7 answers
Tennyson
Student
Laramie, Wyoming
1
Question
Asked
495 views
How do I find my style for teaching students of a high-school and beyond level?
How do I go about creating my own teaching style as a music teacher? I know everyone teaches a little bit different and I would like some tips to help figure out my style!
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7 answers
Ellen Rosenthal
Retired Art Teacher
239
Answers
Woodbridge, Virginia
Updated
Ellen’s Answer
Hi Tennyson
First off, so nice to hear that you want to go into teaching! As a retired art teacher, I found teaching was a challenging and rewarding career. Your question about teaching style is a good one and shows that you are also thinking about how you relate to your students, which is an excellent sign!
As for teaching style, yes we all have our way of doing things in terms of presenting material and running our classrooms. Your teaching style will change as you develop as a teacher. Here are some things to think about from the beginning.
Respect your students; they come from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances. Some may come from loving homes that are financially secure, while others may come from homes that are financially insecure, or from homeless shelters, or from foster homes. All of them will arrive in your class with some sort of "baggage". Some will be thrilled to be in your music class, others may wonder why they got "stuck" in your class. Start with the belief, or the assumption, that they are all capable of learning and succeeding in your classroom.
Learn from your students: You can learn a lot from your students in terms of what approaches and "styles" work, so pay attention to their reactions to your teaching, good and bad. You might want to keep a journal or a blog when you start teaching to reflect on how you are doing. Your can even ask them occasionally how you are doing. The Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down technique works well.
Be their teacher, not their friend. A lot of young teachers get caught up in this. You are better than any of their friends, you are an adult who wants to help them to do their best and to succeed.
Be flexible. What works with one group of students may not work with every group of students. Don't be afraid to change something or even start something over if it is not working. I once had a class of 25 students, 22 of them were boys, 3 were ESOL girls who did not speak any English. I had to adapt, as the class raced through every lesson I gave, which was very different from my other classes. There was a saying in my education classes of 'If they don't learn how you teach, teach them how they learn".
Have clear Expectations in terms of learning and behavior. Use classroom rules that work for the music room, and be fair in applying them. Structure your lessons and grading so that even those who feel they have little or no musical talent can feel like they can succeed on their own level, and who will enjoy the experience. Use some sort of rubric in your grading. In my art room, following directions, completing the artwork, and effort counted as much as talent. Remember, you may not have future Grammy Award level musicians in your music room, but you will have kids who will grow up to be adults; who will hopefully love music and who will support the music in their future communities.
I hope this helps! Best wishes!
First off, so nice to hear that you want to go into teaching! As a retired art teacher, I found teaching was a challenging and rewarding career. Your question about teaching style is a good one and shows that you are also thinking about how you relate to your students, which is an excellent sign!
As for teaching style, yes we all have our way of doing things in terms of presenting material and running our classrooms. Your teaching style will change as you develop as a teacher. Here are some things to think about from the beginning.
Respect your students; they come from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances. Some may come from loving homes that are financially secure, while others may come from homes that are financially insecure, or from homeless shelters, or from foster homes. All of them will arrive in your class with some sort of "baggage". Some will be thrilled to be in your music class, others may wonder why they got "stuck" in your class. Start with the belief, or the assumption, that they are all capable of learning and succeeding in your classroom.
Learn from your students: You can learn a lot from your students in terms of what approaches and "styles" work, so pay attention to their reactions to your teaching, good and bad. You might want to keep a journal or a blog when you start teaching to reflect on how you are doing. Your can even ask them occasionally how you are doing. The Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down technique works well.
Be their teacher, not their friend. A lot of young teachers get caught up in this. You are better than any of their friends, you are an adult who wants to help them to do their best and to succeed.
Be flexible. What works with one group of students may not work with every group of students. Don't be afraid to change something or even start something over if it is not working. I once had a class of 25 students, 22 of them were boys, 3 were ESOL girls who did not speak any English. I had to adapt, as the class raced through every lesson I gave, which was very different from my other classes. There was a saying in my education classes of 'If they don't learn how you teach, teach them how they learn".
