Teaching Strategies in the Classroom
There are a variety of teaching strategies that instructors can use in their classroom to improve student learning. Classroom management is one of the foundation strategies needed in order to maintain an effective learning environment. One main benefit of implementing proper classroom management is the increased time spent on teaching and student learning which ultimately increases student success. Defining student-teacher relationships creates a safe learning environment where students can feel comfortable taking academic and creative risks.
Another strategy that builds upon a safe classroom atmosphere is providing students with ample information, both verbally and visually. Demonstrations, especially in an art classroom, are highly beneficial to the way students learn. This also benefits students who learn well by mimicking or modeling others, although too detailed of a demonstration might cause students to copy and halt their creativity and imagination. Another benefit to demonstrations from a personal experience is that they alleviate some stress. For first time art students seeing examples, and the actual entire process in a demonstration, becomes extremely helpful when a student attempts the technique for the first time. Students receiving information verbally and visually reinforce learning in two ways, therefore increasing student success. Demonstration coupled with discussion can also peak students interests and stimulate their imagination before a project.
Discussion is another strategy that engages students in higher level thinking and helps them develop philosophical questioning. Students become responsible for their learning and this sense of control empowers the student. Making students responsible for their education is a good life skill that students should develop at a young age. Discussion also allows students to reflect upon the information learned and eventually make connections to other contents. Lastly, discussion also allows the teacher to informally assess the students throughout the lesson when it is used before, during and after the lesson which makes this teaching strategy so important and effective when used properly.
Finally, journal keeping is a strategy that benefits the teacher and student by giving the student a place to privately reflect. Teachers can designate class time for students in the beginning and end of class to reflect on their process and progress so far. Students can use their journals as an alternative creative outlet and also as a place to address any concerns they have with the teacher privately. All of these teaching strategies are important to use in a classroom to generate an effective learning environment, and are especially effective in an art classroom. When used appropriately, all of these teaching strategies can increase student learning and help the teacher facilitate a more successful lesson. Some strategies can be used individually, while sometimes it can be even more beneficial to use multiple strategies in one lesson. It is important to understand the use of each, and implement them appropriately to ensure the greatest possible student success is always achieved.
Read more below for more detailed definitions, scenarios and benefits of these strategies.
Classroom Management
Description:
The teacher creates and maintains a safe, orderly learning environment so students can engage in learning. Builds up student confidence and supports educational, moral, social, and emotional growth.
Scenario:
It’s the first day of school and students enter their new classroom for the first time. Some students appear quiet, maybe even nervous, while others are already getting loud. The teacher greets each student at the door with a smile and instructs them to put away their coats, grab a piece of paper at the front of the room along with some markers, and to take a seat and to quietly start making their name tag. Some rowdy boys enter the class and the teacher approaches them as they begin to unpack. She tells them that she understands it’s the first day of class and they are excited to be with their friends but that she expects them to follow the classroom rules like all the other students. After everyone sits down the teacher welcomes the class again with a big smile and starts off by going over the rules, what is expected of each student and the consequences of unacceptable behavior. She then jumps into a ‘name game’ so everyone can become acquainted in a casual, fun way. Anytime the class gets to rowdy she uses the call and response method, a rule she previously explained, which involves the teacher clapping a pattern and students clap back their response pattern.
Benefits:
The importance of proper classroom management is very high on my list of things I would like to implement in my class. The benefits of classroom management are many. One main benefit of implementing proper classroom management is the increased time spent on teaching and student learning which ultimately increases student success. When students are unruly, teachers (old and new) need to immediately get the attention of the students focused back on their work. The longer they are disengaged means there is less time for teaching and learning. In my example, I showed one technique of getting the students attention by a call and response clap.
