16 Teacher Habits That Drive Every Student Crazy
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In a classroom, the teacher’s relationship with their students establishes the general tone of learning and communication. Yet, certain teacher habits can present serious obstacles for students, especially if they do not help them to be engaged or feel good about their approach to the course, directly influencing their performance and sense of well-being.
As the educator and researcher Dr. Emily Harrison puts it: ‘A teacher’s approach in the classroom can inspire a student’s development or inadvertently contribute to a student’s frustration.’ Here are 16 teacher quirks that students find most infuriating, followed by some suggested ways to rectify the issue.
Overusing PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint presentations are helpful, but the lessons can be boring if used too much. Students get bored when teachers start only reading the slides.
“Interactive teaching methods are more effective in maintaining student interest and promoting deeper understanding,” said Dr. Jane Smith, an Education consultant.
Assigning Excessive Homework
Homework is important because it consolidates the material taught during class time. However, excessive often leads to students having too much homework and being overwhelmed. Students sometimes need to be able to relax and do other things. Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, states:
“Accelerated engagement in specialized and super-scheduled behavior undermines the building blocks of healthy development, producing more stress and deterioration in health (amounting to higher rates of headaches, sleep loss, weight loss, and digestive problems) while reducing time for vital social connections and everyday pleasures of childhood.”
Monotone Lecturing
The tone of voice plays a major role in grabbing a student’s attention. Monotone voices put the students’ brains to sleep rather than keeping them focused on their lectures.
Teachers with more speed and enthusiastic tone can make the students more interested in the lessons and, most importantly, have fun.
Ignoring Student Feedback
Students like for their feedback to be heard. Feedback left hanging in the open can leave a bad taste, suggesting the sender is not valued.
As the educational psychologist Dr. Robert Brooks writes in Practical Excellence: ‘Student feedback does indeed signal to belong, and it encourages spirited engagement and motivation.’
Giving Vague Instructions
Students will not be able to complete their work if they are unsure of what is required of them. Therefore, teachers must provide detailed guidance on what a piece of work is meant to be and allow for questions to arise from students so that all should be clear.
Not Being Approachable
If students don’t feel they can ask the teacher a question without embarrassment, they are less likely to ask. Having a friendly demeanor can make a huge difference.
‘Kids like to be supported and want to help. You establish that rapport with them so they feel inclined to help and want to be part of what’s happening,’ says Dr Sarah Johnson, author of Effective Teaching Strategies.
Being Inflexible with Deadlines
Deadline constraints are important for remaining focused, but too much restraint can bring undue stress to students. Likewise, deadlines are left without any flexibility.
Life circumstances could change, sometimes with no warning. Students need some leniency regarding deadline flexibility to improve their overall performance.
Overloading Information
Challenging this norm by overcrowding a Pandoc reading with excessive content hinders student comprehension and memory retention. Instead, teachers can deliver and review critical points through discussion and activity.
Teachers can facilitate student engagement and deeper learning by employing strategies such as chunking(grouping items into ‘memorable units’). The science behind chunking teaches that it can improve memory retention and comprehension, notably because retaining parts of something diminishes the challenge of retaining its whole.
Publicly Criticizing Students
Correcting students in front of their peers lowers their self-esteem and discourages them. So, discussing students’ mistakes privately to aid improvement without feeling embarrassed by constructive criticism is more beneficial.
Offering positive support makes students happy and improves their motivation.
Not Showing Passion for the Subject
Students can tell when a teacher does not care for the subject they are teaching. Teachers who care about their subjects can inspire their students, and the lessons are more interesting.
‘When teachers have a true interest in their subject, that interest trickles down to the students,’ says the educational consultant Dr Emily Brown.
Interrupting Students’ Questions
Interrupting students shuts down potential questions in the future – something a teacher should actively avoid. Listen before you speak, particularly for those longer questions from the back of the class.
Encourage a question-friendly environment; your students will feel valued and actively engage with their learning.
Using Outdated Teaching Methods
If teachers stick to their traditional ways, they will transform already boring lessons into irrelevant ones. On the other hand, using up-to-date technology and more creative teaching methods can only enhance students’ interest in the subject.
For example, instead of giving verbal and written post-testing to the class based on reading, teachers can create various interactive presentations and projects, which would be way more efficient and show the level of student’s knowledge and skills.
Being Unprepared for Classes
Students expect to get something out of class, so turning up to class without studying wastes their time and shows an unprofessional attitude. When teachers care about their teaching abilities and wish to use the time spent in class effectively, preparation before class is essential.
With appropriate planning, the lesson will run smoothly, and the goals set for the day are more likely to be accomplished.
Favoritism
In a survey of 96 students by Boiling Point student editor Erik Bazar, favoritism—defined as “preferential treatment given to one student or group of students over others”—was high on the list of problem areas.
Favoritism creates a gap between students, and they start feeling hatred for their fellow students. All students are equal and should be treated equally. Teachers need to be neutral if they want a peaceful classroom environment.
Not Admitting Mistakes
No one is perfect, and sometimes teachers get it wrong. Owning up to mistakes shows humility and helps set a good example: it teaches children that, at times, we all will make errors and that it’s important to be open and honest.
Overloading Students with Group Projects
Whilst group projects are suitable for learning, piling up too many projects can harm a student. Not all students like group work; too many projects can drain their energy and lead to more stress and conflict.
An equal number of individuals and groups can be assigned to stroke all students.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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