Secondary School Teaching Strategies

Vary teaching techniques to keep students engaged in their learning.

The critical issue in teaching secondary school students is to utilize instructional strategies that encourage all students to learn through meaningful and engaged ways. Students, no matter the grade level, learn in three different ways---visually, auditory and kinesthetically. By incorporating different techniques, you will keep students' attention and address all of their learning styles.

Classroom Management

Set the tone early on. Communicate expectations to your students, both in what it takes to be successful academically, as well as behaviorally. Be specific, fair and consistent with your students and they will respect you. By high school, most students should have acquired some self-control skills, and a minimal number of rules should suffice. Present a positive attitude and begin each day as an opportunity for a fresh start---don't carry over previous days' issues. Use humor when faced with a trying or difficult situation. Use redirection if two students are talking; involve them with a question or the discussion.

Lesson Plans

Prepare your daily lesson plans; be organized. Downtime in the classroom can cause chaos and become disruptive. Structure your lesson plans so that they include teacher-directed learning and student-directed learning. This allows students to use their knowledge and develop complex reasoning. Present your lesson as a problem to be solved. Connect the problem with the context of the student's world and experiences. You can relate events in history to something current today or use the lyrics from a popular song to convey a message.

Engage Students

Group work teaches collaboration.

Keep the flow of learning vibrant and engaging. Design your daily lessons so that they provide for real involvement and interaction. When students are actively engaged, not mere vessels of stuffed information, they see the relevance in what they are learning and develop problem solving skills in a meaningful way. Alternate your class time between lectures, discussions and debates. Depending upon the subject area you teach, assign small groups to work on a project. This keeps all students actively involved, contributing and vital to the lesson. It also teaches collaboration.

Integrated Curriculum

Teaming with another subject's teacher, you may be able to integrate learning across subject areas (literature and history or science and math). If students are studying a particular period in history, combine this with a piece of literature set during the same time period. If students are conducting scientific research, tailor math lessons to statistical problem solving. When students see correlations, they attach meaning to their learning. A particular project may be worked on in both classes.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Believe in your students and let them know you believe in them---collectively and one on one. If your attitude is one that students, or a particular student, won't be successful, the kids will attach themselves to that belief. A show of confidence, facilitating their own attitudes of success and accomplishment, will bring untold rewards to both you and your students.

References

• How to Study: Learning Styles
• National Center for Research on Teacher Learning: How Teacher's Learn to Engage Students in Active Learning
• National Center for Research on Teacher Learning: Learner-centered classrooms, Problem-based learning, and the Construction of understanding and meaning by students.

Resources

• Center for Teaching: Teaching Resources