How to Teach Literature to College Students

Teaching a college literature course for the first time can be intimidating. However, if you are well-prepared, the idea of teaching college literature class should start to sound fun and exciting. To teach literature to college students, you will need to incorporate strategies that work at the college level, find ways to maintain a positive class environment, develop a teaching strategy that is comfortable for you, and design a course that meets your department’s requirements.

Part One of Four:

Teaching at the College LevelEdit

    1

    Motivate students to do the reading with quizzes. One of the biggest challenges of teaching college literature is getting your students to come to class prepared. One way to motivate your students to do the readings and come to class ready to discuss them is to give daily reading quizzes.[1]

        You can either create simple short answer quizzes or assign writing prompts that will test your students' knowledge of the reading. Give these quizzes at the beginning of every class. You may even incorporate the quizzes into your class discussions, such as by asking students to share their answers.

        Make sure that you give an adequate amount of points for the quizzes and responses. For example, if the quizzes for the entire semester are only worth 5% of the overall grade, then some students may not see these as worthy of their time and effort. Instead, consider making the quizzes worth around 20 to 30% of the total grade.

   

    2

    Require students to come to class with questions. Another option to motivate students to do the assigned readings is to require students to come to class with questions about the reading. You can then use your students' questions to kick off the class discussion.

        For example, you might require your students to bring in a set of three discussion questions per class and invite students to ask questions at random. Then, you could also collect the questions at the end of the class and give points to students who completed the questions.

        Make sure that you explain how to write a good discussion question before you start requiring your students to bring in questions. Explain to students that good discussion questions should be open-ended. They should not result in a yes or no answer, or a single answer, such as “What was the name of Mrs. Dalloway’s visitor?” Instead, a good question might be something like, “What is the significance of the lines from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline that Mrs. Dalloway reads? Do these lines seem to have importance to anyone else but her? Why or why not?”

    3

    Provide participation opportunities within lectures. If you give a lecture, make sure that you include a participation opportunity about every seven to 10 minutes. These opportunities should allow your students to respond, discuss, or ask questions about the material. Some good strategies that you might use include:[2]

        Asking rhetorical questions. For example, while reading Mrs. Dalloway, you might ask your students something like, “What is the purpose of an internal dialogue?”

        Having students share a similar experience with a neighbor. While reading Mrs. Dalloway, you could encourage students to identify something that they have in common with Clarissa, or another character.

        Requesting that students paraphrase a concept that was just described. If you introduce a theoretical concept that sheds light on the text you are reading, then you might request that your students break into pairs or small groups and attempt to put the concept into their own words.

  

    4

    Incorporate theory. At the college level, students should be exposed to literary theory. If your department has a specific course meant to introduce students to theory, then you may be able to request that students incorporate theory into papers or presentations. If not, then you may need to provide some instruction to help students understand and use literary theory.

        For example, you could require students to craft discussion questions that incorporate a specific type of literary theory, such as feminist, psychoanalytic, or Marxist theory. Or, you could assign different schools of literary theory to individual students or small groups and require them to develop an analysis of a text using that theory.

   

    5

    Discuss specific passages with your students. Close reading is essential when teaching literature at the college level, so make sure that you devote plenty of class time to close reading. Try to pick one passage per class or invite a student to pick one passage per class and focus on it for 15 to 20 minutes.

        For example, you might invite one student per class to read a favorite paragraph aloud and invite the rest of the class to discuss that paragraph.[3]

        You can also ask other students to point to other areas of the text that connect with the first student’s chosen paragraph as a way to deepen the conversation.

  

    6

    Turn in-class discussions into in-class writing assignments. Some passages may be too difficult for students to develop a response on the spot. In these situations, you can always direct your students to free write to help them generate ideas.

        For example, if you notice that students are struggling to comment on a passage or that the discussion is limited to only a handful of students, give them five to 10 minutes to free write about the passage.

        Avoid filling the silence with your voice. Keep in mind that there will be times when your students are silent, but it is usually because they are struggling with a question or concept. Allow them some time to struggle silently rather than giving them your answers.

 

    7

    Include group activities. Some students will not feel comfortable speaking up in class, at least early on. Therefore, it is helpful to include small group activities into your classes so that all students have the opportunity to contribute to class discussions. Including group activities, or cooperative learning, in your classroom can also benefit students by providing them with the opportunity to learn from their peers.[4]

        You might begin some of your classes by dividing your students into groups and assigning them a question about the day’s reading. Or, you might ask students to focus on a particular passage or chapter and develop some ideas and/or questions to add to the class discussion.

        For example, if you are reading Mrs. Dalloway, then you might start the class by asking students, “How does Virginia Woolf transition from one character’s point of view to another? Find an example from the text to support your answer.”

    Advertisement

Part Two of Four:

Creating a Positive Class EnvironmentEdit

    1

    Use scaffolding to teach difficult skills. Scaffolding is when you teach students to do something that is one level beyond their abilities and then support them through the task. The students should develop mastery over the skill after practicing it a few times and then you can remove the support.[5]

        For example, you might introduce close reading by guiding your students through a close reading of a passage during one class, then provide your students with chances to do the same during class time. Then, you might ask your students to do a close reading of a passage outside of class and write about it in a paper.

    2

    Model skills and strategies in the classroom. Your students will often observe you and emulate the skills that you model for them in your class. Therefore, it is important that you model the types of skills that you want your students to learn.[6]

        For example, you might model good questions for your students with the questions that you ask in class. Or, you might model good writing for your students by showing your students a paper that you wrote while you were a student.

