Ted bedley & constructivism

As a principal, upon observation of the class of Ted Bedley, one thinks that he is a constructivist teacher[Tbe08]. As one can see, Bedley is not the typical teacher who uses the lecture type wherein he is the one who is in-charge of the discussion and just lets the students listen. He is the type of teacher who encourages critical thinking among his students and allows them to discover things for themselves. His role is to guide them through the discussion. He empowers the students in the class by letting the students decide on who will lead the discussion. He even allows a student who finished reciting to choose who will be the next speaker in the class.
Based on the constructivist checklist, one can conclude that Bedley is able to meet the requirements of a constructivist teacher[Eli97]. Multiple perspectives were achieved by grouping the students and encouraging them to discuss among themselves about reaching a consensus. Every student is given a chance to give his opinions and suggestions. Student-directed goals are clear from the start, with Bedley acting as the coach. The activity that Bedley initiated, particularly the group discussion is a venue for knowledge construction and collaboration. Alternative viewpoints are reached through the small group discussions and through the class discussion.
According to Jonassen (1994), “ constructivist learning environments emphasize authentic tasks in a meaningful context rather than abstract instruction out of context”[Viknd]. This characteristic is definitely present in Bedley’s class. He emphasized that each student is to perform a task but still work within the group.
Constructivism emphasizes a learning method that is active and not passive[Hoo96]. Obviously, Bedley’s style of teaching is active. The students are able to have new learning experiences which they incorporate with their previous understandings of the topic on consensus. They come up with possible rewards if consensus is reached by the class.
Clearly, one can conclude the Bedley’s manner of teaching is one of constructivism. It is a student-centered type of learning which empowers students and recreates the role of the teacher as a coach and guide.
References
Tbe08: , (Tbed63, 2008),
Eli97: , (Murphy, 1997),
Viknd: , (Viking. coe. uh. edu, n. d.),
Hoo96: , (Hoover, 1996),