'Demonstrating' Instructional Effectiveness

The following Teaching Channel video clip depicts a clear image of what great teaching should look like in a 6th grade science lab. Demonstrations are clear and precise for all students with anticipation and preventive action to avoid possible students' misunderstanding.


Click here to view the video. 


Questions to consider:

• Notice how the teacher models the set up visually and verbally
• What does the teacher mean by "purposeful chaos"?
• Why was it important for the students to set up their own experiments?
• She explains that cutting should be done in a "scholarly" fashion.  Which would have been more effective, explaining or demonstrating this expectation?  Why?

As teachers, demonstrating and modeling the desired skill or process is an essential component of instructional effectiveness.