 

    3

    Ask questions. Asking questions can help students to connect what they have read with their own knowledge and experiences. It is especially important to ask questions that will help your students make connections between the readings and their own lives.[7] Make sure that you ask your students some thoughtful questions during classes to help them find effective ways to enter the conversation.

        Focus on open answer questions, rather than yes, no, and other single answer questions. Ask questions that start with “Why” and “How.” If you do ask any single answer questions, then make sure that you invite students to say more by asking “Why” and “How” questions.

        For example, if you have just finished reading Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, then you might ask your students something like, “How does Woolf tell the story?” and “What does this format reveal about the way we narrate our own lives?”

  

    4

    Use visual aids. Using images, films, and other visual aids can be quite beneficial for students who are more visual learners. No matter what your preferred form of teaching, you should consider incorporating some kind of visual aid into your classes. This can range from high-tech, such as a PowerPoint, to low-tech, such as notes and doodles on the whiteboard.

        For example, creating a PowerPoint that pairs difficult concepts with images may help some students to gain understanding of a book that a spoken lecture might not.

        Films can also be helpful aids to include. For example, you might use a film to provide a compliment to a complicated scene in a book, or as a point of comparison after the class has finished reading a book.

    5

    Encourage your students. To maintain a positive environment in your literature class, you will have to offer your students encouragement for contributing to the discussion. This can just be a simple, “Thanks for bringing that up,” after a student finishes a comment or question. Or, you can offer more personal responses. For example, you might say something like, “I wondered the same thing when I first read Mrs. Dalloway.”

        Thank your students at the end of each class for their participation as well. For example, you might say something like, “I really enjoyed our discussion today. Thank you all for contributing such excellent ideas.”

        Avoid criticizing your students’ interpretations or shutting them down if something is unclear. If something that a student says is unclear, then you can prompt the student to clarify by asking something like, “That is an interesting thought. Why do you say that?” Or, “It seems like you are wrestling with a difficult concept. Do you want to expand or open up the topic to the rest of the class?”

        Avoid praising the quality of a question. Saying that you think a question is “good” might lead others to think that their questions are not good. Therefore, try to avoid this type of praise. Instead, stick to remarks that will encourage students. You can even use non-verbal encouragement, such as smiling, nodding your head, or giving a thumbs up.[8]

    Advertisement

Part Three of Four:

Developing Your StrategyEdit

    1

    Work with a mentor. Some departments may assign you a mentor to help you as you begin to teach. If your department does not assign you a mentor, then you might consider choosing someone for yourself. Choose someone who you think is well-suited to help you develop your teaching skills.

        For example, if you are a medievalist, then you might ask another medievalist in your department if he or she would be willing to serve as your mentor. However, having the same scholarly interests is not a requirement for a good mentor. You might simply choose someone who you think would make a good mentor because of his or her personality and experience.[9]

    2

    Develop your knowledge of pedagogy. You can improve your knowledge of pedagogy and what works for teaching literature by attending conferences and by reading articles about teaching literature. Try to view presentations and read articles that connect with the texts you are teaching.

        For example, if you are teaching Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, you can read journal articles about the most successful pedagogical strategies for teaching this work. Or, if you attend an author specific conference, such as a Virginia Woolf conference, then you might try to attend pedagogy presentations that discuss teaching Woolf in general or a specific text, such as The Waves or Orlando.

 

    3

    Reflect on your favorite professors. Think back to the professors that taught your favorite college literature courses to start getting some ideas for teaching strategies. Some questions you might ask yourself include:

        What teaching methods did your favorite professors use in class?

        What did you like about these teaching methods?

        How did these methods help you to understand and discuss difficult texts?

        What (if anything) would you change about these methods if you decide to use them in your class?

    4

    Identify your strengths. Based on past teaching experiences, you may already have a sense of what you excel at in the classroom. For example, you might be really good at making and giving PowerPoint presentations, or facilitating class discussions, or developing interesting group activities.

        Make a list of your strengths in the classroom as well as any other personal strengths that you think might lead you towards some effective teaching strategies.

  

    5

    Ask colleagues for suggestions. Your more experienced colleagues are excellent resources for learning about teaching strategies and getting lesson plan ideas. Whether you are a graduate assistant who is just starting to teach or a tenure track professor, you can learn something new from a more experienced member of your department.

        Try setting up a meeting with someone who also teaches literature in your department. Ask for suggestions on what works, feedback on your current ideas, resources that might help you, and general advice.

        Consider asking to observe other literature classes to see how other teachers encourage discussion.

    6

    Write out your teaching philosophy. A teaching philosophy communicates your goals and values as a teacher. Creating a teaching philosophy may even help you to develop your teaching skills, so it is a good idea to write out your teaching philosophy even if you do not need to. Most teaching philosophies include:[10]

        your ideas about teaching and learning

        a description of the strategies that you use to teach

        an explanation of why you teach the way that you do

    Advertisement

Part Four of Four:

Designing a CourseEdit

   

    1

    Check the departmental requirements. Your English department might have specific guidelines for the course you are teaching, so it is important to check before you start designing your course. For example, you might be required to teach specific texts, give certain assignments, or incorporate specific concepts.

        Ask your department chair or another supervisor if you can see other professors' syllabi to get ideas about how your course should look. Use these syllabi to help you determine how you can meet the department’s requirements for the course.

