#8 Simple ways to make your teaching interesting.

 

“Those that know do

Those that understand teach.”-Aristotle.

 

As teachers our path is to guide. This line has been said many times.

Well, I am not writing this blog to motivate you or anyone else. My purpose today is to make the teaching learning process more meaningful and approachable by demonstrating that it is possible to get good results by taking a few mindful steps.

Teaching is a profession just like any other job in the world. What makes it different is that we are dealing with the next generation. So, we have to make a difference today to ensure a positive change in tomorrow’s world.

 

#1 Develop the art of story telling

All the business houses and start-ups are turning to story-telling to create an impact. From Amazon to Flipkart, the executives are trying to make sense by putting the numbers and mind-boggling figures into an interesting story.

They are using diction, tone, intonation, accents, dialects, etc. to make an impact with their stories to help them get that contract, or funding or to put their company on top.

Then why are teachers not using this basic skill in their classroom where this art was actually born?

We teachers actually have a copyright of this activity.

Story telling can be used to create and leave an impact on the child’s mind. This impact is termed as ‘learning value’ in the education jargon. This is one of the handiest of the tools but which is not used by most teachers. It is just because they feel that the lecture method which is ever prevalent is the best method of all.

 

Drop everything and practise storytelling to make the most of your time in the classroom and allow the best of the learning to happen.

 

#2 Note down your classroom victories

Each day teachers return home with a bundle of frustrations. They wait for their bosses to appreciate, or notice. Mostly it doesn’t happen because everyone is occupied with work and their own struggles and victories.

 

A teacher should go home, and note down all the victories of the day in a journal.

But honestly speaking, ‘What are victories of teachers?’

 

You listened to a story patiently.

You patted a back.

You allowed someone to share the tiffin.

You answered a parent’s call and gave a satisfactory answer.

You taught a particular topic very well.

All the students were smiling or were happy during your class.

The students raised or put up some amazing and difficult questions.

You assisted your colleague to complete the attendance work.

You lent a red pen to a teacher who needed to complete the corrections on time.

You just showed kindness by speaking gently and softly with the support staff.

 

The list is endless. Teachers, go on and record your victories.  

Celebrate you success everyday!

 

#3 Be determined to teach

Planning seems very good on paper. When you start implementing it, you see roadblocks, you feel tired, you forget to carry teaching aids, etc.

Many things come in the way of executing a plan. Just remember that plan well but execute it even better. Mere planning will not bring the results. Or it will not complete the syllabus on time. But proactiveness in acting out the plan will make everyone happy.

Don’t mind the noise, neither the disturbances or the fluctuating power, or the maid who comes with a circular, or the teacher who wants to ask you something at that particular time, or the noisy rain, or the grime and the sweat or the chill of the winters…

Just teach!

#4 Build a relationship

Invest the initial classes at the beginning of the year in building a relationship with the students. Never be in a hurry to teach. Your priority should be to have a relationship with your students. A good relationship will ensure that you are able to teach each and every concept with ease.

 

#5 Mindfulness

Be mindful of the emotions and the experiences which the students are going through. Look them in the eye. Talk to them. Listen to them. Give them solutions for their problems. Hear them out. Be patient. Pay attention to the details. Question, investigate if a child is sitting with a sullen face or is not in the mood.

Appreciate and praise if someone has drawn something or is looking up to you for a nod which says, ‘yes you have done it well’.

 

In short, BE MINDFUL in the classroom.

You can pay attention to all of the above only if you are mindful.

If you get pre occupied with a lot of records which are to be done, or to be submitted, or your own workload which seems boggling, you cannot be mindful in the present times.

 

You will miss out on the important emotions, feelings, achievements, failures, disappointments or wins of your students.

Grab them all-BE MINDFUL.

 

#6 Observe your peers:

If all the roads seemed blocked, then open your eyes and ears and go into the observation mode.

Yes, you heard it right. Stop working and just observe your peers. You will learn new way to do the same old things. You will learn smarter ways from your colleagues. Because most of them are working well ahead of their deadlines.

Everyone has a way of managing and organising their work. If you feel that you are not able to meet the demands of the profession, do observe how one your colleague who finishes his work fast and quickly is managing.

