the teacher should revise the lesson plan and adjust their teaching practices as needed.

Overall, the elements of micro teaching are designed to provide a structured and focused approach to developing and refining specific teaching skills using a safe and controlled environment.

Principles of Micro Teaching

Here are some principles of micro teaching:

1. Focused practice: Micro teaching involves focused practice on specific teaching skills or aspects of teaching, such as questioning, explaining, or classroom management.

2. Controlled environment: Micro teaching takes place in a controlled environment, where the teacher can experiment with teaching techniques and receive feedback without the pressure of a real classroom.

3. Feedback: Feedback is an essential component of micro teaching. The teacher receives feedback from peers or a mentor, which helps them to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

4. Reflection: Reflection is an important aspect of micro teaching. After each practice session, the teacher reflects on their performance and identifies areas for improvement.

5. Video recording: Video recording is often used in micro teaching to enable the teacher to review their performance and receive feedback on specific aspects of their teaching.

6. Repeated practice: Micro teaching involves repeated practice of specific teaching skills, allowing the teacher to refine their techniques and improve their performance over time.

7. Active participation: Micro teaching involves active participation of the teacher in the learning process. They are encouraged to experiment with different teaching techniques and take ownership of their learning.

The principles of micro teaching involve focused practice, a controlled environment, feedback, reflection, video recording, repeated practice, and active participation. By following these principles, teachers can develop and refine their teaching skills in a safe and supportive environment, which can improve their teaching effectiveness in the classroom.

Steps involved in Micro teaching

Here are the general steps of micro teaching:

1. Identify the teaching skill: Identify the specific teaching skill that you want to focus on during the micro teaching session, such as questioning, explaining, or classroom management.

2. Plan the lesson: Plan a lesson that is appropriate for the skill you are practicing. Keep the lesson simple and focused on the skill you want to develop.

3. Set up the environment: Set up a small classroom or learning space with a few students or peers who will act as learners during the micro teaching session. Make sure that the classroom is equipped with the necessary teaching materials.

4. Deliver the lesson: Deliver the lesson to the students or peers in a way that focuses on the specific skill you want to develop. Remember to keep the lesson focused on the skill and avoid getting sidetracked.

5. Receive feedback: After the lesson, ask the students or peers to provide feedback on your performance. You can also record the lesson and review it later to provide feedback to yourself or to receive feedback from a mentor or supervisor.

6. Reflect on the feedback: Reflect on the feedback you received and identify areas for improvement. Think about what you did well and what you can do better in the future.

7. Repeat the process: Repeat the micro teaching process, focusing on the same skill or a different skill. Continue to practice and refine your teaching skills over time.

Above steps of micro teaching involve identifying the teaching skill, planning the lesson, setting up the environment, delivering the lesson, receiving feedback, reflecting on the feedback, and repeating the process. By following these steps, teachers can develop and refine their teaching skills in a controlled and supportive environment, which can improve their effectiveness in the classroom.

Comparisons between Micro Teaching vs Traditional Teaching

Micro teaching and traditional teaching are two different approaches to teacher training and development. Here are some comparisons between the two:

1. Approach: Micro teaching is a focused approach to teacher training, where specific teaching skills are practiced in isolation, analyzed and refined, whereas traditional teaching involves a more general approach to teaching where a teacher presents content to a group of students.

2. Size of the class: In micro teaching, the class size is usually small, typically with only a few students, whereas traditional teaching involves larger groups of students.

3. Timeframe: Micro teaching is usually conducted in a short timeframe, often just a few minutes, to focus on specific teaching skills, whereas traditional teaching involves longer teaching sessions that aim to cover a broader range of topics.

4. Feedback: In micro teaching, feedback is an essential component of the process, with a focus on providing constructive feedback to improve specific teaching skills. In traditional teaching, feedback may not be as focused or immediate.

5. Goals: The goal of micro teaching is to develop and improve specific teaching skills, whereas the goal of traditional teaching is to impart knowledge and skills to students.

6. Level of Experience: Micro teaching is often used in teacher training programs, for pre-service teachers or as part of professional development for experienced teachers. Traditional teaching is typically used for classroom instruction, with experienced teachers who have developed their teaching skills over time.

Micro teaching and traditional teaching are two different approaches to teacher training and classroom instruction. While traditional teaching focuses on imparting knowledge to students, micro teaching focuses on developing and improving specific teaching skills in a controlled environment.