    2

    Consider choosing a theme. If you are teaching a special course for your department, then you may already have a theme. However, you can always add a theme for even more focus. If the course does not have a theme, then you may find it easier to identify readings and craft assignments by choosing a theme. Some common literature course themes include:[11]

        African American literature

        Author courses, such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, or Dickens

        Family

        Food

        Gender

        Myth

        Rural or Urban literature

        Symbolism

        Time periods, such as the 20th century, the Enlightenment, or the Renaissance

        Types of literature, such as poetry, short stories, drama, or novels

        Utopian or dystopian literature

        Women writers

    3

    Make a list of books and other texts. Once you have identified your theme, start listing potential texts that you could teach for that course. This list may include far more books or other works than you could realistically teach. Just keep in mind that you can narrow down your list later on.

        You can also ask colleagues for suggestions. Someone who has taught for a long time might be able to suggest texts that work really well for the course you are teaching.

        For example, if you wanted to teach a course that focuses on women writers, then you might include on your list works by Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Toni Morrison, and Zora Neale Hurston.

   

    4

    Develop a reading schedule. Once you have decided on the works that you will include in your course, you will need to develop a reading schedule. First, decide what order you would like your students to read the texts. Then you can devise a schedule for how much of each text you will read each week.

        Consider the length of the texts as you develop your reading schedule. For books and other long works, you will need to break the readings into manageable sections. For short works, such as poems or short stories, you may be able to read the entire piece for one class.

 

    5

    Choose assignments. Most literature classes require students to write at least one paper, but you can also include different types of assignments. For example, you might also include presentations, discussion leading activities, or quizzes and exams.

        Make sure that you check the course requirements to determine what (if any) assignments are required by your department.

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Successful teaching Strategies for College Level

How to Teach Literature to College Students

Teaching a college literature course for the first time can be intimidating. However, if you are well-prepared, the idea of teaching college literature class should start to sound fun and exciting. To teach literature to college students, you will need to incorporate strategies that work at the college level, find ways to maintain a positive class environment, develop a teaching strategy that is comfortable for you, and design a course that meets your department’s requirements.

Part One of Four:

Teaching at the College LevelEdit

   

    1

    Motivate students to do the reading with quizzes. One of the biggest challenges of teaching college literature is getting your students to come to class prepared. One way to motivate your students to do the readings and come to class ready to discuss them is to give daily reading quizzes.[1]

        You can either create simple short answer quizzes or assign writing prompts that will test your students' knowledge of the reading. Give these quizzes at the beginning of every class. You may even incorporate the quizzes into your class discussions, such as by asking students to share their answers.

        Make sure that you give an adequate amount of points for the quizzes and responses. For example, if the quizzes for the entire semester are only worth 5% of the overall grade, then some students may not see these as worthy of their time and effort. Instead, consider making the quizzes worth around 20 to 30% of the total grade.

   

    2

    Require students to come to class with questions. Another option to motivate students to do the assigned readings is to require students to come to class with questions about the reading. You can then use your students' questions to kick off the class discussion.

        For example, you might require your students to bring in a set of three discussion questions per class and invite students to ask questions at random. Then, you could also collect the questions at the end of the class and give points to students who completed the questions.

        Make sure that you explain how to write a good discussion question before you start requiring your students to bring in questions. Explain to students that good discussion questions should be open-ended. They should not result in a yes or no answer, or a single answer, such as “What was the name of Mrs. Dalloway’s visitor?” Instead, a good question might be something like, “What is the significance of the lines from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline that Mrs. Dalloway reads? Do these lines seem to have importance to anyone else but her? Why or why not?”

    

    3

    Provide participation opportunities within lectures. If you give a lecture, make sure that you include a participation opportunity about every seven to 10 minutes. These opportunities should allow your students to respond, discuss, or ask questions about the material. Some good strategies that you might use include:[2]

        Asking rhetorical questions. For example, while reading Mrs. Dalloway, you might ask your students something like, “What is the purpose of an internal dialogue?”

        Having students share a similar experience with a neighbor. While reading Mrs. Dalloway, you could encourage students to identify something that they have in common with Clarissa, or another character.

        Requesting that students paraphrase a concept that was just described. If you introduce a theoretical concept that sheds light on the text you are reading, then you might request that your students break into pairs or small groups and attempt to put the concept into their own words.

    

    4

    Incorporate theory. At the college level, students should be exposed to literary theory. If your department has a specific course meant to introduce students to theory, then you may be able to request that students incorporate theory into papers or presentations. If not, then you may need to provide some instruction to help students understand and use literary theory.

        For example, you could require students to craft discussion questions that incorporate a specific type of literary theory, such as feminist, psychoanalytic, or Marxist theory. Or, you could assign different schools of literary theory to individual students or small groups and require them to develop an analysis of a text using that theory.

    

    5

    Discuss specific passages with your students. Close reading is essential when teaching literature at the college level, so make sure that you devote plenty of class time to close reading. Try to pick one passage per class or invite a student to pick one passage per class and focus on it for 15 to 20 minutes.

        For example, you might invite one student per class to read a favorite paragraph aloud and invite the rest of the class to discuss that paragraph.[3]

        You can also ask other students to point to other areas of the text that connect with the first student’s chosen paragraph as a way to deepen the conversation.

    

    6

    Turn in-class discussions into in-class writing assignments. Some passages may be too difficult for students to develop a response on the spot. In these situations, you can always direct your students to free write to help them generate ideas.

