Addition to Teaching Tip #35

They know each other well. Even if you understand how they learn, they still see things from a peer's point of view which is essential to learning. And "differentiating" your lessons to appeal to all is EASY when you roll with the punches and go with the flow of their mindsets. And the feedback may produce more positive results.

Today, in a different class than from #35:

Most of class: "All I see are triangles.  I can't figure out what you're doing."

Student [Who should be a teacher]: "You need to do it in different colours like in the book."

*I do it, which helps, and I continue but while they see it & follow me, they don't understand how to get there*

S: "Do it like the book, with the letters."

*I feel dumb, knowing that this class loves to do letters, and forgetting.*

Me: "The problem is that I have to grayscale it for the review and test."

S: "highlight it then or colour it because they can't see it otherwise."


I know this class.  I know that they love colours and do have trouble visualizing things that aren't in front of them.  I felt very slow and not with it today.
And you know what?  I know I'm going to go through 20 review packets and 20 tests and highlight the figures for dilations.  Because while they understand the difference between P and P', they can't determine scale factors without understanding which colour. 

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.