TIPS FOR TEACHING 10

THE ABCs FOR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS

• Admit your mistakes -- and learn from them.
• Be firm but flexible.
• Communicate with parents.
• Develop a homework policy -- and stick to it.
• Empower your students; don't just lecture to them.
• Find time to attend after-school events.
• Get to know all the teachers in your school and make friends with the cooks, custodians, aides, and secretaries.
• Have the courage to try something else if what you're doing isn't working.
• Institute a clear discipline policy -- and enforce it consistently.
• Just listen -- both to what the kids are saying and to what they're not saying.
• Keep a journal.
• Learn your school's policies and procedures.
• Model desired attitudes and behavior.
• Non carborundum ignorami. (Don't let the imbeciles wear you down.)
• Overplan.
• Prepare interesting lessons.
• Quit worrying and just do your best.
• Remember that you teach students first, then you teach whatever academic discipline you learned.
• Stay alert.
• Take pictures.
• Understand that the learning process involves everyone -- teachers, students, colleagues, and parents -- and get everyone involved.
• Volunteer to share projects and ideas, and don't be afraid to ask others to share their ideas with you.
• Work within your limits.
• Xpect the unexpected -- and plan for it!
• Yell if you need support.
• Zero in on your strengths, not your weaknesses. (Remember -- nobody's perfect!)

TIPS FOR TEACHING 9

8 Tips For Teachers

1. Don’t tell the student “slow down” or “ just relax.”

2. Don’t complete words for the student or talk for him or her.

3. Help all members of the class learn to take turns talking and listening. All students — and especially those who stutter — find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listener’s attention.

4. Expect the same quality and quantity of work from the student who stutters as the one who doesn’t.

5. Speak with the student in an unhurried way, pausing frequently.

6. Convey that you are listening to the content of the message, not how it is said.

7. Have a one-on-one conversation with the student who stutters about needed accommodations in the classroom. Respect the student’s needs, but do not be enabling.

8. Don’t make stuttering something to be ashamed of. Talk about stuttering just like any other matter.

TIPS FOR TEACHING 8

TIPS FOR TEACHING 7

TIPS FOR TEACHING 6

5 Tips for Teaching the Tough Kids

Every teacher remembers his or her first "tough kid" experience. Maybe the student ignored your directions or laughed at your attempts to utilize the classroom discipline steps. We all have at least one story to share, and for some teachers, teaching a tough kid is a daily challenge. It seems that no matter what teaching techniques you try to pull out of your educator hat, nothing changes their behavior.

I've had the privilege of teaching some tough kids. I say "privilege" for a reason. Teaching these students pushed me to be a better educator and a more compassionate person. I've detailed below five methods that have reduced misbehavior in my classroom and, better still, helped transform these students into leaders among their peers.

1. Set the Tone

I firmly believe that a student's misbehavior in the past does not necessarily equate to future indiscretions. At the beginning of the school year, I would walk down to the sixth grade teachers with my new class lists and ask questions. I would inquire about who works well together, who probably should not sit next to each other, and who caused them the most grief. Not surprisingly, teachers would share the names of the same students that were their "tough kids." If I had the privilege of having any of these students in my class, I looked forward to it instead of dreading it.

Usually during the first week of school, I would try to have individual conferences with these tough kids. I'd take this as an opportunity to clear the air and wipe the slate clean. Often, these students can feel disrespected because their teachers already have preconceived ideas about how they are the troublemakers. Explain that you respect them and have high expectations for them this year. Lay the foundation for the student's understanding that you believe in him or her, because you might be the only one who genuinely does.

2. Be a Mentor

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that some of the toughest kids to teach come from very difficult home situations. Inconsistent housing, absentee parent(s), lack of resources, and violence are only a few examples of what some of these students have to face every day. Kids that are neglected at home can act out in school to receive attention, good or bad. They want someone to notice them and take an interest in their lives.