Have clear Expectations in terms of learning and behavior. Use classroom rules that work for the music room, and be fair in applying them. Structure your lessons and grading so that even those who feel they have little or no musical talent can feel like they can succeed on their own level, and who will enjoy the experience. Use some sort of rubric in your grading. In my art room, following directions, completing the artwork, and effort counted as much as talent. Remember, you may not have future Grammy Award level musicians in your music room, but you will have kids who will grow up to be adults; who will hopefully love music and who will support the music in their future communities.
I hope this helps! Best wishes!
Your advice is so helpful and insightful! Thank you for taking the time to answer this question, I appreciate it so much!
Tennyson
Joanne Fellowes
Creative Design Teacher
11
Answers
Sauzé-Vaussais, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Updated
Joanne’s Answer
Good morning…that’s an interesting question. I would say that most teachers styles come naturally. You don’t choose a style as it would become difficult to maintain. Whilst teaching is a little like acting at times, putting on a show, you just need to be yourself! You could ask someone to observe you to see if they could see if you had a natural style or if there are any areas that you could work on or enhance. Teaches often observe how other teachers teach and take the best bits and make them their own but in their own style. Your teaching style naturally evolves and changes the more you teach. Hope that helps a bit…just be yourself!
Observe other teachers
Ask for feedback on your own teachi
Do others observe your style?
Joanne recommends the following next steps:
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Tennyson
Ollie Osinubi
23
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Ollie’s Answer
As a retired educator, I would say developing your own personal style is a process that may take some years of development. It's a scaffolding process where you are building & constructing your style based on several factors, like your experiences as a student, teacher, personal preferences, and by just plain teaching. You will constantly be adding new skills & tools to your teaching toolkit Many times "doing" is the best way to develop & practice these new skills & behaviors. Think of it as your own personal "brand". Eventually, you will end up with a style of your own. It's perfectly okay to borrow from other educators' styles whom you like & respect, while remaining true to who you are as an individual. I believe it's your individuality that will help shape your style making it unique and effective, particularly at high school & beyond. It would probably be somewhere between the first 3 to 5 years into your practice when this will start to formulate. Keep in mind this is a fluid, never-ending process that may need to be updated over the years depending on each generation of students you will be teaching. High school students can be challenging. They are very savvy & can detect teachers who are not authentic and sincere which can manifest into classroom drama or management issues. I've also taught at the college level and my experience has been that college students are compliant & will mostly do whatever is required to get a passing grade for the course since they are paying tuition.
You rock! This advice is very helpful.
Tennyson
Lilia Miller
Senior Instructor
5
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Lilia’s Answer
Being genuine is absolutely crucial. However, you'll discover the limits that make you feel at ease and the pace that fits your student perfectly. Expect a journey of discovery and learning, filled with trials and errors. Remember, each mistake is a stepping stone towards greater understanding. Most importantly, know that your concern and dedication are truly invaluable.
Thank you so much, Lilia!
Tennyson
Yvonne Chen
81
Answers
Updated
Yvonne’s Answer
As a costume designer, I'm convinced that all forms of art are intertwined. Being a music teacher, you undoubtedly have your own distinctive musical preferences and interests. You could consider crafting something inspired by your favorite musicians and composers. For instance, you could create a unique ringtone to signal the start of class, a special sound effect for transitions, or a distinctive bell sound for dismissal. These could all add a personal touch to your teaching environment.
Thank you so much!
Tennyson
Ellen Rosenthal
Retired Art Teacher
239
Answers
Woodbridge, Virginia
Updated
Ellen’s Answer
Hi Tennyson
First off, so nice to hear that you want to go into teaching! As a retired art teacher, I found teaching was a challenging and rewarding career. Your question about teaching style is a good one and shows that you are also thinking about how you relate to your students, which is an excellent sign!
As for teaching style, yes we all have our way of doing things in terms of presenting material and running our classrooms. Your teaching style will change as you develop as a teacher. Here are some things to think about from the beginning.
Respect your students; they come from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances. Some may come from loving homes that are financially secure, while others may come from homes that are financially insecure, or from homeless shelters, or from foster homes. All of them will arrive in your class with some sort of "baggage". Some will be thrilled to be in your music class, others may wonder why they got "stuck" in your class. Start with the belief, or the assumption, that they are all capable of learning and succeeding in your classroom.