Another benefit of classroom management is defining student-teacher relationships. For me it is important for students to see you as someone they are comfortable with, yet respect. An issue of mine that I would like to work on is maintaining a proper relationship with my students and not letting them “walk all over me”. Students will benefit from feeling safe and comfortable in a properly managed classroom. They will be able to take academic and creative risks, while still maintaining respect for the teacher and other students. An improperly managed classroom can become chaos instantly. If an unruly child is left undisciplined it can create a domino effect. Soon all students will be off topic and no learning will take place. In the scenario above, the teacher immediately recognizes and talks to the students who are not behaving. Also, as the students walk in on their first day she greets them caringly, but immediately after everyone arrives she communicates to them her expectations and follows through with the consequences.
Students in a well-managed classroom will also benefit from developing moral, social educational and emotional growth. A safe learning environment, as mentioned before, will allow for students to take educational risks. This type of environment also facilitates caring, supportive relationships among students. As students engage socially, they also develop emotionally and educationally through cooperative learning. Teachers who act as a good role model can further promote student growth and instill in students proper morals.
Other benefits of classroom management include developing students’ life skills and preparing them for the world outside of the classroom. Rules and regulations aren’t just found at school. To be successful in the outside world, students as workers will need to abide by the rules to keep and maintain a job. Developing these skills now is also important since students will be surrounded by rules inside and outside of school. Classroom management is vital to maintaining the type of learning environment that facilitates students’ growth and communicates student expectations. This ultimately allows for increased teaching and learning that promotes student success inside and outside of the classroom.
Demonstration
Description:
While explaining a specific technique, application or process to students, the teacher will also participate in the act of art-making to better exemplify the term or concept being taught.
Scenario:
Today is the start of a new lesson and the teacher begins by introducing a technique they will need to incorporate into their next drawing- shading. First she explains the process to the students and encourages them to ask any questions they might have. Then the teacher turns on her ELMO (a projection system that projects an enlarged image of whatever is placed under the camera). She places a piece of paper and pencils under the ELMO while she begins to describe and point out examples of shading. She then begins to demonstrate visually with the pencil on paper how to shade and create a gradient while again verbally explaining the process for the second time. She also shows them how to make a value scale. During each demonstration the teacher is both verbally and visually explaining the process.
Benefits:
One obvious benefit to using demonstrations in an art classroom is to ensure you reach out to all types of learners- visual and verbal. This also benefits students who learn well by mimicking or modeling others, although too detailed of a demonstration might cause students to copy and halt their creativity and imagination. Another benefit to demonstrations from a personal experience is that they alleviate some stress. For first time art students seeing examples, and the actual entire process in a demonstration, becomes extremely helpful when a student attempts the technique for the first time. Demonstrations may also peak interests and stimulate ideas while reinforcing learning. Another benefit to direct experiences through demonstrations are that they allow the student to pinpoint and target questions as the teacher comes to a part they might not fully understand. Finally, there is another form of demonstration that can also benefit students, which is when a student performs the demonstration. By student demonstration the other pupils are now learning from their peers. This is beneficial because students might feel more comfortable asking questions to a peer, gain knowledge from a different perspective (a peer) and for the student performing, it allows them to practice and reiterate knowledge which only strengthens their skills. Demonstrations can be very advantageous as long as they are used properly in the classroom.
Discussion
Description:
Discussion can be defined as a controlled dialogue( in a small group, large group or whole class) among the students where the teacher becomes more of a guide. The teacher must initially engage the students and help facilitate higher level thinking, reflection and the exchanging, comparing and understanding of ideas among the students about the subject. Discussions can take place before the lesson (predictions, hypothesis), during the lesson (processes, confirming hypothesis, teacher-modifications) and/or after the lesson (analyzing, adapting and supporting evidence).
