TEACHING & LEARNING

This is an essential aspect of your work.  If you do not establish yourself as the leader of the learning in your lesson, students will take that power away from you.  However well you have planned, it will be futile unless you are assertively established.  You must establish yourself, your expectations and the importance and relevance of what you are teaching.

 

The Hyde 5

 

1. Mutual respect for all

 

2. Be positive and always try your best

 

3. Allow others to learn

 

4. Bring all I need to learn

 

5. Take responsibility for actions

 

 

 

You establish yourself by:

 

• Making your requirements absolutely clear

• Looking for the behaviour you want rather than the behaviour you don’t want

• Acknowledging children who follow your requirements

• Having high expectations and teaching to them

• Remaining calm and assertive at all times

• Being consistent in both approach and in the routines that you set

• Using the language of choice

• Following through when students do not make wise choices – appropriate use of the school’s Behaviour Policy

 

 

From the first time you meet a class, a culture of learning is being established. Important features are what you wear, your organisation, the quality of resources and the state of the room. There are other features that also contribute to the impression your students will build about you.

 

These are:

 

• The quality of your welcome at the door

• The changing tones of your voice

• The appropriateness and sincerity of your smile

• Your use of rewards and praise

• The way you circulate the classroom

• The way you make eye contact with the students

• How interesting you are

• Confidence in your knowledge base

• If you have any idiosyncrasies

Students very quickly label teachers. In fact, you will probably have a maximum of ten minutes in which to establish yourself with every class. It is crucial to appreciate how important the first ten minutes are to your future standing with your classes. Re-negotiating those first impressions with students is extremely difficult.

 

 

Settling the class

Try to always be there before the class or at least on time
Welcome them into the class
Establish your routines from the first lesson

Do not expect everyone in the class to sit quietly and be ready for the lesson. Do acknowledge those who are on task before you speak to those who aren’t

Have ways of encouraging people to listen, e.g. talk quietly, give approving feedback to those who are listening rather than giving recognition to those who are not

Always have an accessible and engaging “hook”; this could link to class competition or 'mystickers' rewards. This not only encourages students to get there early but also builds involvement for the whole class. If students are often late, for legitimate reasons, have a “bell” activity prepared so that students who are there have something to do

Have instructions up on the board or on a handout already on the desks

If any students arrive late to the lesson, keep the disruption to a minimum and stick to the lesson plan.  Deal with their lateness at a point in the lesson appropriate to you

The learning intention and success criteria should also be clearly visible on the board. Make sure that everyone is clear about what they will be doing and why

During the implementation of all of the above it is vital that you use names and  give verbal feedback to as many students as possible that are conforming.  Praise and reward.  You are their champion.

 

 

The importance of using names:

 

• We all like to be recognised and addressed personally by our preferred name.

• This is especially true in the classroom or around the school.

• Valuable self-esteem can be built for all students within a class by simply using their names.

• It is important to ascertain from students their preferred name.

• It is vital that you learn to spell and pronounce correctly these preferred names.

• When asking questions, direct them to students by name rather than to the class generally, or use random name selectors as a questioning technique.

• This ensures that everyone should listen and have a prepared answer because the next question may be directed towards him or her. It is also a means of ensuring a fair gender/ethnicity balance within your questioning technique.

• Use seating plans and name maps to help you learn more quickly.    

 

Building Relationships

Students need to feel secure, valued and capable of success if they are to learn well.  The relationship you develop with students is at the heart of good learning and teaching.  A strong relationship connects you to your students and without it; your ability to influence and lead them is diminished.  You cannot like every student that you teach, but you can make sure that they never know that you don’t like them.  It is important that you connect to the learners, to the subject and to the lesson within the context of what you have already covered and what you will do in the future.  Students always need to know the bigger picture.

 

You connect to students by:

 

• Meeting and greeting them at the door

• Smiling and showing an interest in them as individuals

• Listening and encouraging them

• Giving responsibility

• Being aspirational for the class and having high expectations of what students can achieve and how they can behave

• Maintaining their dignity even when you have to re-direct them on to task

• Repairing any relationship when it has gone wrong – remembering you are the adult

• Thanking students at the end of the lesson and highlighting the good things that have happened

• Letting students leave the room feeling successful and having made progress.  They will come back more enthusiastic next time