How do you create your teaching style?

In order to know your teaching style - you have to know yourself. You can’t be the bubbly , energetic teacher if that’s not your personality. Kids can pick up quickly on someone who isn’t genuine and trying to be what they’re not. Your teaching style will also change and evolve as you change and as your students change.

In my experience of 34 years in the profession your teaching style is linked to your character which lets the young people buy into you as a person. If you are trusted and ‘believable’ then the pupils will go on the journey of learning with you. You learn about them and they learn from you!

🌟 Our teaching comes to life when we truly understand who we are and what we stand for. So let's reflect... 💡 Who am I? I am a person who feels deeply. I felt my schooling days were mundane and I couldn't wait to finish my assignments so that I could maximize my leisure time. 💡 Why do I teach? To me, teaching is a mission to ignite the spark of curiosity in my students. I want them to realize that learning is not merely a chore but an exhilarating, lifelong journey. 🔥 Now, I ask you, dear teacher: What sets your heart on fire?

It took me five years to get comfortable in the classroom. I developed my teaching style through practice and trial and error. It was a stressful journey, and I beat myself up when things didn't go well. I always tell new teachers not to mimic other educators. It is not my place to tell them how to teach. They are the only ones who can figure this out. I will say this: as a teacher, don't be afraid to be unique and even a little quirky. The kids won't mind.

I have a very organic teaching style; flexible and elastic enough to fit all my students’ needs. I always start my lessons with a conversation around their learning and then move on to the engagement. I only give a starkly basic instruction so that everyone gets started on the task. Then I’m constantly on the move to check where each of them is in their process and help them accordingly. I feel this keeps the students empowered enough to do the task at hand on their own and ask for help whenever needed. My students’ work is far from perfect but I’m always sure that each one of them is putting an honest effort.

Teaching is a practice that demands lifelong learning. If teachers don’t stop learning, we show our students to do the same. Show others that it’s okay with not always being “the expert” at something new and learn how to adapt curriculum to meet the individual needs of the students we’re charged with caring for and teaching each day. When another teacher shows strength in an area, learn from them.

One way to observe other teachers is to try and see if your school principal can provide a substitute teacher to relieve you for a partial or full day. Ask your colleagues ahead of time whether you can observe them. Of course, this would cost some money for the school site, but it can be well worth the investment. There's also a process called Instructional Rounds that you can consider. For newer teachers though who may be struggling in finding their way, observing can be powerful, and a debrief with the teacher even more powerful about what they were doing/thinking. Often, the more experienced teachers may make it look easy when in fact they've adjusted and thought through many things over time.

Teaching, Coaching and Mentoring are social jobs. They require us to constantly engage with others to learn strategies, techniques and perhaps even about the cultural impact within your society. Likewise, it is important to remain humble infront of our students, that we are learners just like they are, just in different capacities. This makes us relatable and allows us to form a relationship with our students, where we equally learn from them, whilst they learn from us. As an educator, life learning is imperative for us to be effective teachers and this always starts from questioning and inquiring the world we live in.

As the New York State School Music Association holds its 2023 Winter Conference in Rochester from November 30th through December 3rd, with concerts taking place at the Eastman School of Music, I applaud Zachary Arenz as the New York State Teacher of the Year. I send e-mail on a daily basis to my students and their parents to let them know the knowledge and skills I learned on that day, leading to continuing education and professional development. Although most of those methods and materials are either in print or online, I always attempt to attend as many local, regional, and state conferences as possible in person at different colleges, universities, and conservatories in New York State, or in a state that borders New York State.

Collaborate with colleagues and fellow educators to observe each other's classes. Provide constructive feedback on teaching techniques, classroom management, and student engagement. This reciprocal exchange of insights can lead to improvements in your teaching approach. You can also join or create PLCs with other educators who share similar interests or subjects. These groups offer a platform for discussing best practices, sharing resources and learning from each other's experiences. You must stay updated with the latest research and literature in education. Books, journals and articles written by experienced educators and researchers can offer valuable insights into effective teaching practices.

I have taught for more than 30 years and I would describe teaching as a dance. There is a rhythm to it and a good teacher works hard to find their rhythm. It is definitely an art and a balance of what is expected of you, what you are good at and the context that you are teaching in. You should be constantly growing and improving. I always acknowledged the dynamic nature of teaching. As requirements change you have to change strategies. As student needs change you have to change what you do to support them. You cannot continue to do the same dance when the music changes.

Sometimes, we teach the same subject again and again and I think that students can feel when not even you can take those words anymore. Every semester, I choose 2 classes to change completely. Another book, or case, a movie or podcast. Working with projects is also great because every project will have a different interaction with students and results. It's important for me not feel like I am on repeat in classrooms.

As a learning from my experience as a Trainer, I would prefer this method to be more effective and result oriented for establishing your unique style of teaching, because every time you meet the learning community, each time you will get to handle different types of learners and with multiple expectations. It's not easy to reach out all by having a standard method of teaching, it requires a lot of unique methodology and techniques to satisfy everyone. Do analysis of the audiences before teaching them and get their attention to you by creating a rapport with them.

Remember in this process to learn continuously. Seek out professional development and knowledgeable colleagues to expand your repertoire. Read the research and understand best practices. Then experiment with those. Evidence-based instructional practices will always make your teaching better.

