Effective teaching methods

‘A teacher can be effective, efficient, inclusive, and strategic. Still, unless they are professionally kind along with these things, the learners suffer.’ In today’s reader submission, Professor Nan Bahr argues kindness is an essential general trait for all people, but it is also applied expertise for the teacher and should be a professional standard.

‘Let’s face it, when cooperative learning, in the form of group or teamwork appears on the classroom agenda, most students utter a groan of discontent.’ Dr Karin Oerlemans discusses the key steps to a successful experience, and how they can be supported by technology.

Reducing the disparities in the schooling experiences of students was one of the issues identified by Teacher columnist Professor Geoff Masters AO in his influential series on the ‘big five’ education challenges facing Australian schools. What does the latest evidence say, and where do we go to from here?

In this episode of our Teaching Methods series we talk to Maura Manning, Director of Learning at the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, about the blended learning model at School of Now – what it means for teachers and teaching, the focus on equity of access, and how students are supported in their learning.

‘Students’ questions made it apparent that they were still confused about the next steps in their learning. … Why didn’t they value the feedback?’ In today’s article, Head Teacher at Al-Faisal College Omar Jamal shares how developmental rubrics have improved student learning.

Staff at Epsom Primary School implemented a team teaching model when they moved into their new campus in 2018. However, after coming across a Teacher podcast on co-teaching, they began the process of transitioning to co-teaching which has improved staff efficacy.

Dr Emily Berger, an educational and developmental psychologist at Monash University, joins The Research Files to talk about some of the common principles of trauma informed practice in schools, including the importance of consistency, possible triggers for students, and helping them to regulate their emotions.

How might teachers best support struggling learners in the classroom? In our latest reader submission, teacher educators Dr Bryan Matera and Dr Joel Traver suggest five principles that can increase results when supporting struggling learners in the primary years.

In his final Teacher column of the year Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, shares his key takeaways from this month’s Forum for World Education in Paris.

‘How quick we are as teachers to put our students on the spot to write a complete narrative piece and wonder why we are constantly plagued with, “I can't think!”. South Australian primary school teacher Bec Drozdoff explains how she tackles this challenge in her writing lessons.