Clear teaching techniques are vital to a student’s success in and outside of the classroom. Personally, I can confidently say that I am a hard worker, but when a teacher isn’t clear with his or her lesson plan, sometimes studying on my own isn’t enough for me to fully grasp abstract or complex concepts.
Being a senior, I have gone through many different types of teachers and teaching styles in the past three and a half years. I have experienced that glorious moment of realization and understanding due to effective teaching, but I have also endured the terrible confusion when I’m trying to figure out what the teacher is trying to teach the class. In my senior year, I have come up with a couple of things that I think make up the qualities of clear teaching techniques.
In my experience, when teachers provide lesson plans coupled with organized, comprehendible notes and examples, the material is easier for me to grasp. Not only was I able to follow along and take my own notes in class, but I was able to refer back to them while doing homework or studying. I also appreciated when my teachers based their notes off their own lesson plans and not just from the textbook.
Excitement for the subject matter keeps the class upbeat and forward-flowing. Biology teacher Ms. AnnMarie Hwang was the perfect example for me. Her genuine enthusiasm kept me interested and on track and learning the different aspects of biology didn’t just go through one ear and out the other. No one enjoys a long, bland lecture while sitting still in a classroom for 55 minutes—I know I don’t, which is why I think enthusiasm is an important quality.
Based on my personal experience, straying off topic is a teacher’s number one set back. I strongly believe that it is important to stick to the lesson plan as it will keep classtime productive. Not only are constant topic changes distracting, it has also made it harder for me to concentrate. Following my teacher as he or she jumped across different trains of thought is something I never appreciated. Although the life of your pet goldfish may be oh-so very interesting, it does not help me do well in the class.
There is a variety of qualities out there that make up a good teacher. But in my personal experience, having certain clear teaching styles is what helped me to succeed.