What do you do if you're a temporary teacher struggling to engage students?

Students have a nose for hypocrisy, fakeness, and if you don’t want to be there. If you put forth that you’re interested in a fair, transparent, and positive learning environment, and walk that walk, they’ll become your allies.

As a temporary teacher struggling to engage students, prioritize building rapport and trust with your students. Show genuine interest in their interests and experiences. Utilize active learning strategies, such as group discussions, hands-on activities, and multimedia presentations, to make lessons more engaging. Incorporate elements of choice and autonomy into your lessons to empower students. Seek feedback from students to understand their preferences and adjust your approach accordingly. Collaborate with other teachers or mentors for support and advice. Remember that building relationships and creating a positive classroom environment are key to student engagement.

Confidence is the key. Be confident and most importantly do not over attempt in making the students quiet.A stern look would be able to solve the problems better.Remember, students do not like yelling teachers.Know your students by their names- students are fascinated when they realise that the teacher knows them. A good content knowledge is necessary for sure but the way of delivery is the most important part.Engage the students in conversation and that would build the rapport .

Some simple ideas to build connection: - Stand at the door and welcome with a smile and a hello. - Tell them how great it is to meet them. - Notice children doing the right thing and tell them you appreciate them. Ask them about routines and allocate class jobs. - As a totally new temp teacher, letting them colour/decorate a name sign or badge (although maybe copy from the register to avoid pseudonyms). - If you can find some time for a calm game (like heads down, thumbs up) it can help reset and bring the energy down before learning. You only need 3 mins.

It's important that you introduce yourself to the students as "their" teacher - even if it's just for a set period of time. Yes, you'll only be there for a defined period, but make sure the students know that you're there because you want to be and because you care. Even if you didn't do this at the start of your assignment, it's never too late. Allowing the students to hear that you care establishes that emotional connection which is vital. And remember, it may take a few times for them to pick up on this so don't be afraid to repeat you're "their" teacher and also "there" for them.

1- Dedicar tiempo a conocer a los estudiantes, sus intereses, habilidades y necesidades. Esto ayudará a adaptar la enseñanza y hacerla más relevante y atractiva para ellos. 2- Incorporar diferentes recursos y herramientas en las clases,mantendrá el interés de los estudiantes y les permitirá aprender de manera más efectiva. 3- Crear un ambiente de clase en el que los estudiantes se sientan cómodos participando y compartiendo sus ideas,relacionando el contenido de las clases con situaciones reales o experiencias de vida de los estudiantes. Esto les ayudará a ver la relevancia y utilidad de lo que están aprendiendo. Reconocer los esfuerzos y brindarles sugerencias para mejorar, de manera que se sientan motivados a seguir aprendiendo.

Adapt your teaching style to the age of your students. When students have a temporary teacher, they often expect to “slack off” that day. Embrace being light-hearted and fun, to make work more engaging but still educational.

As educators, we want learning to be engaging, awe-inspiring, and interesting for our learners. In an effort to grab and retain our learners' attention, a "hook" can be a powerful tool used to convey major points of information. Consider playing a song, dressing in a costume, or adding a bit of drama when you're teaching. Sparking your students' interests through the use of a "hook" can get them fired up for learning while building an appetite for more!

Ask and acknowledge their ideas and opinions, give them opportunity to share among the group members, get and give feedback. Maintaining engagement in classroom is crucial for the teaching and learning to be effective. Being actively involve with the discussions, projects and hands-on activities helps learners to learn better. Instructors should allow them to explore, and guide where necessary. Agree to disagree with the learners, and practice flexibility in classroom instructions. Learners should add knowledge by experiencing, observing, and participating in the lesson, not merely listening or receiving info from instructors only.

Active learning is about pace and engagement, concise specific high quality teacher talk and all children responding to that. Cold calling can build engagement as children know they need to be ready with an answer. Although you'll only get theirs. Mini White Boards are an excellent resource for engagement and assessment for learning. Asking all children to answer and reveal boards at the same time, allows you to see misconceptions and discuss them. Teaching a key piece of information and then asking children to tell the person next to them, might feel like parroting or rote learning. However research shows that when we put something into our own words to teach another, we are much more likely to remember (and therefore learn).

Active learning is not a separate part of the process, but, a vital piece. I like to think of the classroom as a combination learning space/design studio/art studio/social space/movement studio. As an example: teaching a math class on fractions could/should incorporate dance (seriously). "Respect" by Aretha Franklin is in 4/4 time, but a waltz (pick any by Strauss) is in 3/4 time. First, play the pieces and have the kids count out loud ("1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4" to Aretha & "1,2,3 - 1,2,3 to Strauss). Next, have the kids dance to the two pieces of music and feel the difference in the steps and themselves. Now bring in the music teacher to explain 4/4 and 3/4 time in both musical and mathematical contexts. That lesson is (inter)active!

El aprendizaje activo, respaldado por la neuroeducación, ofrece una amplia gama de beneficios al proceso educativo. La participación activa de los estudiantes desencadena la liberación de neurotransmisores clave, como la dopamina y la noradrenalina, cuya función esencial radica en fortalecer la formación de conexiones neuronales y facilitar la retención del conocimiento en la memoria a largo plazo. Además, el aprendizaje activo promueve la neuroplasticidad, un fenómeno fundamental que permite al cerebro adaptarse y transformarse en respuesta a nuevas experiencias y estímulos. Estas estrategias también incitan el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas avanzadas, como el pensamiento crítico, la resolución de problemas y la creatividad.

