Tips for Teachers to Reduce Stress Levels in the Classroom

Some experts suggest that a little stress is good, but high levels of stress are harmful to most people. However, it is possible to perform well when relaxed (think masters of kung fu). In my opinion, that should be the goal: a classroom (and life) that is productive and virtually stress-free.

A traffic jam can prompt feelings of stress one day but not the next, indicating that, with the right training, we are be able to face stress with equanimity. The most common approaches are familiar: eliminating the sources of stress and practicing techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation. Since these are not practical in a classroom, let's look at an approach that anyone can use: thought management, not only for teachers but also for educating our students.

Realize that life is a conversation. Interestingly, the most influential person we talk with all day is ourself, and what we tell ourself has a direct bearing on our behavior, our performance, and our influence on others. In fact, a good case can be made that our self-talk creates our reality. Many psychologists have argued that, by thinking negatively, we cause ourselves mental and physical stress. Stress is related to perceiving the world as manageable or unmanageable. By practicing the three principles below, we can reduce stress because these principles enhance the management of our world. Practice of the principles also improves relationships and increases our effectiveness in influencing others to change their behaviors.

POSITIVITY, CHOICE, AND REFLECTION

The first principle to practice is positivity. We know that we learn and do better when we feel good, not bad. Unfortunately, rather than communicating in positive terms, we often communicate in negative terms, such as by using consequences. Although consequences can be positive or negative, when we refer to them we usually mean imposed punishment, which is negative and coercive. A more effective approach than consequences is the use of contingencies. Rather than reactive and negative, contingencies are proactive and positive.

In contrast to imposed and reactive consequences, proactive contingencies rely on internal motivation and are perceived in a positive way. "You can do that as soon as you do this." "When/then" and "as soon as" assist in sending both a positive message and placing the responsibility on the young person, where it belongs. Notice these in the following examples: "When your work is finished, then you can go to one of the activity centers." "Sure, you can go, as soon as your work is finished." Although the result of a contingency is the same as that of a consequence, the message and emotional effect are markedly different.

When using a consequence, the responsibility for checking is placed on the enforcer, the adult. When using a contingency, the responsibility is on the youngster. In addition, whereas a consequence implies a lack of trust, a contingency conveys a message of confidence and trust. The crucial difference can be best understood in personal terms. Which would you prefer to hear your supervisor say to you: "If you leave and are not back on time, we will have a real problem," or "Sure, you can leave as long as you are back in time"? Communicating in positive terms reduces stress, improves relationships, and is more effective than negativity in prompting change in others.

The second principle to practice is the use of choice. Choice empowers. Many practitioners who have written about behavior maintain that choice is the prime principle of empowerment. Young people learn that regardless of the situation, external stimulus, or internal impulse or urge, they still have the freedom to choose their responses. Freedom to choose one's response is fundamental in a civil society. It is incumbent upon the adults of our society to teach young people that they have a choice in controlling their behaviors and that it is in young people's own best interests to choose appropriate responses.

When a student comes into a classroom stressed by home life or some incident, the student has a choice: be controlled by the stimulus or redirect thinking into becoming engaged in the lesson being taught. This choice is within the student's power to make. I taught my students to continually say to themselves, "I am choosing to...."

The third principle to practice is reflection. Reflection also reinforces the other two practices of positivity and choice. Reflection is essential for effective learning and retention. In addition, reflection engenders self-evaluation, which is the critical component for change and an essential ingredient for happiness. Perhaps Stephen Covey in his "The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" put it most succinctly when he stated, "In all my experiences I have never seen lasting solutions to problems, lasting happiness and success, that came from the outside in." (p. 43)

Reflection is a powerful teaching and learning strategy that is too often overlooked. The key to reflection is the skill of asking self-evaluative questions. Here are a few examples: "Are you angry at me or at the situation?""Does what you are doing help you get your work done?""What would an extraordinary person do in this situation?" and "Are you willing to try something different if it would help you?"

Unfortunately, teachers ask ineffective questions such as, "Why are you doing that?" This is a pothole question. First, most people cannot articulate their motivation and second, the youngster may answer, "Because I have ADD." Better never to ask a student a "Why?" question regarding behavior!

Asking reflective questions is a skill that any teacher can master. Once started on the journey of asking reflective questions, rather than telling students how to behave, you will be amazed at how effective and simple is the strategy.

