As well as opening her online teacher training course (enrollment is open until Sunday if you’re wanting to turbo charge your teaching!) Margit has also very kindly prepared her top teaching tips for you.
Here we go ….
1. Find at least one good thing about every kid you teach
This will also really help when things go wrong!
2. Teach and talk at eye level with the kids.
No-one likes to be talked down to. So get on the kids eye level, you’ll find you’ll get through to them with much more ease.
3. Maximize group work and pair work.
Kids learn from each other, not from a teacher. We are conductors.
In groups, kids learn to THINK and being creative!
4. Find a few favorite activities/games and improvise them, adapt them to different levels and ages, and become an expert at them.
Kids don’t need and don’t want something new every week. You don’t need long lists of games. Too many of them only will take your time as you end up having to read through the explanation every week. Pick a few favorites and become expert at using them.
5. When speaking in the target language, structure it so the kids can understand by adding only a few new vocabulary items.
Well, if you are using Genki English, this is naturally happening.
6. Explain games and activities by doing.
There’s nothing worse than listening to long explanations and then having to listen to it again, because it was all too complicated. I even prefer explaining games and activities in the kids’ own language, because this will give the students much more time for the actual activity.
7. Have few, clear, easy to understand rules right from the beginning. Be kind and loving but still firm.
8. Set up one event per term the kids will love and look forward to.
It will be their treat to keep working hard during the other months.
9. Build up a relation with the parents and hold regular meetings.
Communicate regularly about activities, improvements, and especially about the moments when their kids are shining in class.
10. Write down every day, very soon after your classes, what was great about your class and what didn’t work well.
If you made a mistake (everyone makes them) write it down and also HOW you want to make it up next week. For example: If you have had a kid you were unfairly strict on that day, make a note to remind you to be very caring in the next week and what to praise him about.
I hope you found a few ideas there! And if you feel Margit’s way of teaching resonates with your own and you’d like to learn more about how she deals with discipline, plays, parents, classroom management and much more then check out her Master Teaching Course – it is rather amazing!
Be genki,
Richard
P.S. As a bonus this year I’ll also be joining some of the live Q&A and Hot Seat sessions in Margit’s course so you’ll get access to both of us! 🙂
P.P.S. Margit’s Online Class Starts on Monday so you have to get signed up before Midnight on Sunday if you want to join us.
Thanks Margit.
The idea of always having something to look forward to is a great one.
I actually do this with my own life.
Yes, there are many things I enjoy everyday, but I always have a trip, concert, party or something planned that I can look forward to. I think it does really help me get through any rough days.