Whether you are relatively new to the profession of teaching or it’s a career you have been in for years now, it’s important to never consider your development journey as complete. Learning how to be a better teacher is something that should always be a goal, whether it’s little things you do or more substantial moves. Learning to be a better teacher means your students will get even more out of their time with you, and you’ll be advancing your career to the next level of understanding and job satisfaction.
If you are ready to take steps to be a better teacher to your students, here are some of the things you can do.
Enroll in Professional Development Courses
One of the best ways to be more effective is to enroll in courses that provide professional development for teachers. You can ensure it’s a beneficial experience by choosing the courses that you have an interest in, and then immersing yourself in the content. For example, you may want to focus on mathematics courses, English language arts or even social-emotional learning. No matter the course content, you are sure to benefit from it and expand your understanding, skills and techniques.
Many of the projects you’ll need to complete in these types of professional development courses are tools that you can then use in a lesson. It’s all about honing your skills.
The information and tools you learn to use through the program may be used to create:
- Bulletin boards
- Videos
- Slide shows
- Presentations
- Posters
- Models
- Lesson plans
- Trip reports
The same steps you used in each of your projects can then be immediately applied in the classroom.
Get to Know Your Students So You Can Better Communicate
As a teacher, it’s hard to find a skill that is more important than communication. The very essence of your career is dependent on excellent communication skills. So, with that said, it’s important to find ways to connect with students and communicate in a way they respond well to. Each year, each class and each student are unique, so taking a blanket approach won’t prove successful.
Try taking the time to get to know the needs of your students so you can relate to them in a more impactful way. Often this starts with the basics, which are their names, interests, and learning styles. This can take a little time so it’s also helpful to have parents answer a few short questions in survey form. This can be done at the start of the school year or term.
Always Be Approachable
Even if you take all the right steps to communicate efficiently with students, there will be times they have questions or need help. You must stay approachable. Just because you may think a lesson is simple and an easy concept to grasp, doesn’t mean all the students feel the same. You want to be a welcoming presence in the classroom and students shouldn’t fear coming to you for help.
The fact is that even with these tips, becoming a better teacher is an ongoing quest. There will always be more you can learn and more you can do that will benefit the students in your classroom.