Scenario:
In a Pre-K classroom a teacher begins her class with a discussion. She introduces the students to a new book they will be reading and asks the students to make predictions on what they think the book will be about and “Why?” She tells them to look at the illustrations and also to remember to read the title. The students begin to discuss amongst themselves (after the teacher calls on them to maintain control) about what they think the book is about and why they believe this. The teacher keeps the discussion going during the reading by occasionally asking the students if they still agree with their original predictions. She asks them to “speak from evidence” and to support their answer. If the students agree they must provide evidence as to why they still believe their original hypothesis was correct and similarly if the students decide they think the story is taking a turn from their original prediction they must explain what makes them believe so. After the reading is over she has a final class discussion with a series of questions she begins with to facilitate high level thinking. These questions also allow students to recall information, apply knowledge, analyze and interpret situations and understand information. While the students take part in the discussion, it allows the teacher time to reflect upon the lesson and informal assess the student learning that took place. At the end of the discussion the teacher closes up the lesson by concluding and relating the lesson to the .students’ lives outside the classroom.
Benefits:
The benefits of using discussion in any classroom have a wide variety of results. First, discussion is an effective way to engage students in higher level thinking. Second, students in control of their classroom discussions feel empowered, like they are in control of their education. Making students responsible for their education is a good life skill that students should develop at a young age. Next, students involved in constant classroom discussions will learn to develop moral and philosophical questioning skills, another life skill students will be able to apply to their lives outside of the classroom. Another benefit of discussion amongst an entire classroom is it allows students to hear the information again from another peer’s point of view and compare and contrast ideas to come to a better understanding. Discussion allows students to reflect upon the information learned and eventually make connections to other contents. When used before a lesson, discussion engages students and stimulates them, preparing them for transition into the reading, in this case. Discussion during the lesson helps students look for evidence and learn to support their answers. Finally, discussion also allows the teacher to informally assess the students throughout the lesson when discussion is used before, during and after the lesson which makes this teaching strategy so important and effective when used properly.
Journal Keeping
Description:
Students use journals to record their ideas, occurrences, observations, thought processes and reflections; also to explore potential future ideas. Sometimes entries can be prompted by a question or image (from the teacher). Takes place before, during and after the creative process on a regular basis.
Scenario:
It’s the first day of a new, 5-day long project on Aboriginal Art. On the board is an image of an Aboriginal artwork along with a prompt asking the students to create a story based on the artwork and record it in their journals. Students know each morning they only have 5 minutes to respond in their journals before they have to get started on their art. During their project the teacher has asked the students to keep their journals easily accessible so they can record any thoughts, processes, future ideas, emotions, or questions they experience during their art-making. The last 10 minutes of each class, students are asked to reflect on their accomplishments for the day. What worked and what didn’t? They also include any ideas or issues they came across for the next class. Sometimes the teacher may choose to end the class with another prompt that may help them connect their experiences inside the classroom to their daily lives. After the project is complete on day five, the teacher has the students write one paragraph summarizing their experience as a whole- a personal reflection.
Benefits:
There are many benefits to having students keep a journal, all equally important as the next. Students can use their journals as a private place to reflect and respond to prompts and artworks. Allowing students to first write their thoughts gives everyone a chance to respond versus only calling on the first few brave students who raise their hands. Behind the scenes this also allows teachers to read the entries of students who didn’t particularly feel like sharing or get a chance to share that day.
Another benefit to journal keeping is being able to record their thoughts and processes during the art-making so you can go back and see what changes you wanted to make or keep the next time around. It can remind you of the techniques used or remind you how you overcame the struggles the last time you did a similar project.
Time management and organizational skills are two more benefits that develop from keeping a journal. Students have to get to class on-time to be able to respond to the prompt so they can begin their projects. Students also have to organize their thoughts and set aside time during and after their day of art-making to record information and reflect. Last, students learn to keep a record of ideas that they can use for future artworks.
Other benefits to journal keeping include allowing students to practice using content vocabulary and improve upon writing skills. Some prompts before or at the end of class might ask students to use specific vocabulary words that relate to the movement, artist or technique being studied. The teacher might also encourage students to use content vocabulary whenever it is appropriate. By constantly immersing the students in quick journal entries, writing skills will improve. Students will also improve putting the visual or physical into words when describing an image or process.
