Teaching Tip #36

Keep Your Door Open

Literally: Never stay in the classroom with a single student if the door is closed.  If you're teaching more than two students, then you can close it, but with all the legal issues that are on teachers these days, leave it open.  If I'm in my room alone and the door is closed, and a student comes by, I prop that door open before helping them.

Figuratively: allow your students to come in! Don't tell them they can't come during lunch or before/after school, unless you really can't.  For me, I tell the students no on Mondays and Thursdays - Mondays we have faculty meetings and Thursdays I run the Book Club. And during lunch I have duty so I just tell them to call me over.

Help is not always academic either.  Students have come to talk to me about problems they're having, which I welcome completely.  That's me as a person, but don't make the students feel like they can't trust you.

Teaching Tip #35

Listen to Your Students

Listen to them, and take their ideas into consideration.  Don't just ignore requests and tell them, "It's my way, deal with it."  This is a paraphrase of what happened yesterday:


(Note: S# stands for student)

S1: "Okay, so I have a proposition."

Me: "Go ahead."

S1: "OK, so...you know how tests are cumulative but we forget things?  How about you do cumulative quizzes every week instead, and make the test just for that chapter or section."

S2: "No, because what if we fail the quizzes?"

Me: "Well, I always go over them, you know that."

S1: "And it wouldn't matter since it would come up more often, and we'd get more grades.  So the one failure wouldn't even count."

Me: "That wouldn't mean you wouldn't have quizzes on the material we're learning."

S1: "No, I know. But I still think it would help us."

Me: "We'll try it in January."

S2: "OK, trial. But if it doesn't work, can it stop?"

Me: "We'll start this in January, but I do think it's a good idea."


And I do think it's a good idea - for all my classes!

Teaching Tip #34

Watch Your Tone of Voice

This goes along with the snippiness I mentioned in #31.  Students read a lot into your tone of voice, whether you intend to use a certain lilt or not.  You can't be sarcastic too often (but you can't be monotone either).  You can't let your anger and frustration show (oh that one is tough, and you slip up, but you don't go in every day giving someone an attitude.  Let them work up to a level of frustration :P). 

Don't yell directly in their faces.

DO keep a low tone as often as possible.  Show happiness and cheer through your words and through your tone.  Let your enthusiasm to teach, and for that subject, bleed through your voice.  Let them hear your compassion and understanding.

Teaching Tip #33

Be Careful with What You Say


This goes along with the previous post, but is mostly geared towards the teacher's lounge.

Students hear things, sometimes in the most peculiar ways.  If you are talking about students in a negative way, they will know.  If you talk about certain personal issues/things, they will know.  If you talk about another staff member, they will know.

I am currently at a Catholic school.  I don't believe in abortion for many reasons but one of those is my religion.  I will say that.
When I was subbing at a public school, one of my students was doing a paper against abortion, except for extreme cases.  I didn't let her know it was against my religion, but gave other reasons so that she could have a base for her research.

I called my computer my baby once, and a student asked me if I had a child.  I showed them my ring finger (meaning I wasn't married).  That let her know that I don't plan on having children before marriage.
However, I don't come out and say "No, I don't believe in sex before marriage."

I know some teachers have been admonished for talking about getting trashed over the weekend.


Just, be mindful with what you say.

Teaching Tip #32

Don't Overshare

There is a time for honesty, and a time to keep your mouth shut.  I had a teacher, sophomore year of high school, who told us about the three men she was dating, but how she liked one of them more.  We (and by we, I mean my classmates - I never paid attention) knew her birthday, the car she drove, the school she went to, etc. 

She was a nice person, but not the greatest teacher.

I do not give out my age to my students.  I am too young, too close to their age, and I don't want to lose that respect. Recognizing my car is fine and knowing my birthday is not a problem.  I also let them know the college I went to, especially because some of them want to go there.

They do know I have a boyfriend, but that is because he's come to events with me.  Before that, I didn't share that information.


In the teacher's lounge even, don't talk about major home problems you may not want students to know, your sex life, your address, what you think about controversial issues (unless it's a part of the school or curriculum), or anything like that.  It's worse these days with the internet - you don't want certain people to know certain things about you.  Think of your students as people with the world at their fingertips.

Teaching Tip #31

Be Honest

Even younger students can sense if you're not being honest with them.  The older students, especially in "worse" districts, won't take any sugar-coated lies you may give them.

