Teaching is a profession that requires the utmost patience and creativity. Students nowadays are easily distracted from their studies. This is why teachers are always on the move to catch and retain the attention of their students. By keeping students engaged, you can effectively convey ideas and make them understand their lessons. This is the very reason it pays to experiment and put your creativity hat into good use.
Wonder how you can capture your students’ attention? How can you turn their classroom experience into a more remarkable one? Here are five innovative methods that you can try:
Find great films to show your class
Teaching does not mean asking your students to read all those textbooks alone. Consider teaching by playing related movies in the classroom. You can take a break from having to explain your point for the whole duration of the class. Your students can relax and still learn critical points in the process. You can even ask them to write a reflection paper or initiate a group discussion after.
Make use of technology in class
Students learn at different paces and methods. Some can quickly digest information by merely reading their books once. Others need to visualize concepts before understanding a lesson. Allow your class to use technology while working on a project in school. They can find answers instantly and envision the current topic. You can let them use their mobile phones, laptops, or even an interactive whiteboard.
Encourage role-play
Role-playing offers tons of benefits. For one, it allows students to experience skills they don’t often practice. This can include acting, reasoning, debating, and dancing. It helps your students improve their self-esteem and capture everyone’s attention. Take note that some children may not feel comfortable engaging in role-play. Teachers should think of ways to help their students overcome such feelings.
Go for open-ended questions
Teachers often ask their students questions with answers found in their textbooks. But this only encourages students to memorize. Using open-ended questions will require students to think and voice out their opinions. This means that you’re considering their ideas, feelings, and points of view. This allows students to get engaged instead of simply answering predictable answers.
Invite speakers for a speech in class
We often have special guests coming over to deliver a speech on special occasions. Why do this when you can invite an influencer to interact with your class on a typical school day? Lots of inspiring individuals are very much willing to share their knowledge and experience with the youth. They may not be able to visit your classroom. Thankfully, with the kind of technology we have nowadays, nothing is impossible.
You can always go for a video call so that your speaker of choice can discuss topics related to your current lesson. Students get the chance to interact, ask questions, and voice out their opinions. You can inspire your students and still find a way to teach a topic effectively. That’s hitting two birds or more with a single stone.
Teaching kids may seem like an ordinary task. But in reality, it can be a challenging profession. If you can, find innovative ways to teach your students. Spice up your teaching style with this list, and you’ll find your students happier and more engaged. Sometimes, what it takes to jazz up a classroom is by finding different ways to teach your students.