|
Home > Teaching Resources > Archived Teaching Tips Faculty ResourcesTeaching ResourcesTeaching Tips | Week 2: Teaching Styles: How Do You Teach? Many of us don't have an entirely accurate sense of what we do in the classroom. If asked we might merely say, "I teach." But if you saw a video of yourself teaching, what would you see? Noticing our behaviors can help us become more aware of their impact on learning, and thus helps us become better teachers. The following questions are meant to get you thinking objectively about what you do in the classroom. As you answer them try to merely describe what happens -- without judgment. Later, you can consider the beliefs and assumptions behind your actions and ponder changes that might increase the effectiveness of your teaching. Visualize your most recent lesson or videotape and watch your next lesson, before you answer the following questions. 1. Where do you position yourself in the room? At the front? Do you stand or sit? 2. Do you move around the classroom? When? Where? How often? 3. Where do your eyes most often focus? On your notes? On the board? Out the window? On particular students? 4. What do you do with your hands and arms? Fold them? Gesture? Write? 5. What do you do when you finish one task and begin another? Ask if there are questions? Erase the board? Move? Make a verbal transition? 6. When do you speak louder / softer / faster / slower? To mark an important point? When nobody seems to understand or be listening? When you feel behind? 7. How do you emphasize main points? Write them on the board? Say them more than once? Ask students if they understand? Suggest ways for them to remember key points? 8. What do you do when students are inattentive? Stop and ask questions? Move toward them? Interject an anecdote? Involve them in an activity? 9. How do you encourage student participation? Ask questions? Call on students by name? Put students into groups? 10. How do you begin / end class? With a review and preview? With a summary and conclusion? Adapted from How Am I Teaching? Weimer, Parrett, Kerns 2002 After answering these ten questions, you are probably already thinking about small things you can do to reduce distraction, increase student engagement, communicate more clearly, and improve comprehension and learning. Identify three of the above questions that you wish you could answer differently. Then try an alternate approach to each one in your next class. You may be surprised by how much your awareness can change the dynamics of teaching and learning. |
