A list of practices to help you to achieve better results as a teacher this year
Like all other professions, education is also facing the disruption of new tech because its changing the way students learn and the way teachers teach. More and more digital tools are being introduced in the classroom and additional workload is being placed on the teachers, who are having to work harder than ever to keep up.
Here, we have compiled a list of top 4 skills to help you achieve more in 2020.
Adaptability 🧩
Be more flexible about changes that inevitably can and will happen. Change your planning process to make it more adaptable to last minute changes — it will save you a lot of time and energy. This will also make it easier to incorporate updated learning standards into your lessons, integrate new tech in the classroom and give you more time to support students with different learning styles rather than spending time redoing your work.
Innovative
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
Ben Franklin
If you want to encourage your students to learn, take risks and collaborate with their peers, then lead by example on this. Being innovative means using new ways to teach and learn. This can be implementing a new teaching approach like place-based learning or introducing a new app or device and bringing that experience into the classroom. Understanding the latest in technology is crucial to be able to guide your students on which digital tools to use and how which will greatly contribute to the success of your students in the long run. Nowadays, it’s important to help students develop 21st century skills and nurture them to be lifelong learners. Teach them to build their critical thinking skills, make real-world connections, and cultivate a creative mindset.
Ability to Engage
There are several ways to do this: curate digital resources that will engage your students in the learning process and encourage them to follow through on their studies. You can also use visual aids in your lesson to add interest like infographics that you can easily design on Canva.
Another easy-to-use tool is Teacherly that allows you to plan interactive lessons, design activities like quizzes to check student’s understanding and add Youtube videos to explain complex parts of the topic, all from within the platform.
Differentiation is another important approach that can be used to engage students especially here in such a diverse country like the UAE where students come from all backgrounds and socio-economic levels, so there is more value in a strength-based approach to teaching that tailors the lesson and adapts it to suit the student’s learning ability. Their behavior, knowledge, and social interactions will be dictated by a variety of factors and it’s your job as a teacher to find a personal approach when working with many different kinds of students. Avoid generalizing them into one typical behavioral scheme or learning style and learn to differentiate your instruction so that all students receive an equitable education.
Time Management ⏲️
The modern world is extremely fast-paced, and we all struggle to find a good work-life balance. But teachers are often juggling many responsibilities both during and after school. So it is imperative that you stay organized and are able to manage your workload to avoid teacher burnout. Use digital tools like Teacherly to help you cut down on your planning time while maintaining the quality of your lessons. Save time by inviting your team to collaborate on lesson plans in real time through the platform. Allocate how much time you want to devote to each task (a Google calendar can come in handy here) and hold yourself accountable for using time wisely. Find efficient ways to prioritize and complete your tasks — without staying late in school or working on the weekends.
Do you have any other practices to recommend that have worked well for you? Leave us a comment below!
