Practical Points of Teaching

Practical Points of Teaching

This week we wrapped up our reading and discussed what stood out to us from the book. Here are some takeaways from our discussion:

*Students should know what they are learning and why they learn in school. I shared how in my classroom, a student asked, "Why do we need monkey moolah (aka my classroom reward for good behavior)?". This spurred on an entire discussion on why we learn, why we go to school, and why God made us to learn. It was beneficial for the students to understand the meaning behind education, instead of doing tasks just for the sake of it.

*Remember that students have different perspectives and their perspectives are enhanced through an active role in learning. Allow the student to want to learn! Ask open-ended questions to get them thinking critically about a topic. Encourage good conversation skills in the classroom.

*Help students process information by telling students what they are going to learn about in each lesson. Try not to tack on other ideas when you are trying to focus on one main skill. Make your classroom a safe place so that students who are struggling will feel free to ask questions.

*Get out and do things! Whether that means taking a field trip or doing an activity outside. Change it up so that students get excited about what they are going to learn. 

*Study each child on a case to case basis. Jot down what works for them and what does not work for them. How do they respond to emotions? What's going on at home? What works best in their learning? What makes them joyful? Be intentional about getting to know each student on an individual basis. 

*At the end of the day, it is about loving your students. No matter how hard you try, there will still be days where you make mistakes or a student does not grasp a concept. Remember that teaching is about doing your very best! Your students will most likely not remember how you taught, but rather they will how you loved and supported them.