Top Six Teaching Tips
Helping your students achieve success in and out of school!
TIP #1: TANTALIZE, DON'T "TELL"!
Strive to be the "guide on the side" instead of the "fact dispenser". Students will truly be learning if you leave the discovery up to them.
IN MY CLASSROOM, this means asking more questions and providing few answers.
TIP #2: MAKE IT REAL!
Connect your content to real world situations, and your students will not only learn the information, but retain it as well.
IN MY CLASSROOM, this means asking myself the question, "How can I teach this concept in a way that makes sense to my students in their lives right now?"
OTHER TIPS TO CONSIDER:
TIP #3: SHARE YOUR STRUGGLES!
Students need to know that as educators, there are many steps we go through to learn the content we want to teach to them. IN MY CLASSROOM, that means going away from what I had planned to teach and following their lead when they ask an unexpected question.
TIP #4: DEVELOP DETECTIVES!
Present a real-world problem to your students and let them solve it. This approach draws them into the task at hand and engages their minds. IN MY CLASSROOM, that means haaving a solid understanding of what it is I want them to learn and then presenting them with the bits and pieces of information that may (or may not!) help them make that learning discovery.
TIP #5: IT'S OKAY TO BACK AWAY!
Support students in their learning, but give them the opportunity to make their own mistakes. There's much to be learned by failing! IN MY CLASSROOM, this means creating an environment that supports risk-taking and encourages creativity.
AND JUST ONE MORE THING:
TIP #6: THE MORE, THE MERRIER!
Keep samples of your students' work as they progress through a concept. Having a variety of data to look at helps you as a teacher get a much more accurate picture of how well the student has grasped the concept taught.
IN MY CLASSROOM, that means relying more on observational records, formative assessments, and student work samples and less on one summative assessment to determine whether or not a student has learned the concept.
EDUCATION IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING...
Email: jwoelfel@plymouth.k12.wi.us
Location: 411 S Highland Ave, Plymouth, WI
Phone: (920) 892-2225
Twitter: @JudyWoelfel