One of my favorite teaching strategies, as a homeschooling mom, a previous high school special education teacher, and a current trainer and professor to masters and doctoral level psychology learners, is allowing students to create their own path of learning. I highlight what we will be diving into--either a brief overview or just an overarching question--and encourage the learner to identify what they already know and what questions they have. I then allow them to dive into the learning themselves, utilizing whatever approach they find most beneficial, which could include reading, videos, interviews with others, independent work, group work, etc. We then come together in small groups or as the whole class and learn from one another. This strategy is so beautiful because it allows learners to focus on what interests them and to gain the knowledge utilizing their own learning strengths.
Edtech Professional & Instructional Designer at Julie Ann H Digital
Answered 2 years ago
For teens, particularly in middle and high school, they are seeking ways to maximize self expression and find autonomy. Project based curriculum and assessments can foster these attributes and also teach learners about real world pacing on projects.
Two main teaching strategies that I often use to achieve the best results in teaching kids and teens are having great classroom management and chunking lessons. My classroom management includes first and foremost, building relationships and showing belief in them. Also, clearly stated rules and expectations and encouraging student participation. Good classroom management helps maintain order and focus, allowing students to engage more deeply with the material. Teaching in small chunks or concepts that build up to the complete lesson allows students to focus on one aspect of a lesson at a time, making complex subjects easier to understand. Teaching in smaller sets helps their memory retention, allows for improved understanding and focus while facilitating learning progression. I adapt my teaching strategies based upon my students abilities to grasp the concepts through my chunking methods and whether or not they are mastering the standard. My personal strength is being flexible in adjusting instructional methods and materials to meet diverse needs. This includes being open to spontaneous teaching opportunities and making real-time adjustments based on student progress and understanding. In the sports world it might be know as having feel for the game. In the classroom it's having presence, giving regular mini-quizzes and exit tickets.
As far as teaching strategies, the most effective strategy I have found is a hands on application of the subject matter. I found early in my own education that kids that can memorize (and respond) did well but the one who struggled with that just checked out. When I became a teacher, I promised myself to show and let kids apply the material. I've taught business education, mathematics and I now teach engineering. In all those subject matters, learning is better retained and understood through application (real world application is best). As far as adapting teaching strategies for students, one thing I do is offer a variety of inputs. From traditional lecture, written notes pages in learning platform to videos with demonstrations. Another strategy is allowing student some student choice in topics or design. When they make it more personal to them, they try to understand it better. Lastly, formative assessments that are re-doable for a better grade work well too to help student check their learning.
Hi Brighterly Team, Focused on teaching languages for nearly a decade now, here's my invaluable insights on your posted questions. I'd like to highlight two main teaching strategies: 1. Scaffolding This involves breaking down complex concepts into manageable steps, providing support as students build their understanding. This approach helps learners gain confidence as they master each step before moving on to more challenging material. 2. Adaptive learning tailors the content to each learner's progress, ensuring that students are always working at the right level of difficulty, which keeps them engaged and motivated. I adapt my teaching strategies by continuously assessing each student's progress and adjusting the level of support and challenge accordingly. For example, if a student struggles with a particular concept, I provide additional scaffolding through targeted exercises and AI-generated visuals that make the material more accessible. Conversely, if a student is excelling, I reduce the scaffolding and introduce more complex challenges to keep them engaged. Scaffolding and adaptive learning are the cornerstones of my teaching approach, allowing each student to progress at their own pace while ensuring they never feel overwhelmed or under-challenged. Please let me know if you have any questions.