Teaching Tips~ Keeping Pace

You could say all the right words and play all the right games, but if you don't keep the right pace, your class will be boring and dreadful.

Keeping the right pace will grab your students' attentions and allow them to learn with excitement.

Here are 5 tricks for keeping the right pace in the classroom.

1~ No Dead Air

While you don't want to talk so fast or overwhelm them with information (they will forget most of what you say anyway), you also don't want any long silences in the classroom. These silences give room for distraction, wondering, and mischief. When you transition to new material, make it a game to see who can take out their book first or who can line up first. Just like a movie, good transitions can make or break your class.

2~ Movement

Teaching isn't just about the mind. Get the whole body involved, especially with younger students. If they can't sit down for very long, get them standing and moving around. These little competitions to stand first or touch something are really engaging for young learners. For older students who don't like to stand, get their imaginations involved. Tell them to imagine something and lead them to think beyond the four classroom walls.

3~ Game Pace

Students will prolong their turn in a game as much as possible. Give them a countdown from 5 to 1 so they will play quickly, but make sure to give them a punishment if you count to 0. If you slacken your punishment, they will slowly stop listening to you. Making every student play faster will get more students a turn and keep other students more engaged in the game. Playing a game and watching a game can be just as exciting.

4~ Move On

Sometimes you will use an example or teach with a certain method or play a game that just won't connect with your students. Don't force them to like it and don't push through the pain. Scrap that idea and move on to something else. If it doesn't stick to your students, then it's not going to help anyone. Learn from your mistake and try something else.

5~ Tone

Monotone teaching is the best way to lull your students to sleep. However, only speaking very loudly or quietly is no better. Use different tones like you would when telling an interesting story and appeal to your students with ridiculous voices just to get their attention. It doesn't matter how stupid you sound. It's about how much they will retain from what you say. Singing is another great way to quickly grab back students attentions and make some comical transitions in class.