Teaching approach??

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 11:47 pm

This is a question I've thought about a lot but never really discussed with anyone. I teach second graders and my natural tendency when teaching is to stimulate and challenge kids. Never spoon feed, always try to push them to do something a little more and develop their skills. I get satisfaction from seeing academic growth and progress, and I try to give verbal praise often and reward good work/effort with stickers that lead up to a prize.

However when I think back to what I remember from school at that age, I liked the teachers who were funny and what is memorable is the classroom parties and special programs. Kids this age don't necessarily appreciate the teacher who is fixated on trying to teach them a lot of actual material. SO what makes a good teacher?? I think my students think I'm "nice" but they also probably think I have them do a lot of work. What's the right approach here? I feel like ultimately my job is to teach them content and skills, and I plan my days basically with this goal in mind.

There are teachers who focus more on just making the classroom experience a good time for the kids. Is that a better approach? Should I dial back on trying to maximize our class time to teach and master academic skills in exchange for more "fun" activities?

For reference I'm a resource room teacher. My students are below grade level in reading and math and my role is to try and bridge the gap between them and their peers.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and feedback!

amother

Plum

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 11:54 pm

I think it has to be balanced. Challenge them and also do fun things. You can push them to complete work and then as a reward for finishing the chapter have an ice cream party. You can put them in groups and have them create projects about the topics being taught. I find that kids thrive the most when a teacher provides both sides.

amother

Blonde

Fri, Dec 25 2020, 8:40 am

If you are teaching resource I think your number one priority should be to get your students engaged and interested in learning, in whatever manner speaks to them.

You have to put your ideas of what makes a good teacher out of the way. It’s about getting the students learning.

I think this is kind of basic to teaching children in general and especially to learning challenged children.

Your approach sounds great for middle school and up and mainstream/top level tracks maybe your are in the wrong classroom.

Genius

Fri, Dec 25 2020, 10:00 am

amother [ Blonde ] wrote:

To determine whether she’s in the right classroom she needs to look at the results. If her students are growing academically she should stay put.
The best feeling for human beings of any age is accomplishment. Success breeds success.

amother

Fri, Dec 25 2020, 10:25 am

Yes my students thank G-d are making progress and there have been successes where they outgrow the need for resource toward the end of the year. What I'm saying is that my priority is their academic progress, but there are teachers whose main style is "these are kids, let them have fun and enjoy school." Build good memories.

I just think about how as a kid I thought of the best teachers as the ones who were fun, funny, and made class interesting, not the ones who helped advance academic skills. I wouldn't have noticed that. Especially in younger grades like 2nd, they don't have the metacognition to think how much am I learning in class.

Genius

Fri, Dec 25 2020, 10:28 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

They do know that they feel good. Learning should definitely be motivating and enjoyable, but fun should not be the goal.

amother

Chartreuse

Fri, Dec 25 2020, 10:38 am

A classroom doesn't need to be fun. A classroom needs to be engaging.

For example we would read a story in class called "Saturday sancocho" I told my students if we could as a class manage to figure out the recipe I would come early to school the next week and cook it with them in class. The story was read thoroughly. And the recipe was deciphered perfectly. The next week I came early in the morning and with their rebbe's permission I prepared everything in a crock pot with the class. By lunch time their class was the best smelling class in the building. Did they have fun? Yes. But more importantly were they engaged in the learning and the work? Yes!

That was my goal in the classroom. I'd actually get concerned when kids and parents would tell me I'm the fun teacher. I want to be the teacher who inspires to be curious and conquer new things!