Don’t forget how important you are in helping your students develop not just academically, but also socially. Make an effort to show you care about them, not just their grades. Be proactive instead of reactive. The key to being a good mentor is to be positive, available, and trustworthy. One year with a great mentor can have a lasting, positive impact on a tough kid's life.

3. Make Connections

Part of being a great mentor is your ability to make connections with these tough kids. Since these students sometimes don't have anyone encouraging them or taking an interest in their lives, have a real conversation about their future or dreams. If they have nothing to share, start talking about their interests -- sports, music, movies, food, clothing, friends, siblings, etc. Find a way to connect so that they can relate to you. Start off small and show a genuine interest in what they have to say. Once you've made a positive connection and the student can trust you, you'd be surprised how fast they might open up to talking about their hopes, fears, home life, etc. This is when you need to exercise professional discretion and be prepared for what the student might bring up. Explain that you do not want to violate his or her trust but that, as an educator, you are required by law to report certain things.

4. Take it Personally (In a Good Way)

Teachers need to have thick skin. Students may say things in an attempt to bruise your ego or question your teaching abilities. Remember, we are working with young children and developing adults. I'm sure you said some hurtful things that you didn't mean when you were growing up. Students can say things out of frustration or boredom, or that are triggered by problems spilling over from outside of your classroom. Try to deal with their misbehavior in the classroom -- they might not take you seriously if you just send them to the office every time they act out. These are the moments when they need a positive mentor the most.

Once trust has been established, remind these students that you believe in them even if they make a mistake. I've vouched for kids during grade team meetings only to have them get into a fight at lunch the same day. They make mistakes, just like we all do. It's how we respond to their slip-ups that will determine if they'll continue to trust us. Explain that you're disappointed in their actions and that you know they can do better. Don't write them off. Tough kids are used to being dismissed as hopeless. Instead, show them that you care and are willing to work with them. Helping a tough kid overcome personal issues isn't something that happens overnight, but it is a worthwhile investment in his or her future.

5. Expect Anything and Everything!

All of our students come from a variety of cultures, nationalities, and home environments, and these five techniques that have worked for me might barely scratch the surface of how you interact with the tough kids in your classroom. If you have another method that has helped you reach out and connect to a tough kid, please share it below in the comments section.

TIPS FOR TEACHING 5

Quick Tips for Teaching

#1: For the Beginning of the Semester

Make the first day count. Discuss a core idea, pose a typical problem, or ask students to complete a group exercise. By moving into the course material, you're telling students that the course is well organized, well paced and worthwhile.

#2: For Using E-mail

Use e-mail to enhance class participation. Provide a tutor in the first week to help students learn how to use the computers. To get the discussion started, ask students to generate comments or questions for discussion. Electronic conversations increase student participation, encourage collaboration, and require critical thinking.

#3: End of Class Review

Take five minutes at the end of each class to ask students to summarize the ideas presented, to solve a sample problem, to apply information to a new situation or to write their reactions to the day's class. Doing so throughout the semester can help you know what you can do to strengthen your teaching.

#4: Constructive Criticism

Both positive and negative comments can stimulate learning, but positive comments seem to be most effective. At least, don't give only negative feedback. Praise what the student has done right. It builds self-confidence. Recognize sincere effort even if the product is not the greatest.

#5: Participation

Take a moment after every class and give yourself a grade for participation. Ask yourself these questions: How open are you to your students? How do you encourage them to get involved? Do you let students know you appreciate their participation? Sometimes we can be defeated by our reaction to students' participation. Remember: student participation depends on teacher participation.

#6: Treasure Isle

Having trouble getting your students to read? Send them on a treasure hunt. Chose several sections of text and ask students to find the most important point, idea, argument or example. Have them write it down with a brief sentence justifying their selection. You can increase understanding and participation immediately.

#7: Cross Examination

Instead of the usual "teacher questions, students answer," try the reverse. "Turning the table" provides a refreshing change of pace.

