How to create your own teaching style?

<b> Forum for ESL/EFL teachers working with secondary school students </b>

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DBaccaro
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 5:53 pm

How to create your own teaching style?

Post by DBaccaro » Mon May 14, 2012 3:26 am

Hello, I do not have any experience with teaching yet. In my studies, I have learned that there are many methods to teaching. It seems like it is best to create your own personal teaching style by combining peices of different methods. But how can you decide what methods to use and what methods to leave out if you do not have any teaching experience? There are so many teaching methods that it is a little overwhelming to try to create my own method. Should I just try to come up with a teaching style that I think would work with the class? Is there any advice someone can give me on how to create my own personal teaching style?

Sally Olsen
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
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Post by Sally Olsen » Mon May 14, 2012 9:47 am

Be yourself, be nice and work hard. You sound like a teenage trying to define what kind of person you will be. We all know that you have to try out the jock's group, the musician, the nerds, the fashion plates, the teacher's pet and many other roles until we find one that fits or incorporate little bits of all.

You are not really a "new" teacher. You have been in school for 16 years and have absorbed the good and the bad of the teaching that you have received. Try to err on the side of what you think was the good.

Your supervisor in your practice teaching will tell you your bad points and suggest changes. Video yourself as often as you can to really change these. Get a mentor teacher to observe your teaching and suggest changes, get a buddy to do the same and observe them as well. Listen to the students! They will give you valuable advice.

Then, "Don't worry, be happy!" and enjoy the best profession there is.

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