Primary Games For Classroom Learning

Learning doesn't have to be a boring, tedious process any longer, and most experts agree that it shouldn't be. That's why more and more schools are adding elementary school games to their basic curriculum. Teachers have embraced fun learning through primary games, and so have children. There is a wide range of different primary games that can be added into any elementary school classroom that will focus on a variety of different areas. From social skills to academics, games are much more than just a fun diversion - they're an integral part of the learning process that no teacher can afford to ignore any longer.

With today's technological advances, it's easy to add primary games to your classroom through the computer. If your class has a computer, a number of elementary school games can be used to help teach students a variety of skills and lessons. Math, typing, language arts, and many other topics are often covered in the best primary games and simply reviewing a list of the best options can normally help you find the best ones to add to your classroom. There are video games for elementary students of all grades and levels, and many are available for free. Adding a few to your curriculum may have benefits that surprise you.

Of course, you can also play primary games that involve the entire class physically rather than on the computer. Numerous elementary school games exist and can teach social skills like sharing, teamwork, confidence, and more while also helping kids get active and learn. There are outdoor and indoor primary games that you can add to your class and you'll be able to find games that focus on all types of subjects for all ages. Whether you have a kindergarten class or a group of sixth graders, games make a great addition that they'll love.

The reason that primary games work is because they capture a child's attention. It can be difficult to stare at textbooks or blackboards all day long, and adding an interactive learning element to the class in the form of elementary school games will stimulate their mind, draw them in, and make learning much more fun. There have been numerous studies that have found that adding games to schools can truly have an incredible impact on the progression of children, so don't hesitate to take a look at the many options available and find a few that you think will help your class.

Meeting Student Expectations - Advice for Teachers

Most teachers of almost any subject have something in mind in terms of what they will teach their students. As teachers who have taken many students down the path of learning our chosen subject we know what to expect. We know what is required and how long it will take to reach the destination. The problem is our students will often have a very different perspective.

Meeting expectations

Expectations are almost always the problem when a student/parent is dissatisfied or any customer for that matter is dissatisfied. The success of most fast-food restaurants is not the food itself but the meeting of expectations. Whenever anyone goes to one of their restaurants the food and service are basically what they expect. The key to their success is meeting expectations. If you apply this same principal to your teaching you will find that your students are less likely to become frustrated or worse, give up completely. So your first and probably most important role as a teacher is to set and meet expectations.

Prevention v cure

Prevention as they say is the best cure. A student will become dissatisfied if their progress seems too slow. Their progress really depends on how much time they dedicate to study and the quality of that study but their expectations may very well come from somewhere else. If their level of study (therefore progress) and expectations don't match they will soon lose motivation. To avoid this happening teachers need to make it clear to students how much study is required and what that means in terms of progress. It is also good to break it down in to small blocks of study. In other words for every 10 hours of study what would a study hope to achieve. When you drive along a highway every so often you will see a sign telling you how many kilometres to the next major town. This helps to keep you clear about where you are and where you are heading.

After the fact

When a student becomes disillusioned in other words despite your best efforts their progress didn't meet their expectations I usually suggest the following. You need to make a plan to get them back on track. Set out your practice expectations and a timeline based on the goal. Once you have done this ask them if they are willing to put in the time required. If students are not willing to keep up their end of the bargain you need to address it straight away. There is no point if they are not prepared to put in the time and effort. If this is the case you have a motivational problem and that's for another article.

Watch what you say

Teachers often fall into the habit of saying it's okay when it's not okay just so as not to upset their student but this is basically just avoiding the issue. When a student is not meeting your requirements you are in a sense misleading them if you don't address it. I have heard many comments over the years from students who said their previous teacher wasn't so strict on practice. The reason they left that teacher was due to lack of progress and their lack of progress was due to a lack of practice. Do your student a favour and be honest with them.

Education of a Good Quality

(Activity- based teaching VS GTM)

(1- Objectives and presentation)

A- Objectives:

The activity-based teaching method is applied in the USA schools. It is a learner-based learning method. We make our efforts to apply it in our schools. The general objective is to create a generation of learners that are able to adapt themselves to the environment around them perfectly and practically. It ties knowledge with environment. It encourages thinking, independent learning, solving problems, observation, dialoguing with one's self, dialoguing with others, guessing, applicability, imagination, creation and innovation.

The traditional method of teaching is practised in the third world countries. It depends on collecting or attaining a lot of information to deal with theoretically and to learn them by heart so that the learner can register these pieces of information in the written answering paper in the final exam that depends only on the writing skill. It ignores the skills of listening, speaking and communication. The traditional method is close to the GTM (Grammar Translation Method) which depends on just translating the text and presenting the grammar structure in the deductive way without presenting any model by the teacher or free practice by the learners. There is no place for any communication, practical learning or any activity. That traditional method is not recommended at all.

