After watching “Waiting for Superman” for the first time, I was inspired at the opportunity to be part of a new movement to improve the teaching profession and improve our schools. So I have decided to compose a list of 10 best practices for teaching that I will use in my new career as a teacher.
“Waiting for Superman” is a documentary by David Guggenheim and producer Lesley Chilcott . Dr. Guggenheim has since produced a new video with Queen Latifah, called TEACH. In the first film, I discovered that teachers who use proven practices, have consistent success. Teachers who do not use proven practices, produce students who fail. The ramifications of these failures or successes influence every aspect of our society.
My background is in business, so concepts like “Best Practices” are at the forefront of my mind. Although many more influential educators have researched and written about the best practices of teaching, I decided to make my own list to follow. I will use these “Best Practices” as a guideline for myself. In my teaching career, I will practice these every day and discover how well they work, or make them better.
10 Best Practices for Successful Teaching
- Maintain a level, interested or cheerful attitude toward students, even when it is necessary to execute disciplinary actions.
- Provide clear and concise directions of what is required or result to be attained. Ensure students understand directions or steps to accomplish the result and provide an example of correctness or result.
- Always provide a reason to learn and explain why something is requested or why specific directions or guidance is given.
- Always acknowledge a student’s attempt or result, even if incorrect or unworkable.
- Do not judge a student’s attempt, but repeat if the directions have not been followed or expected result is not achieved. Guide the student to practice until the directions are followed or result is attained.
- Respect and honor my students. All students want to learn.
- Be respectable and be honorable because I want to teach.
- Allow and assist students to discover their own way to learn and then allow them to learn in the way that is best for them.
- Look for the best, the finest quality in every student and admire it.
- Treat my students in the way I hope my teachers will treat me.
About me: Because of my experience as a researcher and writer for almost two decades, I feel I have the resources and wherewithal to compose thoughtful essays about education while I am a graduate student in special education. These are written from my point of view as I learn the teaching profession. In writing them, I consider all I have learned, not just in school, but also in life outside of the classroom.
All teachers are educators. We are the professionals who will have the greatest influence on the minds (and hearts) of every student. Together, students and teachers walk the path to the future, not only of our lives, but our society as a whole. Because of this, a teacher is responsible for the physical, social, academic and emotional education of each student. I may also add that educators are responsible to provide a place where the ethical relationship between teacher and student has been established so that learning can take place, since none of these four areas can flourish outside the boundaries of ethics and reason.