In my experience as an educator, I found teaching to be as instinctive and intuitive as parenting. There is no one ideal strategy or style that works with all students. I have relied as much on my own personal journey as a learner as I have on the observations and experiences of teaching for four decades. The need to question the status quo, to reinvent in order to remain relevant and excited about education and a larger goal of making education aspirational have all together kept any disenchantment away. Adapting to change, experimenting, getting my hands dirty and sometimes failing has made me a more human teacher with my vulnerabilities. This has warmed my students who learnt how failure can be dealt with.The wins were inspiring too.

Students can smell a fake from a mile away! I encourage teachers to bring their truest self into their classrooms and allow students to learn from that person, not just another teacher. By bring your “self”, you’re more likely to feel comfortable in front of your students which will bring down barriers that might otherwise prevent authentic and meaningful relationships to be built I believe that students learned from people that they care about, so give them an opportunity to do that! In the end your classroom community will be stronger.

Teaching is a profession where we bring our true selves with us to work every day. An attorney may have a courtroom persona they adapt, and yes, teachers do "perform" every day. But I believe the best teaching happens when we are authentic. If you are silly, you can be silly and still be effective. If you are compassionate, your students will thrive as a result of your compassion. Be who you are.

Regularly reflect on your teaching experiences, both successes and challenges. Use these reflections to refine your teaching approach and make adjustments that align with your authentic style. Don't compromise your core values and principles for the sake of conformity or popularity. Your authenticity shines when you stand by what you believe in and model integrity for your students. Continuously nurture your passion for teaching. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and it's a key component of authenticity. Show your genuine excitement for the subject matter and the learning process.

As a teacher and principal you must have a strong belief in what good pedagogy and positive school culture and environment looks like.

Our curriculum being truly authentic is crucial in the commitment we see from our staff and learners, never shy away from being truly authentic, thousands of schools are out there doing the same thing. Be true to your mission and vision. The learners will support you all the way if they truly feel its for the betterment of their experiences.

Feedback comes from the students and their understanding of the topic and concepts. This is true for all levels of learners. You want to move every student up a notch. Sometimes we move the easy ones and think we have done well. But when you have an assessment and the best students don't get it, it is your fault. Reteach in a different way and retest.

Never shy away from feedback. During our PBL modules we always allow the learners to give feedback on our PBL Modules and what could be improved and done better. Sure sometimes the phasing and wording could be better, but 99% of the time it comes from a good place of wanting the experience and school to be better.

I always self-reflect in hopes of being better. I receive feedback and constructive criticism as a way to improve my craft. I appreciate professional development that is pertinent and useful. I always acknowledge the fact that I do not know everything and there are always areas of improvement that are needed. My teaching goals are lofty and I realize I must improve to accomplish those goals.

Check in with your students frequently on the things you are doing right to meet their needs as a learner and ask if there is anything you could do differently to better meet their needs. Kids are honest and want to do well in school, ask them what works best for them and they will tell you! Sometimes the adult perspective of “what’s best” and the student perspective on what’s more effective vary widely.

Feedback is important. Sometimes some ideas just may not work or maybe a colleague or administrator may have a few ideas to help you iron out the knots in your teaching practice. Yes, we are teachers, but we are also human -- take time to chill-out and enjoy your life outside the classroom. Sometimes your best ideas come from relaxation.

Take time to reflect on your teaching successes, both big and small. Celebrate moments when your students achieved their goals or when you saw positive changes in their learning. Share these successes with colleagues, friends and even your students to spread positivity. Also, develop a teaching portfolio that showcases your accomplishments, lesson plans, student work, and feedback from students and colleagues. Reviewing your portfolio can remind you of your achievements and the growth you've experienced as an educator. Embrace the idea that your teaching style will evolve over time.

Students don’t want to be seen as “kids” or a number on your roster; they want to be seen as valuable human beings who have the same needs as you. Acknowledge the shared humanity and create a classroom environment where student needs are met. This can mean providing modified instruction or advanced work to individual students. This can mean having beanbag chairs for kids who need sensory breaks. This can mean providing snacks in a low income school where kids might not have enough to eat at home. This can mean providing a personal care center and letting kids know you can help in more ways than just provide instruction. For me, that help was to start a school-based food pantry, run by students. Www.gooddeedgrocery.com

Never stop learning yourself. Workshops, college courses, new technology updates….it’s always good to keep up with what is out there that can be taken back to the classroom. I always challenged myself to learn one new technique/idea each year and bring it to the classroom. It kept me relevant and added a bit of fun to see how it would benefit my students each year. If it worked, I kept it. If it didn’t, I either tweaked it and tried again or just dropped it.

No matter what your style, it is important to remember that students don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

Always look for new ways to explain things. If you only explain things in the way that you understand them, you will only really teach a small percentage of your students. People learn in different ways. Step outside of your comfort zone and really try to reach every student. This will also give you a deeper understanding of what it is that you're teaching, which is a huge benefit to everyone.

I think the only thing that will never change in the education sector is the importance of relationship between teacher and student. That is where the meaningful learning can take place. Tools, techniques, increased subject knowledge will always be important, but the rapport will stand the test of time.