Seven Great Teaching Strategies
- Teach Meta-Cognition. This is the act of thinking about one's own mental processes. It is a gift to start becoming aware how we learn the best. As teachers, we can encourage this consciousness in our students. It can help them access learning for a lifetime.
- Listen to Students. They may not be delivering messages in the most appropriate ways, but students intuitively know a lot. Helping them find the vocabulary to give us important information about them is a rewarding endeavor. It takes conscientious effort.
- Emphasize Strengths. All students have learning strengths. Find them, and capitalize on them. You just may be the first teacher to ever celebrate something unique about this student. If the strengths are highlighted, the areas that need work also can be discussed.
- Teach Self-Advocacy. In a perfect world all students have their parents to advocate for them. The truth is that many do not. Make them aware of their rights as a students, their learning strengths and challenges, and appropriate ways to advocate for themselves.
- Build Relationships. Speak honestly, and students will listen. The days of the mysterious authority figure are over for teachers. They appreciate (some) self-disclosure, consistency, and a real interest in who they are and what they're about.
- Work Hard. Or rather, work smarter, not harder. One afternoon sacrificed to organize the upcoming week is worth it tenfold. A smooth, routine oriented classroom takes some effort to organize, but pays off in the amount of learning gets accomplished.
- Celebrate Successes! This year, there is an anonymous donor of pizza for my students who can pull off a B average. We had a spontaneous popcorn party for a week free of detentions. In the stressful life of a student, sometimes it is the little things in life...
My hub that encourages National Board Certification!
- Teachers...Five Reasons to Become National Board Certified
National Board Certification requires an investment of time and money. It requires initiative, organizational skills, critical thinking, patience, and perseverance. In the end, though, it is so worthwhile!
the author recommends...
Fred Jones runs a classroom in a powerful and positive manner.