#8: Future Reference

Keep a journal on your class. After each class session jot down names of students who spoke up, who responded to whose points and the kinds of questions that generated the most lively exchange. Use this information to prepare future sessions.

#9: Electronic Lessons

Use Blackboard to add another dimension to class participation. To get the discussion started ask students to generate comments or questions and post them on the discussion board between courses. Participate in online discussion with students.

#10: Make Your Point

Whether you're using overhead transparencies or computer presentation software, here are some tips to help you "get your point across." Give an attractive, forceful title to your presentation. Summarize your points. Avoid the use of complete sentences. Use boldface or italic type instead of underlining. Use color sparingly.

#11: What to Expect

Check expectations of students early in the course to avoid problems later. What do they hope to gain from the course? Use a questionnaire, a short discussion, or both. Follow up by clarifying matters of prerequisites, objectives, assignments and presentation style.

#12: Polished Philosophy

Be aware of your teaching philosophy and behavior. "Good" teachers come in a vast array of styles. Resources in the Office of Graduate Studies can help you determine your teaching philosophy. Examine your strengths and weaknesses and polish up your own teaching style.

#13: T.A.B.S.

Around mid-term ask for feedback on instruction. Do students feel they are learning? What might be done to improve their learning? The Office of Graduate Studies has a computer-scored questionnaire called Teaching Analysis by Students (TABS) which many instructors use for this kind of information.

#14: Puzzling Question

When presenting materials, break up a series of declarative statements with questions designed to prod thinking. Pose a significant question at the beginning of the class period that will be answered at the end. Give a paradox or a puzzle for the class to solve by application of information given in lecture or format.

#15: Test Run

If you wish to make use of an innovative approach to teaching, it's important to pilot test at least a segment of the materials or the strategy with real students. Work on a unit of a course you're currently teaching or do some microteaching with videotape feedback. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for help in designing, implementing and evaluating your innovation.

#16: Test Time

Prepare students to take tests. Indicate how your tests will be scored and weighed; describe the format (multiple choice, true/false, short answer essay, etc.). Give a test in the first week or two to demonstrate your style of examination or give sample questions and practice quizzes for students to work on in recitation in study groups, or on their own.

#17: Questions

In discussion ask a variety of questions from recall and comprehension to those requiring application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Reinforce student responses by paraphrasing, building on their ideas, asking for further reaction, giving nonverbal cues, etc. Wait for students to answer. Ask "real" questions, use "does anyone have any questions?" sparingly.

#18: Keep their Attention

Vary your daily presentation. One way communication holds your audience's attention for about 20 minutes. Vary what you do (talk, listen, move about, use materials, etc.) and what your students are asked to do (talk, listen, move about, use materials, etc.).

#19: Study Groups

Help your students to form study groups. Describe the purpose of the study groups, the nature of the work to be done there, and the responsibilities of each member. At first, give specific assignments to provide structure and guidance. Check periodically to see how the groups are working by reviewing assignments or by asking members to submit minutes of their meetings.

#20: Written Discussion

Following a short writing activity focused on some question/issue raised by the lecture, have students compare/contrast responses. A variation is for students to reformulate a group answer to the questions, and then each member explains the groups' answer and reasoning to a member of another group.

#21: Minute Paper

Gain immediate feedback about whether or not students grasp the primary ideas presented. Have students write a "one-minute paper" asking 1) What is the major point you learned in class today? And 2) What is the main unanswered question you leave class with today?

#22: Go Green

To lessen students' uneasiness about losing points, grade with a green pen instead of red. It emphasizes that their errors are corrections rather than failures.

#23: Objective Grid

How adequately do your tests sample the objectives? Keep track by constructing a grid listing your objectives along the side of the page and the content areas along the top. Then, tally the test items as to the objective and content they cover.

