| Strategic teaching is a complex activity and one of the | | | | Once teachers know their students' true capabilities, |
| more important skills new teachers need to know in | | | | teachers can create engaging lessons that build on this |
| order for their students to perform successfully. | | | | knowledge using various teaching techniques. |
| Discipline problems usually occur when students find a | | | | Use specific teaching techniques such as strategic |
| task too challenging, unclear, or doesn't speak to them. | | | | teaching. Strategic teaching starts off by building on |
| And when students become off-task, teachers | | | | what students already know, like predicting the |
| become frustrated and discouraged by their efforts. | | | | contents of a story and then having students confirm |
| Teachers should focus on students' success already | | | | their predictions. |
| from the first five minutes of the lesson. They can do | | | | Write a lesson plan that is true to your own teaching |
| this by using engaging teaching techniques which help | | | | style. If you believe in cooperative learning groups, then |
| keep a smooth pace from one activity to another that | | | | use this method of teaching. Students feel your |
| also serves to maintain students' attention all | | | | excitement when you are passionate about something |
| throughout the lesson. | | | | and excitement is infectious. |
| Steps to Successful Strategic Teaching | | | | Personalize parts of a lesson. The best time to |
| There are several things you need to do in order for | | | | personalize an activity is during the first five minutes of |
| strategic teaching to be successful. | | | | a lesson. That way, you have already created |
| Make sure you have a list of realistic goals and | | | | momentum for the rest of the lesson to take place. |
| expectations of what your students can do. Use | | | | Set up the lesson with activities that reinforce |
| pre-assessment techniques to know who can read, | | | | self-directed behavior. Think of beginning procedures |
| write and speak and to what degree. Use | | | | that help set-up a routine and an atmosphere of |
| pre-assessment results to drive your instruction. | | | | learning that are also discipline-free. A good example is |
| Plan tasks based on what you know for a fact, | | | | using a timer. Teachers write "Do Now" on the board |
| students can do with minimal instruction from you and | | | | and time their students' work. |
| with some guided help and assistance. | | | | Create easy to engage activities for the rest of the |
| Spend some time observing how students perform | | | | lesson. Make sure the activity is challenging but not too |
| with various types of learning tasks. | | | | challenging and age appropriate otherwise students |
| When you are more informed with the possibilities | | | | won't feel it is worth their time. |
| about what your students can do, you are also more | | | | When teachers know their students' true capabilities, |
| likely to make decisions based on what you know not | | | | they can then plan engaging lessons using strategic |
| based on what you think you know. | | | | teaching techniques that focus on the success of their |
| Teaching Techniques for Engaging Students and | | | | students. Teachers need to give them the feeling that |
| Maintaining Their Attention | | | | their students are in charge of their own learning. |