What are the skills and techniques that the teacher is using?

Now introspect and try to adopt some of the good techniques that you saw or spotted among the other teachers.

Go ahead-COPY AND PASTE.

#7 Enter with a smile

This one is pretty cool and simple. It is in your hands. It is just a thought that you have to carry. Just be mindful when you are in class. Wear that smile come what may. Don’t forget it. be kind to yourself and the class.

Enter the classroom with a smile.

 

#8 High energy level

Teachers or employees who keep up their energy during the day are happier than the other lot. It goes without saying that they are more productive.

The students also respond well to someone who speaks loudly and clearly rather than the one who finds it difficult to even raise a finger to complete the work.

Eat, munch, crunch, crush or move some muscles.

Do whatever it takes to carry a happy self to your workplace.

Nothing will work if you are an unhappy or dejected soul.

 

Importance of recapitulation for a teacher!

 

 

The teaching profession is strictly time bound.

It is also very demanding.

It requires great amounts of creativity.

Every educator has to think critically.

 

Well, aren’t these skills actually required among the children?

Why are educators being questioned on this?

 

Well, these skills are equally important for the teachers also. Teaching is a demanding profession. Everyone knows this fact.

And every day there are new demands on top of the older ones.

So every teacher asks, ‘How do you expect us to survive?’

A pandemic hit the world this year but truly I think teachers land in a pandemic every year when the session starts until it ends.

 

They have to complete syllabus, make question papers, prepare the students for the activities, work late in the evening and work over the holidays and vacations.

And yet, the profession doesn’t get a recognition among the world’s top ten professions.

 

Am I right?

DON’T ANSWER!

 

I know I am CORRECT.

 

But if a teacher has chosen a profession and it is a more than demanding profession then there is a way out of this stress also.

 

The most important part of the profession is the curriculum. It has to be diversified, multidisciplinary, experiential, creative, etc. Think of all the important terms and they will find a place in the all-encompassing word called as ‘curriculum’.

It is a very important and integrated part of the school system. Most teachers fail to divide it in a manner in which it is approachable and they are able to complete it also.

 

Most teachers wait for the instructions to arrive from the higher authority. The best of the time management skills is required to complete the curriculum within the given time period.

Well to start with again a lot of planning has to be done on the paper. Divide the year into terms then into number of working days and last into number of teaching periods.

Then the same has to be taught keeping in mind the pace required and the ability of the students.

I believe that if you under estimate the students, your teaching speed will be slow and you will struggle with the time period to complete the syllabus.

If you consider your students smart right from day one, their approach and your approach is different.

 

The time required to complete the syllabus at that time is different.

If you consider them smart, the strategies that you come up with will be really interesting, will create curiosity among the students and you will never struggle with phrases like-

a.  ‘their base is poor’

b.  ‘their learning pace is very slow’

c.   ‘they do not understand what I teach’

d.  ‘their writing skills are very poor’

e.  etc. etc.

Try to rise above these excuses and feel the intelligence of your students.

The confidence of a teacher reflects in the student. If the teacher is confident, the student is smart.

 

So, coming back to the topic, ‘why is recalling the day’s events important?’

a.  Gauge the gain-

Teaching and balancing life becomes difficult. Things get out of hand. We are left with the feeling of nothing is going according to the plan.

But hey, my dear teacher. Think!

You have put in a lot of hard and smart work. You had planned well before the beginning of the session. You had planned when the week was about to start. You had planned when you were asked to submit the lesson plan

 

Then how can it happen that you have not achieved anything in the day gone by.

 

Train your mind to see the achievements and accomplishments of the day. It boosts your spirit and gives you the inspiration to move in the right direction.

 

b.  Feedback to the self-

This point is very important. All successful organisations work after taking feedback. We cannot think that the grass is only green. Learn to give feedback to yourself.

Feedback about what was done during the day and how was it done? Can you improve or should you carry on for sometime.

What were the priorities that you could not achieve?

Is it important to catch up on it the next day?

Work on feedback. Give a critical feedback to yourself. You will become more adaptable to change!

c.   Measures progress-

When we get busy, life seems tough and we do not look for gains during the day but all that we are not able to do or achieve.

