Friday, September 30, 2011

Why do students get bored studying?

5 Factors Which Demotivate Students

1. Boring teacher.

One of the biggest factors students get bored in studying is because of an ineffective teacher. A teacher who does not prepare his/her lesson plans and don't care about what happens to his or her students will not be able to motivate them.

2. Inappropriate curriculum subjects.

Subjects which are unrelated to the course being taken by a student will surely make him/her feel that what he/she is doing is a big waste of time.

3. Being in a class that doesn't fit his/her personality.

A student who is interested in technology related topics would get bored being in a class who is more interested in acting and performing. He would want more to be with people who share the same interests.

4. A distracting environment

Noise, too much heat or coldness, or dirt inside a classroom will be able to get the students' attention away from the lesson. It is best to have a quiet classroom, clean and with an average temperature.

5. A teacher who is always absent.

This is different from a teacher being boring. A teacher might be good in teaching but if he/she is always absent, then a student might just get the idea of reading a book to learn rather than depending on a teacher. This is detrimental for us teachers for if this happens, then our usefulness per se is lost.


It is important to always possess the good qualities of a teacher, both personally and professionally. Follow the teaching principles to make students' always interested in studying for our ULTIMATE GOAL is always to MAXIMIZE THEIR LEARNING.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What is the difference between approaches, methods and techniques?



When I was an education student, I often had problems in differentiating teaching approach from teaching methods and teaching techniques. For me, it sounded all the same. Which is why now I am up to the task of trying to describe these three in simple terms which will not be difficult to understand and giving examples of situations to characterize their differences. For the purpose of simplifying this article, we assume that strategy and technique are one and the same.

First we define what a Teaching Approach is. A teaching approach is how you view things. Examples are behaviourist approach – drills, constructivist approach - output-based, integrated approach.

A Teaching Method, on the other hand, is the plan you follow when you are teaching. By applying a certain approach, you come up with procedures and practices for teaching your students. This consists of procedures you follow, steps you take, outline of actions that you have to do. It takes some guidelines from approaches and imparts pointers to strategies. Some examples are the inductive method, deductive method, project method, problem method, lecture method, metacognitive method, unit method, Demonstration, recitation, and the audio lingual method.

Lastly, a Teaching Technique are our own/personal/idiosyncratic strategies we use in order for us to be effective teachers. We adapt our teaching to the kind of students we have such that our instruction is different for every class and for every kind of student. It’s our maneuvering or tactic, a personal way implementing methods, highly individualized and tailor-fitted, customized to students learning styles, needs and interests. Some examples are games, activities, rewards and punishments

Now if we take it that method is the most commonly used term, that may be because the methods take some pointers from approaches, and imparts some of its pointers to strategies.

So basically, an approach is an overview which applies to learning for all kinds of learners. The method is the plan suited for a specific type of learner, and when it is applied to a specific group of students (a specific class or section), it becomes a strategy. If the method is the plan, then the strategy is the actual execution of the plan. Some books interchangeably use them.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Loving Teachers

Loving teachers, you will always be
Wisdom and Joy, you gave to me
In times of trouble, you were always there
To guide and counsel with tender care

Years may come, and we may go
in our hearts you stay, this we know
knowledge and values, we will bring
to the outside world where we will sing

of the wonderful times we've had with you
the discussions and exams we've been through
the games we played, the questions and answers
these experiences, we will forever treasure

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Top Responsibilities of a Teacher

As teachers, we all have different kinds of responsibilities and we know that our students expect a lot from us. Making sure that we know our responsibilities can help us perform better our duty. Several principles of teaching can guide us in knowing what our responsibilities are. This list is in no means exhaustive of the principles which are applicable to the responsibility, but provides a guide of what principles can apply in different types of responsibilities, of which these responsibilities may overlap with one another.

Here are my top 10 responsibilities as a teacher:

1. Making sure that the students learn and master the subject.

Of course, being a teacher means we have to make our students learn what we teach them. The root word of teacher which is "teach" comes from the Germanic word "tæcan" which means to "show or point out". This means we have to show our students the way and point out the important concepts which they must master.

The theory of cognitive development by Piaget tells us that we can do this by making sure the lessons are suited for the ability of the students because no matter how hard we try to teach them, if they are not yet ready for it, then they cannot learn anything. Thorndike's Law of Readiness also supports this notion.

2. Facilitating activities that will help students attain instructional objectives, guiding students to think critically and independently, motivating students to be responsible of their own learning.

This responsibility is somewhat connected to the first, but here there is an intrinsic factor which is the motivation of the students in learning.

Constructivism tells us that students learn when they are involve in the process. Students must think for themselves on how they can achieve the learning objectives so as teachers, the best we can do is to guide them and provide them with the necessary tools and facilities needed for enhancing their learning experience.

3. Checking/Monitoring every student's learning progress

4. Making the students enjoy going to class

One must be unpredictable in order to make students anticipate every class session. There must be a variation of lessons and teaching methods and strategies so students do not get bored.

The psychological environment must also be filled with respect, open-mindedness, patience and other positive values to be shared not only by the students but of the teacher as well.

5. Teaching not only knowledge, but values as well

6. Enhancing each student's creativity and talents

7. Treating the teaching profession as a noble mission and loving it.

What are your own list of the responsibilities of a teacher?

Monday, June 20, 2011

A Teacher's Prayer



Lord in Heaven, help me never to forget the beauty in a little child.

Never let me forget the wonder and trust and yearning in their bright, twinkling eyes.

Help me to remember that I am shaping the lives of future generations.

And though I am unworthy of this precious charge, give me the the strength to be the best model scholar and the best Christian example that I can possible be.

Give me love to overcome adversity.
Give me patience to overcome trials.
Give me wisdom to overcome my shortcomings.
Give me faith to overcome my dark hours.

And as I find my rest tonight, help me to love my pupils and to remember them in my prayers.

Give me strength equal to tomorrow's task, for I depend on you alone, just as my pupils depend on me.


-Author Unknown