Six Teaching Strategies I Couldn’t Live Without

 1. Scan the room constantly. Make sure you are catching those kids who are not on task to improve classroom management and engage students more effectively.  Do not correct the behavior publicly; instead, use effective teaching practices to address it privately.  Be sure to have your biggest challenges up front by you.  You can correct discreetly by giving them a wink or slipping their name into your instruction.  Sometimes I snap my fingers twice really softly but I do not look at the child until about three seconds later so nobody knows who I am referring to.  That way, by not publicly humiliating the child you are showing respect, and usually they will give you respect in return.  I let all my kids know from day one that when I look at them, I expect them to correct the behavior without having to stop my instruction. If I do have to stop, I explain to them why I looked at them and gave them a wink and what I expect them to do next time to improve their learning strategies.

2. Engage your learners with movement to create an active learning environment. This happens in my classroom often, especially when implementing new instructional strategies to engage students. I use it for new vocabulary words, processes that requires multiple steps, signals and effective teaching strategies. My students are always moving their bodies, and this allows me to keep them engaged for a longer period of time.

3. Effective teaching strategies can greatly enhance the learning experience. Engage the learners who have a hard time with questions that hold them accountable for their learning process. I know who these kids are and I know they need to be held accountable during whole group instruction. When I want them to understand a concept, I will look directly at them and make them repeat what I said or answer a question. It is difficult at the beginning of the year, because they are not used to the accountability, but this quickly changes with time and effective teaching strategies. If they get confused, I give them time to think, and the class will encourage students by giving them tips during the learning process. If they still can not answer the question, I will call on someone else. After the 2nd student answers I will go back to the 1st student I called on and have he/she restate what the 2nd student said using eye contact and the phrase, “What you stated was…” or “I heard you say…” This creates a supportive environment where students are not afraid to make mistakes and everyone knows the expectation for active listening.

4. Partner share is an effective instructional strategy that encourages collaboration and supports diverse learning styles. But don’t just say, ‘Share with your partner.’ I use a precise method to ensure each partner has a chance to speak and listen. I start by letting students know who will speak first to emphasize the importance of taking turns, so both partners are accountable and one doesn’t dominate the conversation. For example, they might be asked to list something and take turns sharing back and forth. I also use a strategy where one partner speaks while the other listens for a set amount of time, then they switch roles. I give students time to restate what their partner said, and afterward, I call on students to share what their partner discussed. This emphasizes that listening, an advanced skill, is just as important as speaking.

Here are my Accountable Talk Posters on display in the classroom.  They are posted right in the front so my students and I can make reference to them throughout the day.

5. Active learning techniques can significantly enhance student engagement. I ask my kids if they “get it.” This can be the hardest thing, because as teachers, we want to move on.  But what if there is something you can help them to understand right in that moment?  What if there is just one piece missing in the puzzle?  Or what if there is something they are not getting from the delivery of your instruction? For me, the students that “get it” are encouraged to go work on their independent/partner practice to enhance their student learning. The students that stay up at the carpet will work with me until they have a better understanding of the subject matter. This way, you are not playing a guessing game and wasting time hopping around the room around to help one student at a time.

I use these Free Scales for Learning Posters in my classroom.  I love them, because they are adaptable to any standard.

6. Scaffold the guided practice so the difficulty increases with each question, allowing every student to develop their critical thinking skills. That way, you do not have to make a guided practice for each leveled group, allowing students to focus on their individual needs without the hassle of passing out a guided practice to several different groups. My higher students will fly through the first problems, but I am able to pinpoint exactly where he/she starts to struggle with the lesson plan. The best part is that each student should be able to do the first problem, which serves as a formative assessment of their understanding and aligns with the learning goals. This way, all students are engaged in the same activity, allowing students to collaborate without publicly differentiated groups.

Be sure to pin this post to your management board so you can reference it when you need it!