#24: Notable Ideas

Help your students take and use notes more effectively. Show them the organization of your lecture — write an outline on the board. Students usually record whatever is put on the board, so be discriminating in use of the board or overheads. Tell students what is important. Use signaling phrases like "this is important" or "these differ in three ways."

#25: More Notable Ideas

Encourage your students to review their notes, organize them, fill in gaps by using the text and identify the points they don't completely understand. These tips not only help students become more effective "notetakers" they also help students to think more deeply about the lecture content.

#26: Wait Time

Allow students 5-10 seconds to answer questions. If no one responds, rephrase, repeat or simplify the question and wait an additional 5-10 seconds. Research shows that additional wait time increases the number and quality of responses from students.

#27: Encouraging Classroom Participation

Include review questions for each class period in your syllabus or make them available to students before each class meeting. Ask students to write questions on the board at the beginning of class. Use these questions to start your discussion. Students will be encouraged to do the reading and be more engaged during class.

#28: Redirect Questions

When a student asks a question, look to the rest of the class to respond. This technique produces greater interactions among students. Misconceptions in students' thinking can also be addressed at this time.

#29: Round Robin

Give everyone a chance to participate. Ask each student to say one thing about the reading and no one can interrupt. After everyone has a turn, open the discussion to the entire class. This technique works best with courses that meet for more than one hour.

#30: Motivate Your Students

There are several easy ways to keep your students motivated throughout the semester. Be available for questions before and after class, show enthusiasm in the topics, return assignments in a reasonable amount of time and have a plan for every class. Your students will be more motivated if you show commitment to their learning.

TIPS FOR TEACHING 4

TIPS FOR TEACHING 3: Essential tips for teachers of modern languages

How can teachers bring modern languages to life in the classroom? Davinia Hardwick, formerly a British Council English language assistant and now Head of French at a UK school, gives us her tips.

Use the target language in lessons

The more you expose your students to the target language, the better. Occasionally, speaking English may be necessary, but a lot of the time, it is not. Immersing your students in the target language helps them use it more independently and this can lead to increased confidence and better vocabulary.

Students enjoy listening to ‘real people’ speaking the target language, so get your colleagues involved. If a teacher with some knowledge of the target language comes into your classroom, involve them in the immersive experience. If they are struggling, the students can help them improve their language skills. If they already speak to a high level, it shows the communicative value of language skills. Encourage students and staff to use the language, even if they make mistakes, and emphasise that communication is the key.

Language assistants are able to provide support to teachers, particularly those who haven’t spoken the language at a native-speaker level. They provide an authentic teaching resource and listening experience for students. Interactions between the language assistant and the class teacher inject linguistic spontaneity into the classroom. Similarly, you could invite a fluent speaker into the classroom, perhaps a friend or a colleague from another school, as a guest. Anything that shows the target language being used in practical situations will emphasise the value of the language as a communicative tool. Use lots of different tools to aid the natural use of language in the classroom as well, such as commands, instructions, and greetings.

Encourage students to adopt a hands-on approach to language learning

Students need to be involved in tasks they find interesting in an environment where active and successful learning is encouraged. Students make the most progress when they are enjoying themselves. Competitions and quizzes keep motivation levels high, and rewards for communicating in the target language in the various skill areas offer chances for constant self-improvement. The smallest of tasks, such as matching pictures to words or phrases, or even word searches, can be turned into competitions – against the clock, first to finish, fastest class, etc.

When I was a language assistant in Canada, I discovered that rewards and prizes were very effective motivators, so I brought pens and stickers from home. I also used photos and props to teach my students about life in the UK and had reward and progress charts on my classroom walls. At university, I was a keen hockey player so I took my stick and ball into my school in La Beauce and my students had a go at dribbling around the classroom.

Some of their favourite lessons were ones like running dictation. They worked in pairs: one student would read a piece of text that I had taped to the wall at one end of the classroom, then run back and repeat it to their partner who would write it down. They really enjoyed active tasks. Students also liked activities such as 'Who am I?’ where each student has a post-it note with the name of a famous person on it on his or her forehead. Students walk around the classroom and can only ask questions which require a yes or no answer, such as ‘Am I a man?’. Competitions to see who can guess the most famous names in a certain amount of time always work well.