Let them know what the consequences will be...and follow through.

Explain to them the purpose of assignments. 
For Example: "UGH! Ms. xxx, we have SO MANY quizzes in your class!  Can we not?"
"Well, do you want to go to the test without knowing, without me knowing, how well you understand the material?  This way I can tell if we need to go over more."
"Oh. That makes sense." *sighs* "I still don't like it."


Explain to them the actual purpose of the assignment, so that they're aware of just why you expect them to do certain work.

Let them know how they're performing in your class.

Don't bend the grades.  Oh yes, they would like you to do this, but don't.

Tell them if you're having a bad day.  If appropriate, let them know why.  They will see you as being more human and it will help them not take it personally if you get a bit snippy with them. (Just, you know, don't get too snippy).

If you know you're going to be absent, let them know.

Teaching Tip #30

Use Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are especially useful when focusing on differentiation, but they're a great tool to teach students how to organize topics.

There are the basic organizers:

- Flow Chart - where the information stems from one or two main topics and may connect to one another.

- Web Chart - where the information spreads from one main topic and may not connect with one another (can be known as a cluster web)

- Venn Diagram - where the information overlaps in areas

- Table - where information is set under a few main ideas/topics


As a math (and science) teacher, I've used those four, but have been exposed to others.

This website provides many examples and blank templates for a variety of graphic organizers.  And, as it's through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (which seems to own every single textbook ever created due to company mergers and buying out others - because they're linked to Holt McDougal [Littell/ Larson]), they're a great resource to keep.

Teaching tip #29

Get The Students Out of the Classroom

I don't mean to take them out on the roof, but again, do something a bit different.  If you're teaching science, do a lab outside.  Collaborate with another teacher (if possible) and have your classes do a project together.  Take advantage of the library/media center/computer lab (whatever your school has to offer) and get the student doing research - papers, PowerPoints, Excel documents....

These things should (of course) be relevant to your class and the topics you're teaching, but like I mentioned in my last post, doing something out of the norm will hopefully spark something in them that will allow them to remember the topic and class.

Teaching Tip #28

Get The Students Out of Their Seats

Students don't want to sit there all period and be taught to and I'm sure you don't want to stand there and teach for 40-90 minutes.  Get them up and doing work on the board, allow them to move seats into groups - and shoot, give THEM the opportunity to teach sometimes! Activities are great no matter the age nor the class, and doing something different means that they'll be more apt to remember your class - and the work they did in it.

Teaching Tip #27

Keep Your Room a Safe Haven

Set the rules from the start: no bullying, no dissing others' answers, allow for mistakes, etc. If students feel safe in your room, they will safe around you and with each other. 

Teaching Tip #26

Keep Your Eye on Time

Glance at the clock every so often, but not as if you're waiting for the period to end. You don't want the bell to ring mid-example or to run out of time with the notes. You want some sort of closure (which I'm not the greatest at, but working very hard on incorporating more often), and you don't want to be shouting the HW over the bell. Such inconsistencies will make the students AND you feel rushed.  It also reflects poorly on your style, and shows that you're trying to force too much into one class.

Teaching Tip #25

Talk While Giving Notes

For the same reason (but reversed) as to why you should write the notes, you should verbalize what you're writing.  Some students may have difficulty reading your handwriting; others may be auditory learners; others may need to write down the additional information that you mention but may not write down.

This also tends to prevent multiple "what did you write?" questions.  After three or four students ask this of the same word, their classmates answer in exasperated tones.

The additional explanations help a lot too.

Teaching Tip #24

Write Down Notes

It's one thing if you're a college professor in a class where lecturing to the students without writing anything down is the norm (like maybe a history class).
 It's another thing to do it to high school sophomores who are learning Eastern Civ and don't know spellings or names or dates and have never been exposed to a lecture and have difficulties keeping up with your verbal notes.

I've learned from my teacher's mistake - I almost always write down notes.  Even if I wasn't teaching math, I would do it.  Some students really need to see what's going on. Lecturing and expecting everyone to keep up with you and get the spellings down the first time you say them doesn't work out well when you're teaching a class with students of various learning abilities.

It helps the slower students keep up and the visual learners to understand what's going on.  I have a few students who read what I put down before writing it because they comprehend better that way.

