Three Tips for Teachers

Most children HATE going to school everyday. Why? It's BORING! Sitting still and listening to a teacher talk non stop for an hour straight about WWII would make any student fall asleep. It's all about presentation. If you are a Social Studies teacher, wear a costume that fits the subject of discussion and use an accent. English teacher? Shakespeare...enough said! Science teacher? Albert Einstein would make great inspiration. Be enthusiastic! If you are excited about what you're teaching, most likely your students will too! Get them involved and allow them to dress up with you (once or twice a month, not everyday.) Teach them out doors! Stop doing the same boring things you are used to doing. It will be good for both you and your students. The photo to the right seems a bit dangerous but you get my point. The more extreme you go (as long as it's a safe controlled environment) the more kids will pay attention and WANT to learn what you are teaching.

Remember the K.I.S.S method. Keep It Simple Sweetheart. Explain things in ways that students will understand. Making learning fun is easy, how you say things can help them learn even better. You need to understand YOU are the teacher, THEY are the students. The simpler you make things, the easier class will go. if students raise their hands every five minutes to ask what you mean, you aren't making things simple. REMEMBER, just because no one in your class raises their hands to ask what you mean doesn't necessarily mean they understand. There are students who are shy and get embarrassed quite easily when all attention is on them so keeping it simple helps keep them from that embarrassment as well as making sure things are being understood.

Last but not least, LISTEN to your students feedback. Be genuinely interested in what they have to say. If you make class fun and interesting for them, it won't matter if you don't take their feedback seriously. I have heard so many students try to talk to their teachers and the teacher give a vague answer or act as if the student should already know what the answer should be.

Everyone is different. Find ways to help your students learn and WANT to learn.