Introducing Some of the Most Proven Teaching Strategies

Education has undergone many changes over the past years. Teaching has transformed from teacher-centric to learner-centric. With this transformation, many teaching strategies have come up. Let us look at some of the proven teaching strategies in this article.

Traditional Teaching Method :

For ages, teaching has been taking place in every part of the world. In India, we are familiar with the Gurukul system, aren’t we? You have read epics, and stories about famous Gurus like Dronacharya, who taught the students to excel in every area of life. We call this holistic development today. Do you think any proven teaching strategies were used then? There is something that you need to know about the teaching system in today’s times. Many teachers continue to teach in the traditional way to date. The traditional Chalk n Talk method of teaching prevails in numerous schools even today. So, what is the big deal? That is how you also learned from your teacher, didn’t you?

How does this method work?

The traditional Chalk n Talk method, as the name suggests, is one of the proven teaching strategies where the teacher teaches, asks questions, assigns homework, and conducts tests. He or she is the authority in class and expects students to listen, learn, and perform well. It is like a one-way street where only what is taught is allowed to pass. Students most often sit and listen to the lecture – do they really? It is a passive method of teaching. Authoritative teachers call the shots and literally rule the roost. The students are mere spectators who must sit silent, be alert and observant, and obey the teacher! Sad but true – we still find such teachers around us. What makes them operate in this way? What is so fascinating about the traditional way of teaching in today’s time and age? Let’s look at the reasons.

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Teachers

How does this method work?

Teachers have various reasons to stick to the teacher-centric way of teaching.

The students are under control. There is no room for nonsense in the class.
The teacher has the authority to set the rules and conduct the lessons.
She/he need not spend time developing resources to teach a concept. The textbook, the blackboard (green or white in many schools today), and the chalk are the perfect tools to teach.
The teacher can cover the syllabus in time. No time to waste on student activities.
They get enough time on hand to make students revise, and learn by rote, and that is what brings good results!

Time for a change!

Teaching has evolved tremendously over the years. The new generation of learners is curious, analytical, creative, and inquisitive. Teachers should move from the teacher-centric to the learner-centric way of teaching. Students or learners should be the focus and teachers should adopt different teaching strategies based on the need of the students. You are aware that each one of us learns differently. Introducing teaching strategies is the way forward. Keeping this in mind, teachers can use the most suitable teaching strategy and plan their lessons accordingly.

What are Teaching Strategies?

“Teaching strategies refer to the methods, techniques, procedures, and processes that a teacher uses during instruction. It is generally recognized that teaching strategies are multidimensional, and their effectiveness depends on the context in which they are applied.”

In simpler terms, teaching strategies are tools that a teacher uses to make learning effective and student-friendly. Every subject and every concept can be taught by implementing a strategy that in turn satisfies the need of the students and gives them the confidence of learning the concept well.

I will discuss the different strategies in my articles to come. You can learn to adapt them as and when you want to make your teaching transform from curriculum-centered to learner-centered.

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “be the change you wish to see in the world,” where the teacher’s world is her students and their success.

Who is a good teacher?

I wish to share this with you here.

As most educators know, the traditional, teacher-focused, lecture-style teaching method can lead to disengagement and boredom (for both teachers and students) quite quickly. That’s where the deployment of different teaching strategies comes into play. In her book Effective Teaching and Learning, Naga Subramani argues that the effective teacher “constantly renews himself [or herself] as a professional on his [or her] quest to provide students with the highest quality of education possible.

“This teacher has no fear of learning new teaching strategies or incorporating new technologies into lessons.” – Justin Raudys