        For example, if you notice that students are struggling to comment on a passage or that the discussion is limited to only a handful of students, give them five to 10 minutes to free write about the passage.

        Avoid filling the silence with your voice. Keep in mind that there will be times when your students are silent, but it is usually because they are struggling with a question or concept. Allow them some time to struggle silently rather than giving them your answers.

   

    7

    Include group activities. Some students will not feel comfortable speaking up in class, at least early on. Therefore, it is helpful to include small group activities into your classes so that all students have the opportunity to contribute to class discussions. Including group activities, or cooperative learning, in your classroom can also benefit students by providing them with the opportunity to learn from their peers.[4]

        You might begin some of your classes by dividing your students into groups and assigning them a question about the day’s reading. Or, you might ask students to focus on a particular passage or chapter and develop some ideas and/or questions to add to the class discussion.

        For example, if you are reading Mrs. Dalloway, then you might start the class by asking students, “How does Virginia Woolf transition from one character’s point of view to another? Find an example from the text to support your answer.”

    Advertisement

Part Two of Four:

Creating a Positive Class EnvironmentEdit

    

    1

    Use scaffolding to teach difficult skills. Scaffolding is when you teach students to do something that is one level beyond their abilities and then support them through the task. The students should develop mastery over the skill after practicing it a few times and then you can remove the support.[5]

        For example, you might introduce close reading by guiding your students through a close reading of a passage during one class, then provide your students with chances to do the same during class time. Then, you might ask your students to do a close reading of a passage outside of class and write about it in a paper.

   

    2

    Model skills and strategies in the classroom. Your students will often observe you and emulate the skills that you model for them in your class. Therefore, it is important that you model the types of skills that you want your students to learn.[6]

        For example, you might model good questions for your students with the questions that you ask in class. Or, you might model good writing for your students by showing your students a paper that you wrote while you were a student.

   

    3

    Ask questions. Asking questions can help students to connect what they have read with their own knowledge and experiences. It is especially important to ask questions that will help your students make connections between the readings and their own lives.[7] Make sure that you ask your students some thoughtful questions during classes to help them find effective ways to enter the conversation.

        Focus on open answer questions, rather than yes, no, and other single answer questions. Ask questions that start with “Why” and “How.” If you do ask any single answer questions, then make sure that you invite students to say more by asking “Why” and “How” questions.

        For example, if you have just finished reading Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, then you might ask your students something like, “How does Woolf tell the story?” and “What does this format reveal about the way we narrate our own lives?”

    

    4

    Use visual aids. Using images, films, and other visual aids can be quite beneficial for students who are more visual learners. No matter what your preferred form of teaching, you should consider incorporating some kind of visual aid into your classes. This can range from high-tech, such as a PowerPoint, to low-tech, such as notes and doodles on the whiteboard.

        For example, creating a PowerPoint that pairs difficult concepts with images may help some students to gain understanding of a book that a spoken lecture might not.

        Films can also be helpful aids to include. For example, you might use a film to provide a compliment to a complicated scene in a book, or as a point of comparison after the class has finished reading a book.

   

    5

    Encourage your students. To maintain a positive environment in your literature class, you will have to offer your students encouragement for contributing to the discussion. This can just be a simple, “Thanks for bringing that up,” after a student finishes a comment or question. Or, you can offer more personal responses. For example, you might say something like, “I wondered the same thing when I first read Mrs. Dalloway.”

        Thank your students at the end of each class for their participation as well. For example, you might say something like, “I really enjoyed our discussion today. Thank you all for contributing such excellent ideas.”

        Avoid criticizing your students’ interpretations or shutting them down if something is unclear. If something that a student says is unclear, then you can prompt the student to clarify by asking something like, “That is an interesting thought. Why do you say that?” Or, “It seems like you are wrestling with a difficult concept. Do you want to expand or open up the topic to the rest of the class?”

        Avoid praising the quality of a question. Saying that you think a question is “good” might lead others to think that their questions are not good. Therefore, try to avoid this type of praise. Instead, stick to remarks that will encourage students. You can even use non-verbal encouragement, such as smiling, nodding your head, or giving a thumbs up.[8]

    Advertisement

Part Three of Four:

Developing Your Strategy

   

    1

    Work with a mentor. Some departments may assign you a mentor to help you as you begin to teach. If your department does not assign you a mentor, then you might consider choosing someone for yourself. Choose someone who you think is well-suited to help you develop your teaching skills.

        For example, if you are a medievalist, then you might ask another medievalist in your department if he or she would be willing to serve as your mentor. However, having the same scholarly interests is not a requirement for a good mentor. You might simply choose someone who you think would make a good mentor because of his or her personality and experience.[9]

    

    2

    Develop your knowledge of pedagogy. You can improve your knowledge of pedagogy and what works for teaching literature by attending conferences and by reading articles about teaching literature. Try to view presentations and read articles that connect with the texts you are teaching.

        For example, if you are teaching Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, you can read journal articles about the most successful pedagogical strategies for teaching this work. Or, if you attend an author specific conference, such as a Virginia Woolf conference, then you might try to attend pedagogy presentations that discuss teaching Woolf in general or a specific text, such as The Waves or Orlando.

    

    3

    Reflect on your favorite professors. Think back to the professors that taught your favorite college literature courses to start getting some ideas for teaching strategies. Some questions you might ask yourself include:

        What teaching methods did your favorite professors use in class?

