6 Common Mistakes Teachers Make In Class While Instructing 21st Century Learners And How To Avoid Them.
Teaching is a profession which can bring positive changes in the society. A teacher should have the ability to manage the classroom well and positively influence the students with his/her actions.
In our daily life, as human beings, we all make mistakes. Yes, teachers are also human beings; They also make mistakes while teaching. However, one of the great things about making mistakes is that the teacher must learn from them.
Here, we will discuss the 6 common mistakes made by teachers while teaching the 21st century learners and they can be avoided.
1. Teaching without a Purpose
Most new teachers make this mistake and teach without purpose. They come to the class and start teaching without any clear purpose. Not only does the teacher need a purpose, but the students need it the most.
A clear objective outlines what and when the teacher will teach, and what he or she expects from the student after that particular lesson.
A good lesson objective helps the teacher:
- Pay attention to each student in the class
- connect with students
- Set up and monitor a good learning environment
- Think about what your students will need to know by the end of the lesson
2. Trying to copy someone else’s way of teaching
In teaching, you have to find your own voice, your own way of delivering the content and above all your own way of discipline. Some new teachers often make the mistake of looking up to a more experienced teacher and trying to be like them. They mimic delivery without realizing and even taking the stance that the other teacher is working with a given process or technique.
How do you avoid the temptation to copy other teachers?
- improve the way you teach
- Don’t try to copy someone’s way of teaching
- Teach students according to their mental level
- Use your natural method of teaching / Be natural
3. Disrespecting students in front of other students
How much students learn in the classroom depends on the attitude of the teacher. If two teachers can teach the same subject to the same student. By using the same method and taking the same test, students will get different results. Under one teacher, the student may get good marks, and under another teacher, the grades may be down. The difference between the performance of the students in the two classes can easily be drawn from the attitude of the teachers.
Using harsh words or abusive language for students can be a sign of disrespect.
So, what should a teacher do?
- Do not disrespect the student in front of others
- Don’t give negative feedback in front of your classmates
- Don’t criticize the student’s every action
4. Talking too fast or too slow
Most teachers talk too fast or too slowly during the lesson. We always see that this mistake is also done by some senior and experienced teachers. Not all students have the same mental level.
Often, when a teacher enters a lesson, they speak in their natural voice, which can be difficult for students to follow.
Sometimes if the teacher speaks too slowly, if teaching high mental level students, they will become apathetic, and the teacher’s attention will be lost.
How to solve this
- lecture in a proper tone
- Do not talk continuously in the same tone and tempo during lectures
- practice alone to deliver lectures in a soft and variable tone
5. Teaching Using Outdated Study Materials
Some teachers do not change course workbooks, notes, presentations or other instructional materials for a long time.
Such courses often become easy for the teacher to teach but are not useful to the students. If the teacher uses the old syllabus then the student does not learn new things in the subject.
Making changes in the course work helps the student to get proper and up-to-date knowledge.
Avoid using outdated study material:
- Change of teaching material after every 2-3 years
- Add the latest topics/research to your learning materials
- Make your study notes updated and engaging
6. Not establishing good strong relationships with students
Not every teacher can build a good relationship with their students. Strong and healthy relationships with students are an effective way to reduce the problems associated with poor classroom management.
If the teacher has a strong relationship with her students, they are less likely to act.
Building good relationships with students can go a long way toward creating a classroom that is a true reflection of a coherent community.
Here’s how a teacher can develop good relationships with students;
- Always have a good relationship with all the students in the class
- Talk and meet students face to face
- Know in detail about what is going on in the lives of students
- Give good advice regularly based on their problems
Summary
The beginning of each school calendar year is always a challenging time for every teacher. Overcoming some of the above common mistakes teachers make will help one to move towards a happier and healthy school academic year.