As I’m keen on sports, my Québec students would tell me about different sports that are popular in Canada. They encouraged me to learn to snowboard and skate, which provided an opportunity for cultural, as well as linguistic, exchange.

Never forget, grammar is the foundation for building language skills

Communication is a crucial part of language and so is grammar; they need each other. Effective lessons strike this balance between the two so that students can learn, enjoy and make progress in their target language.

Grammar is the foundation for building language skills. Learning grammar enables students to speak and write more accurately, confidently and fluently. I have found that asking students to explain grammar rules to each other and to the rest of the class gives them more confidence. It also indicates to the teacher whether the grammar needs clarifying or explaining. By teaching each other, they also consolidate their own knowledge or discover holes that need filling.

Do your students have a particular way of remembering certain grammar rules? Include games, activities and video clips that use the grammar points you are teaching.

Teaching in the UK, I subscribe to Linguascope, an interactive language teaching and learning website which students really enjoy. I also use YouTube for clips and TaskMagic for games. Discussions with colleagues often bring about some of the best ideas.

Language is cumulative and must be consolidated outside the classroom

The more you learn, use and practise the language, the more accurate and fluent you become. Repetition and practice are essential to many skills, and this is especially true when learning a language. In order to consolidate classroom learning, you must repeat and revisit grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation work regularly with your students. Activities such as singing songs, filling in the missing words and memory games where they are asked to match words and pictures can be helpful. Use repetition to practise the language, as students need to hear it to practise pronunciation.

As language learning is cumulative, it must be consolidated outside the classroom. This can be done as homework by setting regular vocabulary tests that require revision outside of school time, and also in school clubs. Give your students some language to practise at home so they take something away from each lesson. Lots of students enjoy teaching their parents what they have learned in their language lessons. Having taught English as a second language and now teaching French in a UK school, I have become more aware of the need to repeat and revisit grammar and vocabulary tasks.

As a revision game, I play 'Je vais nominer ...' ('I will nominate...') My students love this game. At the end of a lesson, two to three minutes before they leave, I start this game to recap what we did in the lesson. Nominate a student to start, for example: 'Je vais nominer Max'. Then, 'Max, comment dit-on ‘five’ en français?’ ('Max, how do you say 'five' in French?). If the student answers correctly, they can nominate someone else. The objective is to not be the student speaking when the bell goes! It's great for revision of a lesson, speaking practice, confidence and quick thinking! 'Throwing Words' is another good starter or end-of-lesson activity for repetition of vocabulary. Say a word or write it on the board and throw a soft ball to one of your students. The word they say must begin with the last letter of your word. They throw the ball to someone else, and so on. The possibilities for this game are endless. Have a competition, set a time limit, have teams, include categories, and so on.

Bring language and culture alive in the classroom

Highlighting cultural as well as linguistic differences is an essential part of language-learning. It can spark your students’ interest and encourage independent learning. Teach your students about the countries where the target language is spoken, as well as the language itself. Have your students seen any French television programmes or films? What do they already know about the cultures of the countries where the target language is spoken? What else do they want to learn?

Bringing the language and culture of the countries where the target language is spoken into the classroom means your students become more motivated to learn. Organising email pen pal correspondence offers a way for students to learn about their peers abroad. The practical challenge of writing to them and understanding their replies will provide an added incentive to further their language skills. Cultural trips to the cinema or to a country where the target language is spoken show students that the target language is spoken in the real world and has practical uses.

Language clubs can also provide an informal setting to practise speaking and understanding the target language, do homework or discuss the culture of the countries where the target language is spoken.