Teaching Tip #23

Follow Through With Consequences

This one can be tough to do, especially if (going along with my last tip), only one or two students are "ruining it" for the class. Try to focus on individuals (so they would have to work alone but others don't have to) as best as you can.

Telling students you'll take points off for talking after they've handed in a quiz or test hurts because it's not a true reflection of the grade..  But empty threats get you nowhere, and dropping from a C to an F will usually change their attitude.

Because they know you're not making empty threats and that you will follow through with what you say, you will most likely have better classroom management.  I had all but one student finish a test the other day and two of the others were talking.  No, they did not have their tests in front of them, but they were whispering loudly and distracting me from my thoughts, let alone the student who only needed a few more minutes to finish.  I told them that I would rip their tests up and they would get a zero if I heard them again and if they didn't face forward.

I had silence from everyone for the last 15 minutes of class, even after the final student handed her test in.  I felt bad for scaring them, but I'm all about being fair to all the students.  I hate being hard, but I also hate it when students are uncomfortable, don't feel safe, or can't focus in my class for various reasons. 

Teaching Tip #22

Allow Group Work

Again, this goes along with my past few posts.

I know that there are multiple studies which say that group work should be done almost all the time and you should have a strong learner, a low learner, and two medium-level learners.  Sometimes this really does work.  in one of my classes, two of the lower learners work better with one of the stronger students, and I allow the three of them to work together whenever there is group work.

I don't think group work should be done all the time, but 1-3 times a week, depending on your time and activities.  The students need to interact with each other, whether in pairs or a small group.  Not only will they learn more in the end (for some reason, peers explain things better than teachers, even if they're saying the same thing), but it tends to create a more relaxed environment. 

Lay down the ground rules from the start.  Something I've found myself repeating often this year (becauase I had some problems last year) is that if I hear them getting off-topic and if they don't work, then they all have to do the work independently.  I walk around the room and help out the groups and individuals.  Because of the groups, it's a little less work for me - but I still have the one-on-one time with them.

Don't force it.  If a student says they work best independently, don't tell them they ABSOLUTELY MUST work with someone else.  If they're struggling with a concept, see if they would like to work with a classmate, but don't force it.  that will make them lose trust in you and may make them less apt to do the work.

Teaching Tip #21

Let The Students Talk

I know a lot of teachers have a problem with this, but let me be clear: my students know that if they start talking about something outside of the classroom, something not related to the class, I will make them work independently/make it silent.  They don't want that and I don't want that.

The main thing is that you have to be very aware of the conversations.  Is the whispering about a clarification on the notes that I'm moving on with, or is it about the English paper that's due tomorrow?  The former conversations should be encouraged; the latter not.

I discovered my desire to be a teacher by helping my classmates during group work, but sometimes students need reinforcement before work is done.  Their classmates/friends can explain things differently than I do, which may get through to them.

Whispering is also different than talking; working with the person next to or behind you is different than asking your friend who's sitting across the room a question.  Set the rules/guidelines immediately and follow through with consequences.

But let them talk.  It will result in less confusion later on.

Teaching Tip #20

Sing &/or Dance

I'm serious.  Even if you're a bad singer, as long as you're not tone-deaf, they'll get a kick out of it.  Until you start singing along with them.  Usually at that point they'll stop and tell you something along the lines of, "No.  It's not cool when you do it."

Well, you got them to focus on you.

I do it for a few reasons.  I began to do it while student teaching to cut down on talking.  That backfired and resulted in 8th grade boys standing on their seats and singing in one class.  In another class, I got the above response and the singing stopped and attention was on me.

I sing now for prayer (I work in a Catholic school, and it's just something different) and to get their focus.  I sing real songs and made-up songs - like "And the limit approaches infinity, huzzah, huzzah" (to the tune of "The Ants Go Marching."

Sometimes along with my tunes I do a little "dance."  Again, it's a focusing agent but it does sometimes backfire. 

As with all things, don't do it too often, else the students will stop responding to it.  But if you're doing it for fun, then go ahead.  Students like to see that their teachers are people too (as weird as that may sound).

(I mean...at a family night my girls taught me and about 1/3 of the faculty to two-step to a club song.  They got a kick out of it.)

Teaching Tip #19

Incorporate Pop Culture

This goes along with #18.  If the students like a show, movie, music group or book, use it!  You will never know what you will find yourself enjoying.

