Teaching Techniques

 Balance praise and criticism

 Communicate expectations
 Set clear goals for yourself as a teacher
 Constantly self-evaluate
 Maintain strong discipline
 Be consistent
 Set clear goals for the class
 Move each lesson at a brisk pace
 Provide feedback and correction regularly
 Have a warm personality and a personal interest in the students
 Be enthusiastic
 Begin with the end in mind
 Be kind but firm when disciplining
 Create a positive atmosphere where students feel safe to take risks
 Value the students as learners
 Consider age and ability of the age group
 Assess maturity level
 Think two steps ahead
 Consider you might be wrong
 Never threat with anything you don’t plan to carry through with (must be appropriate
like making the kid sit out of an activity or calling their parents, etc.)
 Be proactive (but pace yourself)
Pacing:
-warm-up
-most complex (hardest task of the day)
-continued work (some successful outcomes)
-moderately complex
-polishing work (many successful outcomes)
-closing (fun activity)
 To get students back on task:
-Proximity (stand closer to them)
-eye contact
-call their name
-positivity (“look how this other student is doing this correctly”)
 Improvisation (do something fun and unexpected every once in a while)
 Have a disciplinary plan (Begin with something small. Do as much as you can to get them
under control in the classroom before going to the extreme of sending them to the
principal’s office or kicking them out of the class.)
 For example:
1. If I had to get on to a student more than once during one class period, I will be talking
to them after class or give them a written note to tell them what they were doing
wrong, why I don’t want them acting that way, and be firm about not wanting it to
happen again.
2. If the bad behavior continues, I will call or email the student’s parents to inform them
of the situation at hand.
3. The next time they act that way, they will receive detention. At this point they will
have lost their chance to try out for any solos or go to competitions with the class.
4. The next occurrence of this behavior should result in a parent/teacher conference.
5. After that, the student will be sent to the principal’s office.

Stephen Covey quote: “Public victory does not mean victory over other people…public
victory means working together, communicating together, and making things happen
together…”