When I worked as a language assistant in Canada, I taught my students about the Welsh language and culture and ran competitions. A successful and fun competition was to see who could best pronounce the longest name in Wales. I introduced this challenge early on in my assistantship and finished up with the results when I left. I felt that my position as a young native speaker helped motivate my students to speak English. On a day-to-day level, I brought an up-to-date look at the language and culture in what was a very fulfilling and rewarding 12 months of language teaching and learning, discovery and fulfilment.

TIPS FOR TEACHING 2

5 Quick Classroom-Management Tips for Novice Teachers

#1 Use a normal, natural voice

Are you teaching in your normal voice? Every teacher can remember this from the first year in the classroom: spending those first months talking at an above-normal range until one day, you lose your voice.

Raising our voice to get students' attention is not the best approach, and the stress it causes and the vibe it puts in the room just isn't worth it. The students will mirror your voice level, so avoid using that semi-shouting voice. If we want kids to talk at a normal, pleasant volume, we must do the same.

You want to also differentiate your tone. If you are asking students to put away their notebooks and get into their groups, be sure to use a declarative, matter-of-fact tone. If you are asking a question about a character in a short story, or about contributions made by the Roman Empire, use an inviting, conversational tone.

#2 Speak only when students are quiet and ready

This golden nugget was given to me by a 20-year veteran my first year. She told me that I should just wait and then wait some more until all students were quiet.

So I tried it; I fought the temptation to talk. Sometimes I'd wait much longer than I thought I could hold out for. Slowly but surely, the students would cue each other: "sshh, she's trying to tell us something," "come on, stop talking," and "hey guys, be quiet." (They did all the work for me!)

My patience paid off. Yours will too. And you'll get to keep your voice.

#3 Use hand signals and other non-verbal communication

Holding one hand in the air, and making eye contact with students is a great way to quiet the class and get their attention on you. It takes awhile for students to get used to this as a routine, but it works wonderfully. Have them raise their hand along with you until all are up. Then lower yours and talk.

Flicking the lights off and on once to get the attention is an oldie but goodie. It could also be something you do routinely to let them know they have three minutes to finish an assignment or clean up, etc.

With younger students, try clapping your hands three times and teaching the children to quickly clap back twice. This is a fun and active way to get their attention and all eyes on you.

#4 Address behavior issues quickly and wisely

Be sure to address an issue between you and a student or between two students as quickly as possible. Bad feelings -- on your part or the students -- can so quickly grow from molehills into mountains.

Now, for handling those conflicts wisely, you and the student should step away from the other students, just in the doorway of the classroom perhaps. Wait until after instruction if possible, avoiding interruption of the lesson. Ask naive questions such as, "How might I help you?" Don't accuse the child of anything. Act as if you do care, even if you have the opposite feeling at that moment. The student will usually become disarmed because she might be expecting you to be angry and confrontational.

And, if you must address bad behavior during your instruction, always take a positive approach. Say, "It looks like you have a question" rather than, "Why are you off task and talking?"

When students have conflicts with each other, arrange for the students to meet with you at lunch, after or before school. Use neutral language as you act as a mediator, helping them resolve the problem peacefully, or at least reach an agreeable truce.

#5 Always have a well-designed, engaging lesson

This tip is most important of all. Perhaps you've heard the saying, if you don't have a plan for them, they'll have one for you. Always overplan. It's better to run out of time than to run short on a lesson.

From my own first-hand experience and after many classrooms observations, something that I know for sure: Bored students equal trouble! If the lesson is poorly planned, there is often way too much talking and telling from the teacher and not enough hands-on learning and discovery by the students. We all know engaging lessons take both serious mind and time to plan. And they are certainly worth it -- for many reasons.

TIPS FOR TEACHING

Effective teaching: 10 tips on what works and what doesn’t

The question of what makes a great teacher has been around for a long time. It’s an enquiry that poses many problems because there’s simply no set recipe for success, and different approaches work for different professionals and students.

