
Part 1: How can I be sure the student is buying what I am selling?
Teaching can be both humbling and rewarding. Often, we focus on these two things the least. Research demonstrates that no two people think the same; therefore, teachers must be able to teach to a diverse group of learners with varying capabilities. As a teacher, I realize that the more time I spend focusing on learning outcomes and teaching in ways that students can use the learning outcomes to remain motivated and engaged, the more I enjoy my day and the happier the students seem.Â
#1 When I first started teaching, one of the biggest learning curves for me was overcoming my desire to present the information as quickly as possible; and reaching the end of the lesson. I credit this teaching challenge to three things: a lack of personal confidence in my ability to teach; a lack of experience being able to identify ways I could improve; plus, an innate personality trait of mine that drives me to be motivated to be task focused over people focused. My go-to formative assessment toolkit includes questions and quizzes. Questions that require th3e student to provide explanations or examples over yes, no answers are the best. Short answer quizzes take a bit of time to prepare, but they can help you catch and address any confusion that the student may have in integrating the information into their belief system.
#2 Avoid presenting and reading large blocks of information without using questions and/or activities. A simple thing that can be done to engage students and ensure that they are paying attention is to encourage them to read along and highlight statements and passages that seem important. Don’t expect students to read through long articles without some type of guidance as to what takeaway they should seek. Purpose is key to motivation and focus.Â
#3 Avoid speaking too fast. Teachers can be very passionate about our knowledge and experience. Let’s face it. Passion is a big motivator for teachers. Leveraging your passion to teach others can be exciting. The challenge is to find a way to share your excitement in ways that align with the learning outcomes and the classroom timeframe. Teaching in English to students whose first language is not English, may require that you slow down and take more breaks because they will likely need more time to process information.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
Laurie Dillman, People Gardener
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