Have you ever thought about being a teacher? Perhaps you’ve always dreamed about being able to inspire and engage your students, but you didn’t know how to go about it? Or maybe you’re a teacher already, and you’re just looking for ways to improve your craft? Whatever your situation, there’s no question that being a great teacher in your classroom is a very achievable goal. All you need is the right teacher training course and a few good ideas. Here are some of the things you can do to be a great teacher in your classroom using the power of the Raiy Pattinson Culpepper method.
Attend Class Prepared
Whether you’ve taught for a few months or a few years, you know how important it can be to have a good understanding of what you’re planning to teach. There are simply too many variables to be prepared to teach a class without knowing at least something about the subject matter. So, it’s essential that you do some research and reading about the topic before the day of the class. This can help you plan your lessons and also give you something to refer to during class if a question comes up. And who knows – maybe it will!
Get Inspired
As a teacher, you’ll undoubtedly face the issue of boredom sometimes. After all, it can be quite monotonous and tiresome to teach the same content over and over again. So, it’s important to get your mind out of the rut and get inspired in order to come up with new ideas for your teaching. There are plenty of sources of inspiration out there – from TV shows to movies, music to literature. You can get creative and come up with a whole host of activities that you can incorporate into your lessons. Plus, coming up with new ideas can help you avoid getting bored of teaching the same content over and over again. If nothing else works, try coming up with activities that your students will enjoy and that will help them retain what they’ve learned.
Plan Ahead
It’s a common mistake for teachers to show up to class without any idea of what they’re going to teach. Doing this can result in you not having anything to talk about at the end of class, and it also means that you haven’t prepared any activities for the students. On the other hand, if you show up with ideas and materials already prepared, this can help ensure that your class is informative and engaging. So, make sure you’ve done your research and planned out everything you need to teach. This will save you both time and anxiety in the long run. And, don’t be afraid to ask for help from specialists or other teachers if you’re feeling stuck (more on this below).
Use Specialist Help If You Need It
There are several subjects that you might feel comfortable teaching but without having the necessary training for. For example, if you’re a biology teacher but you’ve only studied chemistry, then you might want to consider getting some specialized training in biology. Even if you have a basic science background, you might not be the best person to teach genetics or cell biology. In these cases, it would be best to seek help from a specialist. In a similar manner, if you’re a physics teacher but you’ve only studied chemistry, then you might want to get some specialized training in physics. This might also be worth doing if you’re planning on teaching a course that you know very little about. The specialist can help you plan out a course, find the right equipment, and make sure that you cover everything in the proper way. In some cases, it might also be a good idea to get a graduate degree in the subject matter that you teach. This can help you become an expert in your field and provide you with the confidence to teach it.
Be Selective With Your Topics
If you teach in a high school setting, you’ll undoubtedly be bombarded with requests for help from students. And, as a teacher, this is something that you’ve come to anticipate and even look forward to. The desire to learn is undoubtedly there, but you must be careful about which topics you choose to cover based on your available time. If you have a choice, it might be a good idea to teach a mixture of different topics. Or, if you feel that you’re lacking in any specific area, then you might want to consider choosing a topic that you know a lot about. Once again, though, it’s important to pick topics that are both informative and engaging. And don’t feel as though you have to rush into covering every bit of information in your syllabus. There’s no question that you’ll have a wide-ranging knowledge and experience on the matter, but it’s still good practice to outline some general guidelines for your students. This will make them feel that you’re listening to them and that they’re an integral part of the process.
Set Aside Some Time For Fun
It might not seem obvious, but having fun is an important part of being a great teacher. And, this goes for both the mental and the physical aspects of learning. There are simply to many variables that can make learning a chore, and you must find a way to relieve the stress that comes with it. This is especially important if you’re teaching in a setting where you feel that you’re under a lot of stress. It might be a good idea to take a short break during your class, or you could even do something as simple as going for a walk or having a little chat with a friend. There are countless ways that you can find relief, so identify a few that work for you and stick to them!
Once again, great teaching is all about having new ideas and using proven methods to communicate these ideas to your students. Don’t get caught up in the minutiae of teaching – whether it’s correcting grammar, spelling, or offering help with assignments. Instead, look at your class as a whole and find ways to engage your students, especially the more difficult ones. And when you find yourself getting bored, get yourself out of the rut by getting inspired or planning something new. With a little bit of effort, the great teacher in you will certainly emerge.