Finally a last benefit would be using journals as an additional non-visual creative outlet since there are multiple types of learners. Some students might struggle with creating art. Giving them an alternative, yet still creative, outlet might help the student grow, take risks and further understand concepts while not losing confidence. Journal keeping is a good teaching strategy because it helps students learn to reflect, and at the same time develops multiple skills beneficial to students.
Another strategy that builds upon a safe classroom atmosphere is providing students with ample information, both verbally and visually. Demonstrations, especially in an art classroom, are highly beneficial to the way students learn. This also benefits students who learn well by mimicking or modeling others, although too detailed of a demonstration might cause students to copy and halt their creativity and imagination. Another benefit to demonstrations from a personal experience is that they alleviate some stress. For first time art students seeing examples, and the actual entire process in a demonstration, becomes extremely helpful when a student attempts the technique for the first time. Students receiving information verbally and visually reinforce learning in two ways, therefore increasing student success. Demonstration coupled with discussion can also peak students interests and stimulate their imagination before a project.
Discussion is another strategy that engages students in higher level thinking and helps them develop philosophical questioning. Students become responsible for their learning and this sense of control empowers the student. Making students responsible for their education is a good life skill that students should develop at a young age. Discussion also allows students to reflect upon the information learned and eventually make connections to other contents. Lastly, discussion also allows the teacher to informally assess the students throughout the lesson when it is used before, during and after the lesson which makes this teaching strategy so important and effective when used properly.
Finally, journal keeping is a strategy that benefits the teacher and student by giving the student a place to privately reflect. Teachers can designate class time for students in the beginning and end of class to reflect on their process and progress so far. Students can use their journals as an alternative creative outlet and also as a place to address any concerns they have with the teacher privately. All of these teaching strategies are important to use in a classroom to generate an effective learning environment, and are especially effective in an art classroom. When used appropriately, all of these teaching strategies can increase student learning and help the teacher facilitate a more successful lesson. Some strategies can be used individually, while sometimes it can be even more beneficial to use multiple strategies in one lesson. It is important to understand the use of each, and implement them appropriately to ensure the greatest possible student success is always achieved.
Read more below for more detailed definitions, scenarios and benefits of these strategies.
Classroom Management
Description:
The teacher creates and maintains a safe, orderly learning environment so students can engage in learning. Builds up student confidence and supports educational, moral, social, and emotional growth.
Scenario:
It’s the first day of school and students enter their new classroom for the first time. Some students appear quiet, maybe even nervous, while others are already getting loud. The teacher greets each student at the door with a smile and instructs them to put away their coats, grab a piece of paper at the front of the room along with some markers, and to take a seat and to quietly start making their name tag. Some rowdy boys enter the class and the teacher approaches them as they begin to unpack. She tells them that she understands it’s the first day of class and they are excited to be with their friends but that she expects them to follow the classroom rules like all the other students. After everyone sits down the teacher welcomes the class again with a big smile and starts off by going over the rules, what is expected of each student and the consequences of unacceptable behavior. She then jumps into a ‘name game’ so everyone can become acquainted in a casual, fun way. Anytime the class gets to rowdy she uses the call and response method, a rule she previously explained, which involves the teacher clapping a pattern and students clap back their response pattern.
Benefits:
The importance of proper classroom management is very high on my list of things I would like to implement in my class. The benefits of classroom management are many. One main benefit of implementing proper classroom management is the increased time spent on teaching and student learning which ultimately increases student success. When students are unruly, teachers (old and new) need to immediately get the attention of the students focused back on their work. The longer they are disengaged means there is less time for teaching and learning. In my example, I showed one technique of getting the students attention by a call and response clap.
Another benefit of classroom management is defining student-teacher relationships. For me it is important for students to see you as someone they are comfortable with, yet respect. An issue of mine that I would like to work on is maintaining a proper relationship with my students and not letting them “walk all over me”. Students will benefit from feeling safe and comfortable in a properly managed classroom. They will be able to take academic and creative risks, while still maintaining respect for the teacher and other students. An improperly managed classroom can become chaos instantly. If an unruly child is left undisciplined it can create a domino effect. Soon all students will be off topic and no learning will take place. In the scenario above, the teacher immediately recognizes and talks to the students who are not behaving. Also, as the students walk in on their first day she greets them caringly, but immediately after everyone arrives she communicates to them her expectations and follows through with the consequences.
