1.2 The Art and Science of Teaching

There is so much to think about when preparing to teach. Certainly the strengths, needs, and interests of the students with whom we are working are important considerations. Building relationships with them and with colleagues in the classroom and school is very important. This is to say that while we are focusing on planning in the context of this document, it is important to not forget about building relationships and focusing on students. Actually, effective planning can help you think intentionally about the worth and needs of students in classrooms and in turn address these strengths and needs in teaching.

The multiple sections of the lesson plan, including the pre-instructional plan, the instructional sequence, and the post instructional assessment/reflection will prompt this intentional focus on worth and need, beginning with the context for learning (who are these students), the plan for providing feedback, the plans for assessment to monitor how students are performing, and provisions for diverse learners along with plans for differentiation.

Making a place for all of these things in your teaching will allow you to demonstrate a balance between careful, detailed planning, which is the science of teaching, with passionate presentation to students with whom you have built a relationship—which is the art of teaching (Marzano, 2007). The art of teaching will be evidenced in your creativity and in your choice of motivational techniques, instructional strategies, grouping practices, and lesson activities you select—all based on the strengths, needs, and interests of your students. The science of teaching will be revealed in how you use research and the literature on effective practice to inform your planning decisions for instruction.

Teachers need to tap into the skill of organized observation and the disposition of empathy to understand where their learners are, and then intentionally create a learning environment that will help them meet the lesson outcomes. Educators need to carefully craft the conditions for learners to inquire, explore, analyze, synthesize, and collaboratively construct their knowledge from the variety of resources available to them (Maina, M., Craft, B., & Mor, Y., 2015). 

Both the art of teaching and the science of teaching are important. Both are part of the planning process.