B - Presentation:

A - The activity-based teaching method:

In this modern method, we see:

1 - Changing the abstract and theoretical teaching into something touched, deeply rooted in the learner's mind, feelings and behaviour, practical, actual and real.

2 - The piece of information is functioned and implemented in a real teaching situations. The teacher uses drawings, pictures, signals, pointing, gestures, motion and circulation. The learner plays the role and dramatizes his learning.

3 - Giving a guided practice model by the teacher is an inductive method followed by learners' free practice that is elicited from the learners themselves through individual work, pair work and group work.

4 - Activities are shown in individual work, pair work and group work to enable the learners to become true participants, partners and involved in the process of presentation. The teacher monitors, supports, encourages and checks. He plays the role of the orchestra leader.

5 - Audio aids, visual aids, the use of realia or real things, acting, miming, demonstration, dramatisation, exploration and the use of technology like the overhead projector, the cassette, the video, DataShow and the computer PowerPoint program, are used positively.

6 - Debates, discussion, reports, researches, consults, interaction, participation, experimenting, imitation, interaction, interviewing, self- expression and passing knowledge to others illustrate the active teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom.

7- Demonstration, sharing, acting, education parties, songs, music, games, technology and transferring knowledge to others are needed.

8 - The learner is self-centered in the process. He is a true partner.

9 - That learning involves the senses, the brain, the behaviour and the emotions of learners.

10 - It encourages observation, practical learning, self-evaluation and passing knowledge to others.

B - The traditional teaching method.

This method depends on teacher's talking, lecturing or dictation. The teacher is a lecturer or a dictator and the learner is just a receiver or storer to the amount of information that he receives from his teacher without any share or analysis. The learner's role is not basic. The process of presentation depends on just attainment not thinking or creation. It is a teacher-centered teaching. The teacher sometimes uses schedules, columns and summaries so that he can attract the attention of the learners who feel bored.

There is no place for pair or group work. No elicitation, interaction or participation methods are practised. Poor few magazines or wall charts are used in the purpose of decoration and showing. The teacher uses the native language to translate the text of the target language. The teacher presents the structure as rules not as tools.

We see the learners unable to give full meaningful sentences to express themselves or write a meaningful and right structured paragraph describing something in their real life. The reason is that teaching is separated from the real life of the learners. Teaching becomes dead without any real life. There is no place for technology.

Tips for Primary Teachers

Generally, children between the ages of 4-11 are considered to be Primary Students but this varies somewhat from country to country. Primary school is the beginning of formal & compulsory education. Typically, children learn to read & write, & gain basic mathematical skills. Towards the end of Primary schooling a child is expected to be able to communicate effectively in at least one language, know basic arithmetic & algebra & have a good foundation for the science subjects. Primary curriculum lays more emphasis on breadth than depth of a subject matter.

Primary Teachers are usually trained to teach all subjects but some Primary Teachers Training courses allow them to specialize in a subject of their choice as well. Sound knowledge of the subjects is an essential quality in Primary Teachers as they help children to learn new subjects. If a student does not have a solid foundation in any subject then he will have to work very hard to catch up with the topics in higher school. A Primary Teacher's job is to make sure that this does not happen. All students will not be high achievers & that is accepted, but they all should have a thorough knowledge of the basics.

Teaching Primary students can be a rewarding experience if you know how to approach & guide the class. So, make sure that you have created an appropriate lesson plan & you have all the required materials at hand before starting a class. Some important tips for Primary Teacher Training are given below:

- Always be well-prepared for class. Your students will know if you don't know the topic thoroughly & you will lose their confidence.

- Make your classes interesting by using different activities & teaching aids. If you can arouse your students' curiosity about the topic, that's half the battle won.

-If an activity is not going well for some reason or if you see your students starting to lose interest then shift to another activity. children will learn quickly only if they pay attention.

- Be organized. Make several files & folders for keeping your desk organized. It will not only save time but also make you feel more confident, as you will not have to search for an item every single time.

- Discuss the rules & procedures to be followed in class with your students. Let them decide on any additional rules & negotiate with you. This will make them feel that they are an active participant in creating rules & discourage them from breaking these rules.

- Assign responsibilities to your students. Make one child responsible for class pet(s), another for watering the plants, a third for tidying up after class & so on. Make it fun by assigning job titles for each activity. Rotate the 'jobs' regularly.