        What did you like about these teaching methods?

        How did these methods help you to understand and discuss difficult texts?

        What (if anything) would you change about these methods if you decide to use them in your class?

    

    4

    Identify your strengths. Based on past teaching experiences, you may already have a sense of what you excel at in the classroom. For example, you might be really good at making and giving PowerPoint presentations, or facilitating class discussions, or developing interesting group activities.

        Make a list of your strengths in the classroom as well as any other personal strengths that you think might lead you towards some effective teaching strategies.

    

    5

    Ask colleagues for suggestions. Your more experienced colleagues are excellent resources for learning about teaching strategies and getting lesson plan ideas. Whether you are a graduate assistant who is just starting to teach or a tenure track professor, you can learn something new from a more experienced member of your department.

        Try setting up a meeting with someone who also teaches literature in your department. Ask for suggestions on what works, feedback on your current ideas, resources that might help you, and general advice.

        Consider asking to observe other literature classes to see how other teachers encourage discussion.

   

    6

    Write out your teaching philosophy. A teaching philosophy communicates your goals and values as a teacher. Creating a teaching philosophy may even help you to develop your teaching skills, so it is a good idea to write out your teaching philosophy even if you do not need to. Most teaching philosophies include:[10]

        your ideas about teaching and learning

        a description of the strategies that you use to teach

        an explanation of why you teach the way that you do

    Advertisement

Part Four of Four:

Designing a CourseEdit

    

    1

    Check the departmental requirements. Your English department might have specific guidelines for the course you are teaching, so it is important to check before you start designing your course. For example, you might be required to teach specific texts, give certain assignments, or incorporate specific concepts.

        Ask your department chair or another supervisor if you can see other professors' syllabi to get ideas about how your course should look. Use these syllabi to help you determine how you can meet the department’s requirements for the course.

    

    2

    Consider choosing a theme. If you are teaching a special course for your department, then you may already have a theme. However, you can always add a theme for even more focus. If the course does not have a theme, then you may find it easier to identify readings and craft assignments by choosing a theme. Some common literature course themes include:[11]

        African American literature

        Author courses, such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, or Dickens

        Family

        Food

        Gender

        Myth

        Rural or Urban literature

        Symbolism

        Time periods, such as the 20th century, the Enlightenment, or the Renaissance

        Types of literature, such as poetry, short stories, drama, or novels

        Utopian or dystopian literature

        Women writers

    

    3

    Make a list of books and other texts. Once you have identified your theme, start listing potential texts that you could teach for that course. This list may include far more books or other works than you could realistically teach. Just keep in mind that you can narrow down your list later on.

        You can also ask colleagues for suggestions. Someone who has taught for a long time might be able to suggest texts that work really well for the course you are teaching.

        For example, if you wanted to teach a course that focuses on women writers, then you might include on your list works by Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Toni Morrison, and Zora Neale Hurston.

    

    4

    Develop a reading schedule. Once you have decided on the works that you will include in your course, you will need to develop a reading schedule. First, decide what order you would like your students to read the texts. Then you can devise a schedule for how much of each text you will read each week.

        Consider the length of the texts as you develop your reading schedule. For books and other long works, you will need to break the readings into manageable sections. For short works, such as poems or short stories, you may be able to read the entire piece.

    5

    Choose assignments. Most literature classes require students to write at least one paper, but you can also include different types of assignments. For example, you might also include presentations, discussion leading activities, or quizzes and exams.

        Make sure that you check the course requirements to determine what (if any) assignments are required by your department.

Source:

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Successful Behaviour Management Strategies that English Teachers use to help engage their students

Remember that it is your responsibility to maintain harmony and the process of learning in the classroom.The end of behavior management is to promote a positive, caring classroom community that encourages student learning, positive peer and teacher relationships and self-motivation. It is not about forcing students to “…comply with teacher demands…” but allowing them to have ownership and success in all aspects of their schooling (Charles, 2002, p.224).

1. Be fair and consistent

Being fair and consistent is probably the most important skill that a teacher can display in the class.  This came to realisation for me in my first few years of teaching.
I remember back to my first year of teaching, my husband’s work sent its employees out to schools to assist with some community work.  He happened to be sent to my school and was helping with some props and displays for our presentation night.  My husband and his colleague were working with a small group of my students.  They were just generally chatting, and my husband asked, “So what’s Miss Crean like as a teacher?”
There was a general consensus with the responses.  The students relayed, “Miss Crean is pretty tough, but she is fair.”  “You know that if you do something bad, you know what the consequence is going to be.”
This was a good lesson that I learned early on in my teaching career.  But, at the same time I definitely find it is hard to maintain.  Sometimes it is easier to just let certain behaviours ‘slide’ and not acknowledge them (which can be a good low key response).
I work very hard to maintain consistency with all students in the class.  I often refer to the jointly developed rights and responsibilities that we have established together, which assists with maintaining the consistency.  More about rights and responsibilities are discussed below.