Learn from your students: You can learn a lot from your students in terms of what approaches and "styles" work, so pay attention to their reactions to your teaching, good and bad. You might want to keep a journal or a blog when you start teaching to reflect on how you are doing. Your can even ask them occasionally how you are doing. The Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down technique works well for quick feedback.
Be their teacher, not their friend. A lot of young teachers get caught up in this. You are better than any of their friends, you are an adult who wants to help them to do their best and to succeed.
Be flexible. What works with one group of students may not work with every group of students. Don't be afraid to change something or even start something over if it is not working. I once had a class of 25 students, 22 of them were boys, 3 were ESOL girls who did not speak any English. I had to adapt, as the class raced through every lesson I gave, which was very different from my other classes. There was a saying in my education classes of 'If they don't learn how you teach, teach them how they learn".
Have clear Expectations in terms of learning and behavior. Use classroom rules that work for the music room, and be fair in applying them. Structure your lessons and grading so that even those who feel they have little or no musical talent can feel like they can succeed on their own level, and who will enjoy the experience. Use some sort of rubric in your grading. In my art room, following directions, completing the artwork, and effort counted as much as talent. Remember, you may not have future Grammy Award level musicians in your music room, but you will have kids who will grow up to be adults; who will hopefully love music and who will support the music in their future communities.
I hope this helps! Best wishes!
First off, so nice to hear that you want to go into teaching! As a retired art teacher, I found teaching was a challenging and rewarding career. Your question about teaching style is a good one and shows that you are also thinking about how you relate to your students, which is an excellent sign!
As for teaching style, yes we all have our way of doing things in terms of presenting material and running our classrooms. Your teaching style will change as you develop as a teacher. Here are some things to think about from the beginning.
Respect your students; they come from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances. Some may come from loving homes that are financially secure, while others may come from homes that are financially insecure, or from homeless shelters, or from foster homes. All of them will arrive in your class with some sort of "baggage". Some will be thrilled to be in your music class, others may wonder why they got "stuck" in your class. Start with the belief, or the assumption, that they are all capable of learning and succeeding in your classroom.
Learn from your students: You can learn a lot from your students in terms of what approaches and "styles" work, so pay attention to their reactions to your teaching, good and bad. You might want to keep a journal or a blog when you start teaching to reflect on how you are doing. Your can even ask them occasionally how you are doing. The Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down technique works well for quick feedback.
Be their teacher, not their friend. A lot of young teachers get caught up in this. You are better than any of their friends, you are an adult who wants to help them to do their best and to succeed.
Be flexible. What works with one group of students may not work with every group of students. Don't be afraid to change something or even start something over if it is not working. I once had a class of 25 students, 22 of them were boys, 3 were ESOL girls who did not speak any English. I had to adapt, as the class raced through every lesson I gave, which was very different from my other classes. There was a saying in my education classes of 'If they don't learn how you teach, teach them how they learn".
Have clear Expectations in terms of learning and behavior. Use classroom rules that work for the music room, and be fair in applying them. Structure your lessons and grading so that even those who feel they have little or no musical talent can feel like they can succeed on their own level, and who will enjoy the experience. Use some sort of rubric in your grading. In my art room, following directions, completing the artwork, and effort counted as much as talent. Remember, you may not have future Grammy Award level musicians in your music room, but you will have kids who will grow up to be adults; who will hopefully love music and who will support the music in their future communities.
I hope this helps! Best wishes!
This was super helpful, thank you!
Tennyson
Eleni Paraskevopoulou
Sommelier
1
Answer
Athens, Greece
Updated
Eleni’s Answer
Hi there!
To me the most important thing is to get to know the students. You will find inspiration in your class as soon as you get to know them and then you’ll understand what kind of teaching model works better in every single case. Be patient! Students appreciate the fact that teachers learn how to adapt to their student’s needs.
To me the most important thing is to get to know the students. You will find inspiration in your class as soon as you get to know them and then you’ll understand what kind of teaching model works better in every single case. Be patient! Students appreciate the fact that teachers learn how to adapt to their student’s needs.
Thank you so much!
Tennyson