Students in a well-managed classroom will also benefit from developing moral, social educational and emotional growth. A safe learning environment, as mentioned before, will allow for students to take educational risks. This type of environment also facilitates caring, supportive relationships among students. As students engage socially, they also develop emotionally and educationally through cooperative learning. Teachers who act as a good role model can further promote student growth and instill in students proper morals.
Other benefits of classroom management include developing students’ life skills and preparing them for the world outside of the classroom. Rules and regulations aren’t just found at school. To be successful in the outside world, students as workers will need to abide by the rules to keep and maintain a job. Developing these skills now is also important since students will be surrounded by rules inside and outside of school. Classroom management is vital to maintaining the type of learning environment that facilitates students’ growth and communicates student expectations. This ultimately allows for increased teaching and learning that promotes student success inside and outside of the classroom.
Demonstration
Description:
While explaining a specific technique, application or process to students, the teacher will also participate in the act of art-making to better exemplify the term or concept being taught.
Scenario:
Today is the start of a new lesson and the teacher begins by introducing a technique they will need to incorporate into their next drawing- shading. First she explains the process to the students and encourages them to ask any questions they might have. Then the teacher turns on her ELMO (a projection system that projects an enlarged image of whatever is placed under the camera). She places a piece of paper and pencils under the ELMO while she begins to describe and point out examples of shading. She then begins to demonstrate visually with the pencil on paper how to shade and create a gradient while again verbally explaining the process for the second time. She also shows them how to make a value scale. During each demonstration the teacher is both verbally and visually explaining the process.
Benefits:
One obvious benefit to using demonstrations in an art classroom is to ensure you reach out to all types of learners- visual and verbal. This also benefits students who learn well by mimicking or modeling others, although too detailed of a demonstration might cause students to copy and halt their creativity and imagination. Another benefit to demonstrations from a personal experience is that they alleviate some stress. For first time art students seeing examples, and the actual entire process in a demonstration, becomes extremely helpful when a student attempts the technique for the first time. Demonstrations may also peak interests and stimulate ideas while reinforcing learning. Another benefit to direct experiences through demonstrations are that they allow the student to pinpoint and target questions as the teacher comes to a part they might not fully understand. Finally, there is another form of demonstration that can also benefit students, which is when a student performs the demonstration. By student demonstration the other pupils are now learning from their peers. This is beneficial because students might feel more comfortable asking questions to a peer, gain knowledge from a different perspective (a peer) and for the student performing, it allows them to practice and reiterate knowledge which only strengthens their skills. Demonstrations can be very advantageous as long as they are used properly in the classroom.
Discussion
Description:
Discussion can be defined as a controlled dialogue( in a small group, large group or whole class) among the students where the teacher becomes more of a guide. The teacher must initially engage the students and help facilitate higher level thinking, reflection and the exchanging, comparing and understanding of ideas among the students about the subject. Discussions can take place before the lesson (predictions, hypothesis), during the lesson (processes, confirming hypothesis, teacher-modifications) and/or after the lesson (analyzing, adapting and supporting evidence).
Scenario:
In a Pre-K classroom a teacher begins her class with a discussion. She introduces the students to a new book they will be reading and asks the students to make predictions on what they think the book will be about and “Why?” She tells them to look at the illustrations and also to remember to read the title. The students begin to discuss amongst themselves (after the teacher calls on them to maintain control) about what they think the book is about and why they believe this. The teacher keeps the discussion going during the reading by occasionally asking the students if they still agree with their original predictions. She asks them to “speak from evidence” and to support their answer. If the students agree they must provide evidence as to why they still believe their original hypothesis was correct and similarly if the students decide they think the story is taking a turn from their original prediction they must explain what makes them believe so. After the reading is over she has a final class discussion with a series of questions she begins with to facilitate high level thinking. These questions also allow students to recall information, apply knowledge, analyze and interpret situations and understand information. While the students take part in the discussion, it allows the teacher time to reflect upon the lesson and informal assess the student learning that took place. At the end of the discussion the teacher closes up the lesson by concluding and relating the lesson to the .students’ lives outside the classroom.