When I was student teaching, I did a probability lesson on Taylor Swift songs.  My 8th graders went ballistic - and I discovered that I enjoy her music.  I had never listened to her before.

If your curriculum/supervisor/principal allows you to, swap a "usual" book students have to read for one that is more recent and/or they may like more that has the same theme(s). 

Sing songs to get their attention, quote from movies, and mention things on tests and quizzes.  The quirks show the students you care and that you're actually paying attention to them.

Teaching Tip #18

Make Things Relevant

No matter what the class, even history, you can make things relevant for the students.  Don't stick with the same boring word problems the books have been using for eons.  Change the names/ places of things that makes the students want to participate.  Give them writing assignments they'd actually enjoy. have them do a small project on the history of their favourite TV show or movie.

The possibilities are endless, and the more students recognize that everything can relate to their lives, the more apt they will be to actively participate (and maybe enjoy) the material.

Teaching tip #17

Pick Interesting Professional Development Seminars

Classes, meetings, whatever the group is calling it.

I know you sometimes can't choose, like in-house PDs.  And yes, sometimes those are boring - especially when they go on for hours and hours and it feels like repetition.

But there are ones you can choose, and choose well.  These are ones you shouldn't be complaining about - and ones you shouldn't skip out on.  PD is meant to help you further your classroom/teaching goals, to enhance your abilities as a teacher, and creates way for you to be exposed to new ideas (like the technology and manipulatives I mentioned in the past two posts).

Will you incorporate everything?  no, that's implausible.  But you can do one or two different things, modify your plans to do something else, or you can come up with ideas to help form better curricula guidelines.

So choose ones that interest you, that pertain to you.  There are some I want to do but won't help me be a math teacher or my current situation.  If I teach high school I shouldn't go to a seminar meant for K-5 teachers.  You don't want to waste the money (especially if your district can't fund it) for something you really can't incorporate.

The days are also great networking tools and provide an outlet to vent/ get tips.

Teaching Tip #16

Incorporate Manipulatives

This goes along with the technology.  Use manipulatives as often as possible.  And honestly, most anything can be considered a manipulative.  This will help kinesthetic learners as well as visual ones.  It also gives students a different way of viewing things.

One of the guys I graduated with created a logic puzzle that related to physics and a "who done it" mystery situation.  After presenting the problem, he connected people (playing characters) with string, and cut the connections as innocence was proven.

I sometimes give them coloured pencils and have them do a drawing activity relating to the topic we're on.

You can do a book report or historical analysis with posters or something.

I don't know - the possibilites are endless.

Just...don't stand there and lecture at them the entire time. It's boring.

Teaching Tip #15

Incorporate Technology

This is the world we live in, and you have to keep up with the times.
Am I saying use a SMARTboard all day every day?  No - you may not have the resources and the chalk/white board is good enough for most notes.

But you need to change things up.  I use my projector constantly, which allows me to use the boards as an additional resource.  I can display the calculator display, print the notes out on transparencies, etc. 

Have your students do research papers and projects using correct internet resources.

Bring in some music and write your own lyrics based on material you're doing.

Do a PowerPoint Jeopardy or an Excel spreadsheet for scatterplots.

Really, the possibilities are endless. And there are plenty of professional development "courses" that can help you with it.

Teaching Tip #14

You Should Face Your Students

I know that sometimes you really can't, like when you're writing on the board, or circling the room. But do your best to face them more often than not. As you can see in my last picture in the previous post, I have an overhead projector.  This allows me to see my students.

- Who is paying attention?  Who is sleeping?

- Who is having a medical emergency?

- Who has their hand raised halfway through?

- Who is talking?  Are they talking about notes or are they passing notes?


Facing the students allows you to answer these questions, and more.  I've become somewhat adept to writing on the whiteboard while turned so I can talk to the students.

Teaching Tip #13

Don't Take Things Personally

Students will be angry at you, won't like a subject/topic, or won't respond well.  Don't take it to heart.  You could have caught them on a bad day or they could just not want their parents involved.  Not everyone will like you all the time.  You just have to be patient, not take it personally (even if they're upset at you, don't let it nag you), and move on.  

Classroom Examples

 

From an activity on scientific notation & animals when I was student teaching.

 

Student work when I was on a long-term sub position

A mixture of colour, song lyrics (from Fireflies by Owl City), and comics

I like throwing in Star Wars whenever I can.

My Pre-Calc students did an activity with unit circles and paper quilts.

