Every teacher knows how hard it can be to tame an unruly classroom. We've all had the students we want to help so badly but can't because they won't allow it. These days the stress being put on education for the future of our students makes it a bit difficult to know that you're really being effective in educating future generations, but here are few sure-fire ways to make the most of your time with your students. Gaining leadership skills does take time but you can improve your own with these ideas.
Saving Time in the Classroom without Sacrificing Education
We've all walked into a classroom that looks like a hot mess. The instructor had no control of the students and no one was learning anything. The best way to prevent this from being your reality is to emphasize routines. Yes, spontaneity is fun, but it becomes so when you already have a routine in place and can occasionally break from it. Spending the first two weeks of your class emphasizing routines and getting kids used to a schedule will save you mountains of time later, especially when you have less time because you have too much to teach. Routines become second nature to kids in no time and eventually take a fraction of the time they used to.
School Does Not Have to Be Boring
The teachers we all remember and idolize were the ones that captivated us with their passion. We must also captivate the minds of today's youth and make school relevant to kid’s lives. Take time to incorporate art into a science lesson or ask questions about life on Mars when discussing the solar system. It's too easy to only focus on the facts and not answer your student's real question, which is "so what?". Being effective in education means connecting every lesson to something more than grades or success in college, to something relevant to them right now.
Don't Cheat YOUR Education
As any teacher knows, any knowledge is never useless, and neither is a Master's degree. Along with putting yourself in a higher pay bracket, educators who take the time to get higher education degrees online or from universities have some leeway you might not otherwise. If the classroom is not for you, or you physically can't teach anymore but aren't ready to retire, a Master's gives you the opportunity to become a school administrator, a content/subject area specialist, a curriculum director, and a testing/evaluation director, among others as well.
Teaching can be a wonderfully fulfilling job and can make going to work less of a chore when you know how important your student’s futures are. Make the most of every second you have to teach and always answer your kid’s questions. When you can lead by showing passion and information in a new way, your time in the classroom can be much more effective.
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her 3-year-old husky Snowball.