The Right Techniques Make Teaching Much Easier

Those who have not taught may believe that teaching is simply relaying information to students in order for them to pass a test. In fact, teaching is much more complex than this, with many different teaching techniques available to help students learn and create an atmosphere that encourages a healthy pursuit of knowledge. Fortunately, finding and practicing the right teaching technique for any teacher does not have to be a difficult, tedious task; rather, it's one of the fun parts of teaching. There are numerous teaching techniques available depending on the environment, from one-on-one tutoring to home schooling to the typical classroom. After learning about the different methods, teachers can try their hand on the job and see what works best for them and their students.

Techniques for Tutoring

Tutoring is a much different ballgame than the usual classroom teaching. Tutors are not there to give their students lectures; rather, their job is to guide students based on their own individual needs. During a classroom lecture, teachers will usually provide information without having time to gauge each students' comprehension level of a subject. Tutors have the advantage of getting to know their student's understanding of a subject and going from there. Therefore, the most common tutoring technique is questioning what the student knows by asking set questions on a matter. When asking questions, tutors should remember to remain patient, open and encouraging. Once the tutor has understood a student's level on a subject, they can then begin to teach by guidance. A tutor will work to a student's strength, minimize their weakness and personalize each lesson in a way that brings out a student's best side.

Techniques for Homeschooling

Homeschooling has the possibility of being one of the best teaching environments if done correctly. After all, being in one's home promotes comfort, familiarity and personalization. At the same time, being at home can be distracting and can be difficult to get into the headspace of learning. To teach successfully at home, a parent can consider numerous techniques, as listed below:

1. A designated learning space with only study materials can encourage more focus.
2. A set schedule with learning goals divided by day, week or month will give children structure, a fundamental in learning.
3. Additionally, one's home, including the spaces inside and the materials, provides numerous possibilities for engaging and varied learning experiences. Different subjects can be studied in different environments, such as science in the backyard, arts and crafts in the living room with old cardboard or social studies outside of the home and in various parts of one's city.

Common Techniques for Teachers

There are several key teaching techniques teachers around the world use every day. The most practiced include self-learning, student-centered discussions, group-learning, lecture-style or activity-learning. Of course, different students will gravitate towards different teaching methods, meaning no one technique will suit every kind of class. That doesn't have to be a disadvantage by any means; rather, trying out different methods means all students will be engaged at some point in a class. Students who may be more introverted will typically enjoy self-learning or activity-learning, where they are able to take on projects on their own. More extroverted students will enjoy student-centered discussions or group-learning. Lecture-style can work for both groups if the teacher involves students by asking questions, encouraging discussions or involving interesting materials such as photos, videos or other unique material ideas. Like with tutoring, teachers in a typical classroom environment should also remain patient, understanding and aware of all students.