Effective Teaching for Adolescent Learners in the Classroom
Tiffany Tupps
Tennessee Technology University
TELC 4001
The teaching of adolescent learners in the classroom is an extremely unique and exciting occurrence that many teachers are given the opportunity to experience. Like the teaching of elementary students; teachers are required to have their middle and high school students reach certain goals, learn the set standards for their grade and enhance their life skills to further their education and personal development. This is why effective teaching is the key to success in any and every classroom. I will detail key components of effective teaching such as best practices of instruction, interaction with students and classroom management.
Teachers take on various roles in the classroom and these interrelated roles are always changing. In the Techniques for Reading Assessment and Instruction text book by Barbara J. Walker, the roles of an effective teacher are described in five different yet related categories. The first role is reflecting; in that an effective teacher will reflect before, during, and after an instructional moment, event, or lesson. Secondly is planning, which entails so much on its own and is such an important aspect for any teacher. An effective teacher will plan lessons or activities to activate learning, but also guarantee successful learning. At the end of the lesson, the teacher encourages students to evaluate their experiences focusing their attention on their developing strengths (Walker 11). Walker lists the third role of an effective teacher as a mediator, where the teacher encourages and assesses the students while instructing. The fourth role is of high importance because the teacher enables their student’s. The effective teacher will plan their lesson with great detail and thought that will ensure the building of student’s independence, enabling them to take the lesson and build their knowledge base from its content. The last role Walker describes is responding, which is the response to individual students and their backgrounds, cultural differences, and learning styles and abilities. An effective teacher will think about the different ways students solve problems and will plan lessons that use their problem-solving strengths (Walker 13).
The Association for Middle Level Education position statement on student teaching states that an effective middle school teacher is knowledgeable about the nature and needs of young adolescents, middle school philosophy, curriculum and instruction, appropriate middle school methodology, and ideally is prepared to teach in two or more teaching fields. This being stated, it is highly important for middle level teachers to be grounded in the curriculum they wish to teach and to also contain a vast understanding of what to expect from their students. At the middle school grades, students are experiencing such a vast amount of changes, both physically and mentally; it is comforting for students to have an effective teacher to rely on for accurate and consistent teaching.
School culture and environment is an important aspect of effective adolescent teaching that will encourage effective teachers, and the culture and environment of their classroom. Schools can build an acknowledgeable culture by having a varied and comprehensive understanding of adolescent development, by providing extensive professional training to all staff members, and by establishing and maintaining a shared collaboration with other schools (Ralph 23).
Adolescent students will greatly benefit with the experience of different types of learning styles and methods. An effective middle level teacher will engage students with hands-on learning, inquiry based learning with research opportunities, cooperative learning with others, and practical problem solving of current real life issues. Students will begin to acknowledge their responsibilities more which will result in more management of their own learning (Ralph 24).
Classroom management and organization are two main features that help shape an effective teacher and their teaching styles. Without organization or classroom management, a teacher will fall behind in planning, grading, testing, etc. which will cause terrible clutter, disorder and confusion with the classroom and with the students. There are many great practices for instruction that ensure teachers not only know their students well, but also know their content well enough to be able to mold it to fit the needs and abilities of their students. These practices include: getting to know one another in each class, sharing stories in each class, mastering the content, demonstrating understanding of the content, making the content relevant, probing student’s thoughts regarding the content, making connections with the ideas and with the students, encouraging affection and respect for each other, and by creating a community of learners within the classroom (Tomlinson & Doubet, 2005). Each of these practice’s offer a different approach and aspect to the content and to the student’s that an effective middle level teacher can take to shape and target particular students.
The daily interaction adolescent student’s have with a teacher has such an impact on the effectiveness of the teacher, but also on the student’s effectiveness. An effective middle level teacher will have more engaged, better scoring, more responsible, and more effective students. Interaction with students in the classroom not only affects the student’s learning and knowledge, but also their moods, behaviors, and attitudes. This interaction can be as simple as asking about their weekend or as complex as tutoring one-on-one after school. Selecting appropriate learning goals, focusing application of learned materials, choosing relevant materials to capture students’ attention, encouraging independent study and assistance in the building of learning skills knowledge banks are several processes an effective teacher may use to daily interact with students (Schreiner).
An effective teacher is also a motivating teacher; this is one of the many qualities of an effective teacher. As a motivator, the teacher will evaluate and organize the content, class or course in order to express confidence in the ability for students to learn, and constantly involve the students in the learning process by conducting collaborations and group learning opportunities (Mahuron, 2011). Instruction will incorporate all learning styles ensuring an understanding by all students. Knowledge of the content along with interest of the content creates a greater motivation for teaching the content, while relating past experiences to new content motivates student’s learning and understanding. Furthermore, having a positive and open environment pertaining assessment and feedback encourages student’s to participate in the decision making processes. Most importantly, by expressing passion and enthusiasm for the content motivates the students to have more interest in the material being covered.
In conclusion, there are a wide range of qualities an effective teacher of adolescent learners may possess; best practices in instruction, interaction with students, and classroom management are just a few steps up the high mountain of effective teaching. Yet, to be an effective middle level teacher, one must know and understand these qualities, and stride to be an effective teacher.
Works Cited
Association for Middle Level Education website: e.org/AboutAMLE/PositionStatements/StudentTeaching/tabid/289/Default.aspx
Mahuron, S. (2011, September 07). How to be a motivating instructor. Retrieved from w.com/how_12040655_motivating-instructor.html
Ralph, Brian. Developing a Middle Years Approach.
sdpa.asn.au/files/conf08/ralph.pdf
Schreiner, E. (n.d.). How to teach adolescents from 12 to 18. Retrieved from w.com/how_8146688_teach-adolescents-12-18.html
Tomlinson, C. A., & Doubet, K. (2005). Reach them to teach them. The Adolescent Learner, 62(7), 8-15. Retrieved from d.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr05/vol62/num07/Reach-Them-to-Teach-Them.aspx
Walker, B. J. (2005). Techniques for reading assessment and instruction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
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