While many educators love to teach, not every student loves to learn. Teachers must make it their mission to improve student engagement, so they will go on to achieve the best possible grade and embark on a rewarding career.
In addition to changing your practices inside the classroom, you should find out the four ways educators can improve their teaching style.
1. Focus on Teacher Professional Development
While the learning process might end for many students once they leave school, it should never end for teachers. To continue to grow, you must focus on teacher professional development. Every educator will have their weaknesses in the classroom, which is why competency-based professional learning for teachers can be the key to improved academic performance. So, teachers will feel more confident in their role, and their newfound knowledge can help students to excel.
2. Care for Your Own Needs
While passion for education is a superb quality in a teacher, it should not come at the cost of their personal happiness. It’s important for educators to step away from marking tests and essays and make time for themselves. So, schedule time for your hobbies, relaxation and your loved ones. You could even strive to cultivate new skills, which could potentially improve your teaching methods. A little separation between both you and the classroom could help you to maintain your passion for education, so your students can continue to benefit from your skills and knowledge.
3. Ask Your Students for Feedback
Students are not always forthcoming when asking for help. Yet, it’s essential for both theirs and your development to learn where you are going wrong in the classroom. After the first few weeks into the term, ask your students to write down what could help their learning inside and outside the classroom. Also, ask about any changes in the class that could improve their overall experience.
You should then review every response and decide on the best changes to make in the classroom. It’s essential to inform students you plan to make changes based on their feedback, so they will feel as if they have a voice in their education and that their opinions matter. Consequently, they might be more likely to approach you when struggling with an issue inside or outside the classroom.
4. Write a Daily Teaching Log
Many new teachers might find it beneficial to keep a daily teaching log. Each day write down your lesson plan on the right-hand side of your journal and then write down comments or reflections on the left-hand side. This can help educators to identify what did or didn’t work in the classroom and why. You should also note where students experienced difficulties, as well as how you helped them to overcome obstacles or increased their engagement with the material. Once you have done so, make a note of what you would do differently next time, so you can learn from your mistakes and improve your teaching tactics in the future.