The Sutton Trust has published a report that reviews the research into effective teaching, finding that popular practices, such as lavishing praise on students or allowing them to discover key things for themselves, actually have no grounding in research.

The author of the report, professor Robert Coe from Durham University, says this is a “starter kit” for thinking about what makes good teaching. So, what does the report recommend? Here are 10 salient points to take away:

1. Know your subject

The report, which looked at more than 200 pieces of research, found that there were six main elements to great teaching and one of the most important ones was subject knowledge. It may seem obvious, but the report found that the best teachers have a deep knowledge of their subject, and if that falls below a certain point it has a “significant impact” on students’ learning. Targeted help for teachers, giving them an understanding of particular areas where their knowledge is weak, could be effective.

2. Praise can do more harm than good

The wrong kind of praise can be harmful for students, the report found. A number of studies conducted by education experts, including Carol Dweck professor of psychology at Stanford University and Auckland University professors John Hattie and Helen Timperley, have observed this.

Deborah Stipek, the dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Education, said that praise is meant to be encouraging but it can actually “convey a teacher’s low expectations”. Stipek said that if a pupil’s failure was met with sympathy rather than anger then they were more likely to think they had done badly due to a lack of ability.

The report adds the caveat that the findings are open to interpretation, however, as teachers can do things well or badly, and some methods are not appropriate in all circumstances.

3. Instruction matters

The quality of teaching has a big impact on the achievement of students’ from poorer backgrounds, and effective questioning and assessment are at the heart of great teaching. This involves giving enough time for children to practise new skills and introducing learning progressively. Defining effective teaching isn’t easy, the report conceded, but research always returns to the fact that student progress is the yardstick by which teacher quality should be assessed.

4. Teacher beliefs count

The reasons why teachers do certain things in the classroom and what they hope to achieve has an effect on student progress. Mike Askew, the author of Effective Teachers of Numeracy, found that beliefs about the nature of maths and what it means to understand it, along with teachers’ ideas about how children learn and their role in that process, was an important factor in how effective they were.

Evidence to support this is not conclusive, however. A study by professor Steve Higgins of Durham University and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne’s David Moseley about teacher beliefs in ICT did not find a convincing relationships between beliefs and pupil progress.

5. Think about teacher-student relationships

This may also seem obvious, but the interactions teachers have with students has a big impact on learning – as well as the “classroom climate”. The report said that it was important to create a classroom environment that was “constantly demanding more” while affirming students’ self-worth. A student’s success should be atributed to effort rather than ability.

6. Manage behaviour

Interestingly, this wasn’t as significant as subject knowledge and classroom instruction as a factor contributing to teacher success. But classroom management – including how well a teacher makes use of lesson time, coordinates classroom resources and manages the behaviour of students – was noted as important.

7. There’s no evidence that setting works

Putting students in groups depending on their ability makes little difference to their learning. Although setting can in theory let teachers work at a pace that suits all pupils and tailor content, it can also create an exaggerated sense of all pupils being alike in the teacher’s mind. This can result in teachers not accomodating to the various different needs within one group and in some instances going too fast with high-ability groups and too slow with low ones.

8. Don’t worry about learning styles

A survey showed that more than 90% of teachers think individuals learn better when they get information in their preferred learning style. But despite the popularity of this approach psychological evidence shows that there is no evidence this actually works. You can read more about the evidence on learning styles here.

9. Learning should be hard at first

One finding that may surprise you is that approaches that appear to make learning harder in the short term can actually lead to students retaining more information in the long term. Elizabeth Ligon Bjork, professor at the University of Michigan and Robert Bjork, professor at the University of California, said that varying the type of tasks you ask pupils to do improves retention even though it makes learning harder initially.

10. Build relationships with colleagues and parents

A teacher’s professional behaviour, including supporting colleagues and talking with parents, also had a moderate impact on students’ learning. The report said that there may not be a direct link with these practices and student achievement, but to capture a broad definition of good teaching they should be included.

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