Do not let the feeling of hopelessness enclose you. Break that thought pattern which says you did not achieve anything. Shred the process which shouts that you would have been better off somewhere else. If you are not enjoying your today or feeling happy about it then move on.

One cannot keep moving on also.

One way that I find satisfaction and contentment at the end of the day is when I quote my gains of the day to myself.

Measure your progress. When you measure progress you become more accountable towards your future. It is important to keep moving.

Movement is an indicator of success. If you stop, you stagnate.

 

Learn to appreciate and measure the progress you are doing in your life. Do not expect it from others. Being happy about yourself is not arrogance! It is known as satisfaction!

d.  Overcome hurdles-

Richard Branson does one thing everyday which scares him. This makes him agile to face any hurdles or problems that arise in his life.

Do that one thing you are scared of everyday. It will teach you what courage is. Rise above hesitation or doubts. Do not let fear capture you. Burn the circle of fear to emerge as a leader of your own life.

 

e.  Ready for the next day

Thinking about today and recapitulating prepares you for tomorrow. You know what you have to do. You are more confident towards what you want to achieve. You will make better decisions. You will not procrastinate. Preparedness helps you to take action.

 

f.    Self Satisfaction

All the above points give you self-satisfaction.

Trust me there is nothing more important in this world than self-satisfaction. This is the best motivational term which helps individuals.

 

You have to search satisfaction. It doesn’t come on its own.

g.  Self Praise

We keep expecting praise from others. Most of the time you don’t get it. Then you will annoyance.

 

Learn to praise to yourself.

It is said that if you praise the children they do well. If you keep criticising them they develop a negative self image and hence they are not able to achieve.

 

The same applies to the teachers. They wait for praise. Most often they get criticism. This leads to them developing a negative self image.

After that I do not need to tell you what happens.

Hence get over it. Do praise and appreciate that small child who is hidden inside you somewhere. Feel the happiness when you praise yourself.

 

AND JUST FREEZE THE MOMENT FOREVER IN YOUR HEART!

 

Happy Teaching to all of you!

Class room Management-II

As my earlier blog on the same topic became more popular, I thought of penning down some more ideas related to Classroom Management. There are many tips and ideas for the given topic but still there are a few which are very close to my heart.

I feel managing a classroom is an ever evolving concept. The students change, time change and so the tricks and twists also need to change to gain optimum results. Classroom is a sanctity sanctorum for the students and the teacher. It is a place to learn, to be active, to be observant, to be enthusiastic, to be lively and to be charged.  Hence this area should be carefully managed to provide better development for the children.

Some rules for managing a class:

1.      Follow the Japanese rule of Seiri, Seiton, Sieso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke-Make a place for everything and keep everything in its place. Designate a place for everything in the classroom and then make rules where children are firmly told to keep everything in its place. This ensures clutter free classroom. It also clears confusion. Each child has a well defined space and has an idea of where other things of the classroom are.

2.      Observation: Observe each child closely and raise a question if anything is amiss. Don’t take things for granted. Ask or enquire about everything related to a child. You will be able to solve every problem as soon as it arises.

3.      Provide a solution: Remember the teacher is a solution provided for the children in the classroom. Do not ignore their problems. When they ask you something, stop your humdrum activity and answer their question. If there is a problem think and arrive at a conclusion. Mostly everything can be solved. Their problems are not a herculean task they are just small issues which get resolved at the slightest intervention by the teacher.

4.      Make rules: Make classroom rules and stick to those rules. Do not let children break the rule. This leads to chaos at times and they start taking liberty where they should not.

5.      Books: A major cause of concern develops when the books go missing. Hence devise a method where the books don’t go missing. Also warn the children of misplacing or taking someone else’s books or notebooks when they have not done the homework.

Classroom Management is very important in the life a teacher. The first step of the career starts in the classroom. Each educator has their own way. You are free to choose whatever you want but these are some time tested rules which each teacher adopts and follows to run a good classroom.

Let your class be a stimulating one.

Many first time teachers face a dilemma in choosing the best strategies for their class. Just remember anything that you do with passion will provide you the best of results. When someone tells you it can’t be done it is more a reflection of their limitations not yours.

So let nothing stop you from developing your own class.