You can instantly improve your teaching if you make a conscious effort to understand what went on in the lessons on a daily basis. This helps you provide more engaging methods of learning.
I know you’re probably wondering: How is it possible to do this every day? And how is it connected to becoming a better teacher?
My response to that is – The more we assume our students don’t have prior knowledge, the easier it will be for us to think of ways to engage them.
As you’re preparing your lessons for the coming week, ask yourself what will the students need to accomplish the task successfully.
Look through the activities to see if there are any “holes” where students might be off-task. Consider giving your students a DO NOW task to settle them in once they enter the classroom. A DO NOW task can be simple as completing a identification card or a fill-in-the-blanks activity. They can share with their partner and then report back to the class.
Are there sections in the lesson where you can provide guided practice and pre-teach a difficult point? Once you can provide easy-to-do activities that raise students’ confidence, you have a better chance at reteaching points that may have caused students’ difficulty.
If an activity or teaching approach is not effective, stop the activity and use the opportunity to implement other activities.
Good teaching is really all about reflecting. Today, spend some time thinking how to improve your lesson with these points and you will see a difference!
Work it!
Tags: Learning, Students, Teaching