Cherry pickings — 25 tips for Teachers

If you’re wondering why I chose the title and the image above to boot, here’s why:

I have been thinking about something I could do to mark the 25 years of me residing in Brazil, which coincides with the time I have spent in the classroom or involved with teaching in one way or another. While guest appearing at episode 16 of the Passionate Teachers for ELT (available on the leading online audio platforms), I was asked to give tips to teachers who are getting into the game for the first time. It was then I thought:

How about 25 things I would say to my past self when I started back in 1996? Let’s see if I can actually come up with a useful list:

1. Be sensitive, not just sensible.

2. Master the craft of teaching; the profession is not a gift.

3. See yourself in your student.

4. Use the lesson to teach the student.

5. Demand more, expect even more.

6. Believe in the student.

7. Take nothing personally.

8. Listen to what the student has to say.

9. Listen to what the student is not saying.

10. Discuss the relationship regularly

11. Ask fellow teachers for help

12. Ask students for feedback

13. Reach out to parents and guardians

14. Teach every kind of student

15. Plan to improvise

16. Reflect on your practice

17. Investigate the effectiveness of your practice

18. Question the methods and materials

19..Try different methods and approaches

20. Refresh your knowledge of teaching concepts

21. Have fun with your students

22. Develop your social emotional skills

23. Integrate the new into the current and the old

24. If you can’t teach it, don’t tech it.

25. Learn to be teach-savvy; teach-savvy is a consequence.

Well, that didn’t hurt at all! To be honest, it was really challenging to stop and think about something like this. I just might be able to come up with 25 more tips, who knows.

Originally published at http://dablog-dablog.blogspot.com on October 25, 2021.