Teaching is a complex art and, as such, there is no "quick fix" to getting good at it. There are, though, three essential actions that I think all good teachers practice. They can be remembered with the acronym AIM: (though these actions are commutative so it could also be IAM or AMI or MIA or IMA or MAI! *smile*)
Asking
Instilling
Modeling
The 3 essential actions of good teaching provide the medium in which learning can take root and grow.
One of the most important things I learned from my graduate-level work is the advice, "Never tell a kid anything that you can ask them to tell you." Thus, asking is one of the essential actions in good teaching. It helps students take ownership of their own learning, increases their interest level and active participation in class, and helps you better understand what they do and don't understand. How does this action look in practice?
Scenario: Part of your goal for today's geometry class is that your students learn the definitions for "acute angle", "obtuse angle", and "right angle". Instead of simply writing those definitions on the board for your students to copy down and memorize, play a game of "This is a Mingo". [This is an original creation of mine that I love because of it's effectiveness and simplicity. Here's the Clif-Notes version: The leader shows examples and non-examples of the item being defined and the players, using the characteristics of a good geometric definition, create a definition of the object or item as each pair is added (in a two-column type recording format). It is an iterative process so the expectation is that the first several definitions are incomplete and the leader chooses the next example / non-example pair to lead to more correct and more precise definitions. Email me for a full description and more examples of how you can use this game in your class.]
There is a classic test which explains how to tell the difference between an expert and a novice problem solver: walk over, look at their work, and ask "Is that right?" If they look you in the eye, say "yes, here's why...", and go on to "prove" it to you, then they are an expert. If they have that "deer in the headlights" look and start erasing their work, then they are a novice. That test demonstrates the next essential action of good teaching: instilling good habits. Good teachers help their students create their personal "default setting" -- the action that kicks in when you're not paying attention, when you're caught off-guard, and when you are faced with adversity. In math (and in life), that default setting needs to include traits like persistence in the face of failure, confidence in one's ability, and an open-minded approach that shows curiosity and initiative to "figure stuff out". Unfortunately, novice teachers, often with the best intentions, sometimes inadvertently instill habits like dependence, fear of failure, and unwillingness into their students by making the entire learning process too easy and removing all the struggle and "messy stuff" from the problem solving process. Good teachers want their students to struggle, because it is in the struggle that they learn to persist, gain confidence in their own abilities, and understand that being "good at" something requires work. Especially here in the US, we are guilty of implying that if you're good at math, it means it's easy -- that is a myth! Understanding requires work, it does not just happen automatically and instantly. Consequently, good teachers help their students practice good work habits: practicing skills until they are reliable, learning "self talk" in order to monitor one's thinking, and reflecting on one's work to ensure it makes sense, is accurate, and is complete.
We all know the adage, "Actions speak louder than words." It is especially true in teaching and describes the third essential action: Modeling. It is not enough that you say to your students, "It's ok if you don't know how to work this problem right away." Especially if, every time they watch you do a problem on the board, you DO know how to work it right away. If you do that, your students learn: If I can't look at this problem and, within three seconds, know how to solve it, then I'm not good at math. Modeling is an essential action in good teaching because students need to see what you say in your actions. (Read that sentence again just to make sure you got it.) If you want to instill the habit of using Polya's problem solving process when your students are faced with a challenge, then you need to demonstrate that process yourself. A tactic I've used is telling my students what's "in my head" and what "questions I ask myself" as I work through a demonstration or solve a problem. Students pick up what you put down so be intentional about what that is and model the behavior, thinking, attitude, and outlook you want to see.
The Solver Blog
Author: Dr. Diana S. Perdue