2. Creating a belonging classroom environment – rights and responsibilities

I truly believe that by creating a classroom community where you jointly develop your classroom rules or rights and responsibilities can only but assist with the culture of the class and the behaviours of the students.
One way that I create a belonging classroom environment is to use the idea of a ‘community circle’.  I first picked up this notion from a teacher who was implementing the Tribes Learning Community.  I haven’t looked a lot at Tribes, but I found that the community circle really worked for the way that I teach.
I use the community circle at the beginning and end of the day for at least 3 days during the week.  We would sit in a circle on the mat and students would respond to a question/statement that I asked them.  I would pass around a wand or squishy ball and students could only speak when they were holding the item.
Some of the topics/questions we discussed in the community circle could include:

• Tell the class a care, concern or celebration you may have;
• One thing that made me happy today was…;
• One thing I really like about school is …; and
• One thing I really dislike about school is…

This is a really nice way to start and end the day and I found that if I forgot to have a community circle, the students would remind me.
I am also a big believer in establishing classroom meetings and a list of shared rights, responsibilities and consequences (similar to the classroom rules).
I always do this on the first day of the year.  As a class we brainstorm what rights and responsibilities might mean.  When we have established this, we then list what the rights and responsibilities are of the people in our class (this is done for both the students and teacher).
We summarise all the responsibilities in to a list of 5 and then establish what the consequences will be if a responsibility is not followed.  Now this is a lengthy process that usually takes me more than 1 lesson to complete.

3. Teaching skills

By teaching skills, I’m referring to the repertoire of skills that you have in your bag to engage your students.
Specifically, such skills that I have worked on and that have assisted with student engagement include: the lesson structure/organisation, questioning skills and wait time.
When planning my lessons and the content I will deliver I fully consider the types of strategies I will need to use in order to maintain the interests of the students and hopefully then have less behavioural issues.  If you haven’t thought about changing up your lessons in a while why not try some of the following strategies: cooperative learning, mind mapping, concept attainment, learning centres and role play.
I think it is a bit of an art form to be good at questioning.  When I first started teaching, I was not very good at this.  I noticed that many of my questions were at a very low level that did not fully extend students.  Also I would just ask the question to the whole class and expect all hands to go up in answer to my questions.
Some of the things that I implemented to assist with my use of questioning included:

• Asking students to share with a partner before responding in front of the whole class;
• Asking for no hands to be raised as I would pick the students to respond; and
• Taking a poll to a question, such as thumbs up or thumbs down if you agree/disagree.

I also began trying to frame my questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy to help extend students’ thinking and understanding further.  As part of my lesson planning, I would document the types of questions I wanted to ask, so that I had prepared varying degrees of questions.
Wait time is the time that you wait after you ask a question for students to think about the answer.  It is so easy to ask the question and expect responses immediately.  When I first worked on this skill, I would actually count in my head to 5 to force myself to provide wait time.

4. Using low key responses

These are the things that are least intrusive, and do not interrupt the flow of the lesson as much as some other forms of management.
Some of the low key responses that I have used successfully include:
The Look – It’s surprising how good ‘the look’ actually works!  I must have this down to a fine art, as my husband tells me “don’t give me your teacher look; I’m not one of your students.”
This strategy involves the teacher using a certain look to convey to the misbehaving student that what he/she is doing is inappropriate.  When I use the look I quite often pause what I am saying, to really have the full impact of the look.  This gains the attention of all students in the class as I stop speaking mid-sentence.
This is great to use as a first option when a student starts misbehaving and can also help with stopping other students jumping on the band wagon.  It’s important to remember that you want to stop behaviours early before they become more serious, or more students decide to join in.
The look is actually also a good way of communicating that you think a student’s behaviour is acceptable.  A big smile can go a long way!
Proximity and the Touch – This is about moving around the class and placing yourself near the misbehaving student.  I find that if I continually stay at the front of the room and not move around the room, I tend to have more students try and misbehave.
I have also successfully used a light touch (generally on the shoulder) while moving around the room to gain the attention of misbehaving students.  This lets the student know in a personal way that I know what they’re doing and it is not acceptable.  I find though, that this needs to be used with some caution as some students don’t like the invasion of their space.
Signals – Over the years I have used different types of signals to gain the attention of my students and to get the class to refocus.  Probably the two most effective were placing my hand up (students had to copy) and clapping a pattern that students had to copy.  It’s important to ensure you don’t actually start talking until you have the attention of all students and talking has ceased.
What is good with these two signals are that you can use them anywhere.  They don’t require you to take something with you, so they work effectively in other areas within the school.
Another signal that works exceptionally well is the ‘pause’.  As I mentioned earlier I quite often use the pause in conjunction with the look.  It can be quite powerful, but at the same time allows you to also take a breath and compose yourself before responding in a way that may exacerbate the situation.

5. Formal contracts

Formal contracts are a more intrusive intervention for behaviour management.  I have used contracts a number of times over the years with varying degrees of success.  I first tried this in my first year of teaching with a student named Ben.  You can read more about some of Ben’s behaviours in this post: Tales From A First Year Teacher: My First Day As A Real Teacher.
Going down this path is usually as a last resort because the behaviours are having a serious impact on the functioning of the classroom.
The contract is usually jointly developed between the student and teacher and possibly the parent or guardian.  It includes such items as the specific behaviours to target, consequences, rewards if appropriate and the people involved.  It is then signed by both the student and the teacher.

Summing up

Finally, I think that it is so very important to support new teachers and teachers who are struggling with behaviour management.  My first few years of teaching were not very supportive and it was very much a ‘sink or swim’ mentality.
If you notice someone in your school struggling, why not consider starting a support group.

Reference:
http://topnotchteaching.com/experts/behaviour-management-strategies/
 

Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 8/15

14) How do you differentiate your teaching? Please provide a couple of examples. 



