Teaching Tips by Sharon Longert

At some time or another every teacher feels bombarded by the mandates of high-stakes testing and state standards. These can be discouraging moments, and that is precisely when you need to remind yourself of your purpose in the classroom. Following are some tips that might help to keep you aware of your ultimate goal as a teacher: helping students succeed.

• Begin with the end in mind - the end of the lesson, the end of the unit, the end of the course. What do you want your students to remember about what you have taught? How do you know that they “get” it? How do you prepare them to get to the final project? What are the steps along the way?
• Help students access and use prior knowledge at the beginning of each new unit of study. Let them know what they already know. Use KWL charts, make charts of facts and myths about a specific subject.
• Allow wait and think time for questions, comments and answers.
• Set aside class time for summarizing and processing what is learned while students are learning. The end of the period may be too late for some students.
• Assist students in finding a style that works for their individual learning style. Students can self-assess with the help of check lists or rubrics. They also need to evaluate errors and effort and make self-adjustments.
• Learning must be engaging and active to be meaningful. Students are not spectators, you must help them be participants.
• Develop assessments that mirror the thinking/processing of information that the standards require.
  Create a community of learners. The classroom should be an environment where students learn together.
• Treat students with respect and it will come back to you. Focus on the learning process not on compliance and control.

Based on Why Didn’t I Learn This In College, Paula Rutherford, ASK Publications, 2002.

If you have a question or suggestion, don’t hesitate to e-mail me.