A teacher once said – “I wish everyone in my classroom should participate actively but I don’t know how to make them do that.”
This struggle is common. One of the main goals of any teacher is to get every student’s engagement. Communication is the key to true learning. When the students are feeling comfortable, they pay more attention to curriculum, projects or handicrafts. Their ideas add insight, interest and inspiration to the whole concept of a classroom.
As an experienced teacher of the best CBSE School in Kolkata says –
“I encourage self-reflection and research in the classroom. It promotes self-reflection, reasoning and human connection. I will use five methods to create a space in my classroom that encourages and supports student participation.”
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Teach with empathy
Empathy is an effective way to encourage class communication. “I know it’s hard. If you’re struggling with this issue, it’s normal and expected. Let’s talk about what’s difficult and how we can get it together.” – says an efficient class teacher of one of the top CBSE schools in Kolkata.
These initial ideas like being supportive, being friendly help guide the class to meaningful discussion. Without a foundation of empathy, it will be difficult for students to create a sense of security that makes them feel comfortable to join the class initiatives.
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Wait to Call
In small groups or whole class classes, a teacher should always give students extra time to think. It gives the extra time to think for students who can’t raise their hands in the air and aren’t always ready to answer the questions. It’s always wise to slow down the process and see how many more hands are raised to answer a single question. It helps to track down the class engagement.
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Say No to cold calling
It’s always better to aware your students that you are going to call them to answer things. The teachers of the best English medium school in Kolkata have observed that it is always better make the students aware before calling them all of a sudden. It takes the pressure off their minds and they are more encouraged to take part in the conversations. While on the other hand, cold calling, when a teacher asks a student without even asking to participate first, can clog a student’s pathway to get involved.
To conclude, there are lots of ways to encourage participation from the students’ end. Teachers should be innovative and enthusiastic about the whole process.