Colour, Star Wars, and books!

An example of my classroom from the back at the start of the school year.

Teaching Tip #12

Put a Time Limit on Homework

Going over it, that is. Homework shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes - especially if you're like me and let the students go up and put their answers on the board(s) at random.  That takes the place of a Warm-Up, in my opinion. Randomness also means all students get a turn, at some point.

Now, there will be times when homework will not take long to go over (yay!) or longer (not necessarily boo).

For example: Today it took almost half an hour for me to go over the homework.  Most of my students were having trouble graphing and analyzing their answers, so the longevity of the homework had a sound basis.
If only one or two students didn't understand, however, then that's when I say they need to see me after school.

Again, it's a "know your students and their abilities" way of thinking.

Teaching Tip #11

Desks Don't Have to Be In Rows

Again, desks can be in groups if that works best.

You can also do a semi-circle, a semi-circle with groups, a "checkerboard" pattern, etc.  Unfortunately, the rooms I've taught in have been too small to do anything but rows.  Rooms I've student taught in were a bit more flexible, but the last one had a few classes where there were so many students they took up the entire room.

No matter what the situation, be a bit creative - if possible.

Teaching Tip #10

Students Should Face You

Or, at least, be able to face you without turning their entire bodies around.  Exceptions would be during group activities or other "nontraditional" lessons.

With groups:

- Have them in a trio with two facing each other (sides to you) and one facing forward

- A group of four can have two seats facing forward and the other two face each other

- A group of four can have it so each pair faces each other with their sides to you

If you don't have traditional seats/desks, again, having students' sides to you is fine because it's easier for them to turn.

Teaching Tip #9

Display Student Work

Students [usually] love to have their work displayed. If you can't hang things in your room for whatever reason (or if you don't have a room/share it) then there are always the hallways. Here are some things to think about and implement (not all will be used, or used at once).

- Older students tend to be more hesitant about their work being hung up.  Ask them if it's okay to hang things up.  I had a request from one student to hang nothing but tests and quizzes of theirs up.  To me, that's the opposite of most people.

- No matter the age group, don't put anything with a grade up - unless it's within a standard (like all 100s as a coworker does, or all As, or something).  One of my worst experiences was that my first failure in 5th grade was on a Social Studies test - which hung in the hall for everyone in grades 3-8 to see.

- Give students the option to hang their work up themselves.  This works best with a small class or large room.

- Never tell a student their work can't be hung - unless of course you have one of those standards I mentioned. I don't care how pretty something is, all assignments have the ability to be hung up.


And brag about it!  Brag about it at Open House, have a link with various classroom pictures on the school website, tell other teachers (see, more communication), etc.  More people will be interested if you do something just a little different.

Teaching Tip #8

Add as Much Colour as Possible

I am a very colourful person. I colour-code my classes, do different things with notes, and try to have bright things in my room.  I find that it shows the students that the classroom isn't a dull place to be (also, I have a bit of OCD).

I use different colours when putting notes on the board (Please, take note if students are colour blind or have difficulties seeing certain hues) because it helps the students differentiate between things.  When I have them do problems on the board, they will often utilize the method as well.

An Addition to #7

So I wrote #7 after I had called some parents & grandparents, mostly about positive issues.  I had a grandparent call me back and thank me for giving her good news. Any time she had been called about the student in the past, it was about something bad. She was shocked and pleasantly surprised to hear something good.

So call about the good!

Teaching Tip #7

Talk to Guardians

It's a bit different for me as I work in a private school, so guardians send their children here out of desire, not requirement.  However, I think that guardians should be contacted for a variety of reasons, no matter the school/district.

- If you are having discipline or grade-related issues with a student, the guardian should know.  This way, when report cards go out, they're not surprised.

- If a student starts slipping even though they were doing well before.  There might be something going on at home or other issues.  You and the guardian can work together.

- If a student is doing extraordinarily well.  People like to know that their children are exceeding expectations, and it could be the thing that will brighten their day.

- If a student who was doing poorly is now doing better.  Improvement! That's the point of communication.  Again, guardians like to know if someone is doing better, or pinpointing a problem.

- Behavior issues should also be brought up, good or bad.  Has the student's behavior gotten better so that they are now a better model for the school?  Or is it decreasing?  Again, you and the guardian can work together to pinpoint issues or to enhance good behavior.