Benefits:
The benefits of using discussion in any classroom have a wide variety of results. First, discussion is an effective way to engage students in higher level thinking. Second, students in control of their classroom discussions feel empowered, like they are in control of their education. Making students responsible for their education is a good life skill that students should develop at a young age. Next, students involved in constant classroom discussions will learn to develop moral and philosophical questioning skills, another life skill students will be able to apply to their lives outside of the classroom. Another benefit of discussion amongst an entire classroom is it allows students to hear the information again from another peer’s point of view and compare and contrast ideas to come to a better understanding. Discussion allows students to reflect upon the information learned and eventually make connections to other contents. When used before a lesson, discussion engages students and stimulates them, preparing them for transition into the reading, in this case. Discussion during the lesson helps students look for evidence and learn to support their answers. Finally, discussion also allows the teacher to informally assess the students throughout the lesson when discussion is used before, during and after the lesson which makes this teaching strategy so important and effective when used properly.
Journal Keeping
Description:
Students use journals to record their ideas, occurrences, observations, thought processes and reflections; also to explore potential future ideas. Sometimes entries can be prompted by a question or image (from the teacher). Takes place before, during and after the creative process on a regular basis.
Scenario:
It’s the first day of a new, 5-day long project on Aboriginal Art. On the board is an image of an Aboriginal artwork along with a prompt asking the students to create a story based on the artwork and record it in their journals. Students know each morning they only have 5 minutes to respond in their journals before they have to get started on their art. During their project the teacher has asked the students to keep their journals easily accessible so they can record any thoughts, processes, future ideas, emotions, or questions they experience during their art-making. The last 10 minutes of each class, students are asked to reflect on their accomplishments for the day. What worked and what didn’t? They also include any ideas or issues they came across for the next class. Sometimes the teacher may choose to end the class with another prompt that may help them connect their experiences inside the classroom to their daily lives. After the project is complete on day five, the teacher has the students write one paragraph summarizing their experience as a whole- a personal reflection.
Benefits:
There are many benefits to having students keep a journal, all equally important as the next. Students can use their journals as a private place to reflect and respond to prompts and artworks. Allowing students to first write their thoughts gives everyone a chance to respond versus only calling on the first few brave students who raise their hands. Behind the scenes this also allows teachers to read the entries of students who didn’t particularly feel like sharing or get a chance to share that day.
Another benefit to journal keeping is being able to record their thoughts and processes during the art-making so you can go back and see what changes you wanted to make or keep the next time around. It can remind you of the techniques used or remind you how you overcame the struggles the last time you did a similar project.
Time management and organizational skills are two more benefits that develop from keeping a journal. Students have to get to class on-time to be able to respond to the prompt so they can begin their projects. Students also have to organize their thoughts and set aside time during and after their day of art-making to record information and reflect. Last, students learn to keep a record of ideas that they can use for future artworks.
Other benefits to journal keeping include allowing students to practice using content vocabulary and improve upon writing skills. Some prompts before or at the end of class might ask students to use specific vocabulary words that relate to the movement, artist or technique being studied. The teacher might also encourage students to use content vocabulary whenever it is appropriate. By constantly immersing the students in quick journal entries, writing skills will improve. Students will also improve putting the visual or physical into words when describing an image or process.
Finally a last benefit would be using journals as an additional non-visual creative outlet since there are multiple types of learners. Some students might struggle with creating art. Giving them an alternative, yet still creative, outlet might help the student grow, take risks and further understand concepts while not losing confidence. Journal keeping is a good teaching strategy because it helps students learn to reflect, and at the same time develops multiple skills beneficial to students.