My teaching is unique in the sense that while teaching approach is holistic, it is also inclusive and individualized. It is holistic because I not only share knowledge with my students, but I also elicit knowledge from them. For instance, when I was teaching mathematics, I didn’t simply teach formulas and methods of solving mathematical problems. I also explained to my students the value of understanding numbers and the great things we can use math for, such as the ability to think logically. I include all students in my lessons.  For those who have difficulty, I use cooperative learning, peer tutors, and re-teaching techniques. I attend to the individual needs of the students by modifying assignments. For example, when I had a group of gifted children in my class, I
regularly gave them special assignments to work on that would stimulate higher level thinking skills and had them present their work to the class.

15) What can you contribute to our school community/teaching team?

I am the type of teacher who shares with my peers the classroom experiences that I have had, whether good or bad. I do this because I believe that this the best way for me
and other teachers to improve our teaching. In this way, I get to share with them the best of my skills and, in return, they share with me the best of their skills. I also find
that this is a very good way to learn how to handle situations that are difficult or unusual. The feeling of not being alone, but being part of a team of teachers, is what I can bring to the school.  This will help build morale and a great working environment. 

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Reference:

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Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 7/15

12) What do you do to accommodate a student with an IEP?

An Individualized Education Plan will be successful if proper coordination and collaboration are emphasized by the teacher, parents, psychologist, and other school staff.  I accommodate a student with an IEP by planning a series of in-depth discussions with the parents to learn about the student’s diagnosis and needs and later to inform the
parents of his progress. This allows me to design an education program that addresses his specific needs and puts into place special accommodations. I also will document my own observations and evaluations of the student’s academic work and behavior. As I gain knowledge and information about the student with the IEP, it will be easier for me to decide on the lessons and teaching and learning styles I should use to accommodate his needs and maximize his learning. There are many types of accommodations, depending on the student’s diagnosis, for example, instructing a student through the use of
 manipulatives, providing a seat near the front of the room, reinforcing positive behavior every few minutes, providing extra time for assignments, and giving tests orally instead
of in writing.

13) Do you enjoy teaching children?  If so, how would I know if I observed your class?

What I most enjoy in teaching is hearing my students explain, in their own words, what they learned in a particular lesson and watching them enjoy participating in a lesson. When you observe my class, you will see that I get my students engaged in our discussions and activities. You will see that my students actively participate in each lesson. I make sure that all of them have a chance to speak, express their thoughts, and share them with the class. I enjoy how their faces brighten every time I recognize their efforts to learn by saying, “Very good,” “That’s a great idea,” “Good job,” and other encouraging phrases. At the end of the lesson, you will hear the students explain what they learned.  Most of all, you’ll know that I enjoy teaching because the children in my class look happy.

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Reference:

http://teaching.monster.com/

Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 6/15

9) What are some of the trends, issues, and methodologies in education that relate to your specific curriculum area or grade level?

Here are some trends, issues, and methodologies that relate to most subjects and grade levels. You might say:

It seems that increasingly students have more information and knowledge than ever before due to access to the internet. A teacher has to be aware of what the internet
is, how it can be used in positive ways, and how to protect students from negative influences on the internet.
It can be a powerful learning tool for students. In addition,
technology in general has changed education greatly. Using computers, videos, and other kinds of technology makes lessons more interesting and more fun. It also makes it
easier to teach students with varying needs. A computer with internet access can open the world up to the classroom.

An issue that is important is teaching to state standards. School time is limited and we must make the best use of it that we can, so I try to relate every lesson and activity to a grade level standard.  That keeps me focused on the overarching goal of improving education and helping children do better academically.

One of the most important methodologies in my opinion is teaching through multiple intelligences.  Children learn in so many different ways.  I try to reach everyone by teaching through the senses, using visual, auditory, and sense of touch to impart information.  When possible, I try to include the senses of taste and smell, too!

10) Do you know what is going on in education today?

Do you have a passion for the profession? In other words, do you stay current?

Here is a possible answer for this question. I love education. I think that it is imperative to be a lifelong learner when one is a teacher. I plan to continue my education by (fill in this blank with your own plans).  Technology continues to evolve into a strategic part of education. Tablet PCs and hand held devices are the newest gadgets on the market for students to use; the internet is
an incredible resource.  Technology provides interactive, individualized learning experiences, increasing student engagement and efficiency – in safer and more secure
schools. Multiculturalism and securing equal opportunities for all are important themes in education. And, of course, teaching to state standards to upgrade student academic progress is very important.

11) What is your classroom management plan?

My general classroom management plan is to make my classroom feel like a home to every student. I want them to feel valued, intelligent, safe, and comfortable. I want
them to respect me, the teacher, and each other and to show that respect by treating everyone with kindness and caring.

The class environment must be conducive to learning so I welcome everyone’s opinions and encourage and respect student differences. I try to understand the expectations
of my students and make them aware of my expectations. I always make it a point to clearly communicate my expectations at the beginning of the school year. In this
way, I ensure that the students and I are moving toward the same goal – learning for all. I establish firm, but fair and consistent discipline. I try to maintain a regular schedule each day.  If the classroom is well-managed and teaching is effective, the participants in this learning environment will learn, grow, and become responsible
citizens.

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Reference:

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Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 5/15

6) What ways do you assess and evaluate students?