**Never assume that the student is living with two parents.  Even in "upper-class" districts, things happen and the student can be a foster child, can have one or both parents gone or dead, might be living with grandparents or aunts/uncles, etc. This is very, very important - and ties in with communication with other teachers (and administration).**

Teaching Tip #6

Talk to Other Teachers

Whether it's about approaches that work best with a student (from the year before)  or how a student is doing in a different class (to pinpoint if problems stem from certain material or outside factors), communication between teachers is key.  This isn't about ragging on students- if you have that much of a problem, you need to talk to the principal and the parents.  NEVER disrespect a student with the other teachers.

You're teaching because you want students to learn and because you care for the youth. Communication with other teachers is a sign that you do care and are concerned.

Teaching Tip #5

Be Aware of Non-IEP Difficulties

Just because a student doesn't have an IEP (or even if they do), it doesn't mean they don't have [other] problems.

Some of my students have trouble seeing the board, so they get priority seating.

A lot of my students have difficulty reading long things because words blend together.  I italicize or bold key points on quizzes and tests because of this.  I also offer a separate paper to cover the other problems so that they're not overwhelmed.

Teaching Tip #4

Read the IEPs

They will help you understand the students better and will help you adapt your lessons (and seating). If you have opportunities to provide alternative assessments, you will know who will benefit most with certain targets.

For example: If a student is a great artist but bad at writing, have them draw out a variety of scenes to describe how they interpret something.

Or if a student verbalizes well but can't write thoughts down, have them take the test orally with you at the end of the day.  Give them tips on how to write their thoughts.

Teaching Tip #3

Put a Time Limit on Warm Ups

Or Do-Nows, if you call them that.

Setting a timer tells a students that you're serious about them not dawdling. It also helps you all get on track. You have x amount of time to check HW, they have that time to do the WU, you can quickly go over it and lead into the lesson.

In single-period classes last year, I didn't do this until the end of the year, and found that 10 minutes can sometimes be wasted.

NOTE: It's not a waste of time if they don't understand and you have to explain the WU concept or answer it in detail.

Teaching Tip #2

Don't Be Afraid to Stop

This goes along with my last post, on plans.  Here's an example of what I mean:

It's the end of the day, and I have a double period coming up.  I'm excited for the lesson, but I'm also excited for the class. We have fun together.

I pray and start the lesson.  The students are writing down some things but are not talking - not to each other, not to me, and they're acting very different than usual.

That morning, they had had a class meeting, and I knew from another class that things did not go well.  So I asked them questions aloud to which I got nods - yeses and nos - but no straight answer.  One had even written YES on one side of a paper and NO on the other.

I had no clue what to do.  This was very unusual for them, and I stood in front of my desk with my arms crossed just looking at them.  This was not going to happen for 90 minutes.  And me asking questions aloud made the silence that much stronger.

Since they were okay with writing things, I decided to follow suit.  I wrote out questions on the board and turned for my answers. About 3 questions in, they responded aloud "yes" or "no" and a snowball effect occurred.  They vented frustrations, explained they had acted like that all day and felt bad for the teachers but wanted to stay true to the day's mission, and brought up a few other things.

That first bell rang (not all classes in my school are double periods, but the math classes have them most of the time and the science classes have them for labs) but they had exhausted the conversation.  I was able to go through some of my planned material at a relaxed pace, and the students all partcipated.

But had I not given them that down time and tried to force the lesson, yelled, or made threats about their grade, they wouldn't have responded to me. Giving students time to just talk at times can be very beneficial.

Teaching Tip #1

Lesson Plans are Just That: Plans

Do not be discouraged if you find yourself behind (or ahead) of your plans, or if assignments are changed, etc. There are so many things out of your control that even at the end of the year - or in a new year - when you know the pace your students work at and how they'll respond to different things, plans are still just plans.

The point isn't to just throw information at the students to fulfill curricula guidelines, but to have them learn. And you can always incorporate multiple lessons into one if you have to.

Intro Post

One of my friends asked me for some teaching tips in order to help her out with an assignment and for the future.

I have quite a bit, and I'll post them separately.  These are things I have come across in my personal life and may not apply to everyone, just as others have ones that may not apply to me.

These are not based off any study I have done nor are to be scientific in any way (except for those that pertain to math/science ;) )

The order is not significant except for the fact that it's the order in which they come to me.