Teaching StrategiesIn order to teach 18 middle-schoolers, I learned some techniques to get the scholars' attention and moderate the classroom. In addition, a graduate student from a local university sat in on every lesson. At the end of the lesson, she would provide helpful feedback on the class and how I could more effectively use the teaching strategies.
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Wait Time
Wait time is the period of time a teacher waits before calling on students to answer the question. Studies show that teachers frequently call on students less than a second after the question is asked, while most students need more time to come up with an answer. To ensure that all students get an opportunity to respond, teachers should wait around 10 seconds after asking a question before calling on a someone. Wait time helps to reach 100% participation of the class.
Check for Understanding
The class should not only reach 100% participation, but also 100% understanding. If a student answers a question incorrectly, it is imperative that at some point they also verbalize the correct answer. Teachers have three options. First, the teacher may prompt the student to look back in their notes to try to find the correct answer. Additionally, the teacher may state the correct answer, and have the student repeat it back. Finally, the teacher may call on another student to give the answer. The teacher and other students may also gives hints. For example, if the student cannot say what "2 plus 2" is, the teacher may say that "2 plus 2" is the same as "1 plus 3."
Narrating Hands
After being asked a question, students may not raise their hands because they are unsure of the answer or do not want to answer incorrectly. One strategy is for the teacher to wait in silence; most students are unaccustomed to the quiet and will eventually raise their hands. However, immediately after asking a question, teachers may begin to narrate the thought process in the classroom, thus encouraging 100% participation. Teachers should verbally praise individual students as they try to recall the lesson, look at their notes, or simply contemplate the answer. After a period of waiting, teachers should verbally narrate as each student raises their hand. Eventually, the rest of the class will be encouraged by their peers to also raise their hands.