In assessing students, I make use of different methods. I use formal and informal assessment procedures to promote social, academic, and physical development. The usual
assessment that I use is written quizzes (case studies, discussions) and examinations. Throughout the semester, I also grade and assess students on their class participation
such as recitations, reports, group activities, and seat work. I also assess and grade students based on their completion of assignments and timeliness in submission. I
also use authentic/alternative assessments, in which the student shows they can perform a task, such as making a speech or writing a story. I like to use written, oral, and day-to-day assessments.

7) What will you do to modify your teaching to meet the needs of a gifted student?



A gifted student in the midst of the regular students can be a challenge in terms of addressing his or her particular needs and capabilities. What I will do is to modify his
work assignments in expectation or length to fit his abilities. His tasks will require a higher level of understanding compared to the regular students. During class discussions, I can direct questions to him or her that require higher-level thinking skills. I also would
encourage the gifted student to take a leadership role in group work so that his classmates can emulate and be inspired by him.  



8) What would your master teacher or cooperating teacher say about you?



My master teacher would say that I am incredibly energetic in teaching because I love what I do! She would say that I am the type of person who also goes the extra mile to help my students learn and comprehend their lessons regardless of their abilities. She would say that I also try to teach values that are important in life, including the value of 
discipline. 

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Reference:

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Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 3/15

4) Are you a flexible teacher? If so, explain how.



Yes I am a flexible teacher. I can deal very effectively with people and students from all backgrounds and socio-economic groups.  In teaching, I am completely aware that students have different learning rates and styles. Some are fast learners and some are slow learners, some learn best in auditory manner, others through actions or visual media. Still others have specific learning disabilities. I am flexible in the sense that I address
these differences and make it a point to respond to their different needs. In my teaching, I make use of different learning strategies so that my instruction will be interesting and motivating to students.  I use lecture, discussion, hands-on activities, cooperative learning, projects, manipulatives, role playing, debates, reports, technology, and others. (Choose the ones appropriate to the subject and/or grade for which you are applying.)




5)  What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of student (intern) teaching?



For me, the most difficult part of student teaching is the limited contact hours with students within one class period (or day). When I teach, I have so much information that I
would like to impart to my students that time flies by too fast.  I always go to my classes full of energy and armed with lessons which I believe will stimulate curiosity and
spark understanding and new insights in my students. There is so much information that I need to present for them to have a comprehensive understanding of a concept. My
challenge is to make sure that I structure my lessons so effectively that learning takes place in one class period (or day).  So I plan ahead to maximize every minute of my
class period (or day).

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Reference:

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Top questions english teachers are asked at job interviews 3/15

3) As a grade one teacher, how would you motivate parents to become involved in the classroom and in their child’s education?




What is critical to communicate in your response to this question is your understanding of the importance of parental involvement and how you always encourage participation to strengthen student-teacher-parent relationships.  (Grandparents can also be encouraged to
participate.)  Talk about some of the things that parents can volunteer to do in the classroom, such as: reading with students, preparing project materials,  creating bulletin
boards, sorting materials, setting up learning centers, hanging up students’ work, etc. 



Parental involvement means much more than just attending parent-teacher interviews.  You must set goals to keep the parents abreast of what is going on in the classroom.  You
can communicate that information and ask for volunteers through weekly or bi-weekly newsletters.  You might inform parents when you are starting a new unit or specific
projects and make sure they clearly understand the homework assignments each week.  Make sure that parents are invited to any momentous or appropriate events. 



You should contact or speak to parents not just when a child is having difficulty, but also when they are doing well.  Tell the hiring panel that you will call parents and send notes home complimenting students on good behavior. Also mention that you try to recruit bilingual parents to help with communication as necessary.  



Let the hiring committee know that you coach parents on how they can help their child succeed academically.  You may have read some resource book(s) to gain ideas that you
could implement.  If so, let the panel know.  Holding a parent appreciation lunch or tea to acknowledge those who have helped in the classroom is a great idea.  Consider
attending some of the PTA meetings.  If your portfolio contains any past newsletters or parental communication letters, make sure you show these to the panel.





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Reference:

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 Top questions English teachers are asked at job interviews 2/15

2) Let’s pretend it’s almost the first day of school and you are a first grade teacher. 

How would you prepare your classroom? 

This question tests how well you will manage the classroom. The philosophy is that the more organized you are, the more well-run your classroom will be. Don’t give the panel just a few words… they may be using a checklist to see how many items you mention. Plus, as a teacher, you should be very excited about this question and be able to speak for a while, but limit the response to two minutes. 



Your response must provide them with an idea of how nurturing and inviting your classroom will be to students. Come up with some creative decorating ideas, making sure
they are student-centered. You could also mention a huge welcome sign, the daily schedule, age-appropriate posters, name tags for students, labeled desks (how will they be
arranged?) and lockers, a list of class rules/consequences/rewards, and other labeled areas (e.g., the classroom library, manipulative storage, computer area), etc. Or, mention that you might invite parents and students to visit the classroom the day before school
starts, with the administrator’s permission. If you have a portfolio with have pictures of other first days of school, this is a great chance to share them with the panel.



Next, make it clear that you will have organized the textbooks, your lesson plan book, your grade book and other materials well before school begins. Mention several
activities you might include during the first day of school, including an ice-breaker, a trip to the restrooms, and a fun art project. 

The real key to this question is to show your enthusiasm, passion, excellent organizational skills, and how you will create a warm and captivating environment in which students will feel safe, where learning will be maximized, so that children will look forward to coming to school each day.





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Reference:

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