- Be patient. If a child does not understand something, he is probably feeling worse than you. Always praise lavishly & admonish gently.

- Lastly, always acknowledge your mistakes & learn from them.

Teaching English As Second Language

TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. There are 2 terms under this umbrella - TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) & TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). A course in TESL will be useful if you wish to teach English to people who speak it as a second language, the mother tongue being their first language. Whereas, TEFL course is perfect for teaching those people for whom English is a foreign language.

In today's global market, the demand for English teachers is ever-increasing, especially in South-East Asia. Countries like China, Japan, Thailand and Singapore offer high remuneration to people holding a TEFL certification. The prospect for ESL (English as a Second Language) jobs is very good in India right now. India is one of the largest English speaking countries in the world, where English has become indispensable. It is truly our second Lang & there are many Indians whose English is better than their mother tongue. A TESL Certification will open the door to teaching English for you.

A TESOL course covers both TEFL & TESL & it makes you eligible to teach English anywhere in the world. A course in TEFL will do wonders for your C.V & help you to achieve your true potential as an English Teacher.

Several institutes offer these courses & most of them have an Online/Distance mode as well. This makes it easy for you to complete the course while sitting at home. Moreover, the part-time courses will help you to do a TESL course while you are studying or working. Thus, you end up saving time.

Teaching English as a career will always be in demand. English speaking countries like the U.K, U.S.A & Canada also recruit people holding a TESL certificate to teach immigrants & people who go there to work. The TEFL course will also help you to get a job in Europe & South America, where several countries speak English only as a foreign language. Thus, Teaching English can take you to foreign countries, where you get to visit exotic places & learn about the people & their culture. It is the best way to get a taste of life abroad & since you will be required to speak only in English in class, you can go to places without knowing the native language. This is a unique opportunity as any other job would require you to have some knowledge of the native language of a place. But with TEFL, you can visit new countries & learn about their lifestyle without having to learn a new language. You can even learn their language, if you so desire. So if you wish to travel the world, simple opt for a TEFL/TESL course.

Visual And Verbal Communication With Students

Communication between an educator and his or her students is essential in order to ensure quality of learning. Whether the exchange is visual or verbal, both are effective ways of not only teaching the material, but also monitoring the student progress. Without adequate communication, the classroom environment is not the ideal setting for any child. Visual and verbal communication between teachers and students is an important part of English and math tutoring.

Visual communication with students, especially those of a younger age, provides concrete support for concepts and ideas. Visual representation of information is vital for the development of children in their thinking, learning, understanding, and application of curriculum. Transforming visual representations into mental images provides students with an on-hand reference of the studied material. There are many ways tools available to teachers to make visual representations possible in visual communication: chalkboards, dry erase boards, bulletin boards, overhead projectors, and new technology such as Smart Boards. This makes visual communication accessible for students of all ages in especially in math tutoring and classroom settings.

In an elementary setting or in individual English and math tutoring sessions, examples of applied learning are demonstrated through models of students' work on classroom walls and bulletin boards. This enables teachers to demonstrate what their students are learning and how they are applying newly taught information. It is necessary to provide younger children with a concrete representation of the how's and why's of simple processes. By using a chalkboard or dry erase board, information is visually transferred to students. Technologically advanced tools, such as Smart Boards, in the elementary classroom provide a captivating, intriguing way to encourage the learning process.

In order to teach effectively, verbal communication is a necessity, not only for teachers of large classrooms, but also for English and math tutors. One must be capable of relaying information in a way that allows students to understand and retain what is being taught. A teacher's verbal communication models what he or she expects from students. Proper grammar, syntax, pronunciation, and avoidance of slang terms are important characteristics of communication with students. Verbal conversation and interaction in the classroom as well as one-on-one English or math tutoring sessions is also a way to encourage the exchange of ideas and opinions on varying subjects between teacher and students as well as student and student. Classroom discussions are an excellent form of monitoring what students have absorbed of the curriculum. When learners are capable of verbally expressing their points of view on a particular subject, it demonstrates to the teacher that information has been thoroughly taught and learned.

While verbal communication can serve to express positive and negative feedback in a direct way, visual communication can serve the same purpose indirectly. Students can take visual cues, either from teachers or other students, and adjust their behavior to suit the tone of their environment. For example, a teacher may flip the lights off and on quickly to indicate the classroom is too disruptive. As a pre-designated signal, students recognize their behavior should change and the teacher is rewarded with a quieter class and may resume with the next lesson. In English or math tutoring sessions, visual cues can be as simple as raising a hand to indicate behavior adjustment is necessary.