• Promote Discussions: Encourage students to share their thoughts and engage in classroom debates to foster a lively learning environment. • Use Group Projects: Assign collaborative tasks that require teamwork, which can help build social skills and deepen understanding. • Incorporate Hands-On Activities: Plan interactive exercises that allow students to apply concepts in practical scenarios. • Encourage Peer Learning: Allow students to learn from each other through peer-led activities and group discussions. • Create a Dynamic Classroom: Use a variety of teaching methods to keep students interested and involved in the learning process.

My advice is this: Students bring you gifts every day and you have to be ready and flexible for both. Some of these gifts are bright and shiny, like compliments or good in-class behaviors. Other gifts are the kind you want to return, like rowdy behavior and/or attempting to get on your nerves. Trying to be flexible can be tough, especially if you're a substitute that's only there for one or two days. But be ready for the gifts (both kinds) and react off of them. If they're bright and shiny: Hit the ground running! If they're returnable: Pause, take a breath and be flexible in your response/reaction. Have ideas in your back pocket for both scenarios and be ready to use either one, the other...or both!

• Embrace Flexibility: Be open to changing your teaching methods if you notice a lack of engagement or understanding in the classroom. • Experiment with Multimedia: Use videos, audio clips, and interactive software to bring variety to your lessons. • Utilize Storytelling: Engage students with stories that illustrate key concepts in a relatable way. • Apply Real-World Context: Connect classroom material to real-life scenarios to make learning more relevant and interesting. • Show Commitment: Demonstrate your dedication to student learning by adapting your teaching approach to meet their needs.

A flexible approach in teaching not only enhances student engagement but also demonstrates your adaptability and commitment to their learning. It allows you to tailor your lessons based on students' responses, making the learning experience more relevant and impactful. By being flexible, you can create a classroom environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, ultimately leading to more meaningful learning experiences for your students.

As a substitute teacher, giving students constructive feedback is crucial, but it's equally important to create an environment where students feel comfortable sharing their feedback. Acknowledging informal feedback from students provides valuable insights into their learning experience. When students feel heard, they engage more actively. Encouraging open communication fosters a supportive classroom dynamic. By seeking input from students, educators gain a deeper understanding of their needs and can tailor their approach to support diverse learning styles. Creating a culture of mutual feedback benefits both students and teachers, contributing to a more enriching educational experience for everyone involved.

Podríamos decir que el cerebro es un sistema de hábitos formado por estímulos y patrones perceptivos. El feedback puede generar una reacción defensiva al activar el sistema límbico, especialmente la amígdala, encargada de procesar emociones y amenazas en nuestro cerebro. Es crucial crear un ambiente seguro para que el feedback sea efectivo. La retroalimentación, recibida de manera empática y no intimidante, promueve una mayor receptividad y un diálogo abierto. Cuando se entrega de manera específica y constructiva, el feedback tiene un impacto emocional positivo y mejora el rendimiento. En entornos educativos, mejorar las habilidades de retroalimentación de los docentes es esencial para el desarrollo integral de nuestros estudiantes.

• Encourage Student Feedback: Invite students to share their thoughts on lessons and activities to gauge what is working. • Make It Anonymous: Allow anonymous feedback to encourage honesty and reduce bias. • Adapt Based on Feedback: Use the insights from student feedback to adjust teaching strategies and improve classroom dynamics. • Empower Student Voice: Letting students know their feedback matters can boost engagement and create a more inclusive environment. • Foster Continuous Improvement: Create a culture where feedback is seen as a tool for growth and improvement for both teachers and students.

As a supply teacher you would hope that the class teacher will give you a heads up in regards to pupil needs. However we need to have high expectations of all children to do their best which is unique to them. Otherwise we are lowering our expectations which is not treating children with the same regard. Remind children of the expectations and sanctions but also that they have the opportunity to be awesome too. Reminding children what they should be doing is much easier to follow, rather than telling them that what they are doing is wrong. "I need you facing the front and listening, thank you" is more productive than "stop talking".

In my experience, learners will usually reject new teachers / subs teachers as they are accustomed to their previous teachers ways and it’s comfortable. When entering a new classroom, always set expectations. Next, have a contract with the students on what both parties can agree on, like homework and fun activities day. Later on use the time to talk about boundaries and lastly, keep the outcome of the instruction true and be consistent. Eventually, the students will follow.

Classroom management (CR) is the most important skill in teaching. It's vital to remember your strengths when crafting your classroom management style. For example, I worked with a teacher who effectively used her voice to keep her student's attention and respect. I am a much quieter person, but tried using my voice the way she did. I failed miserably. It took a while to realize that my CR style is to speak to students as a group and one to one. This enables me to establish respect - my way. In the case of students who've proven to be difficult, I complimented their smallest accomplishments out loud and made sure they knew I appreciated them. Finding your CR wheelhouse is a journey. It's about being patient with yourself and the students!

Desde una perspectiva basada en la neuroeducación, es esencial reconocer la importancia de una gestión eficaz del aula. Un entorno escolar bien organizado y positivo desempeña un papel crucial en el proceso de aprendizaje. Al crear un ambiente donde los estudiantes se sientan seguros y motivados, se activan neurotransmisores como la dopamina, asociada con la motivación y el placer, y la reducción de cortisol, relacionado con el estrés. Esto crea un ambiente propicio para el aprendizaje al facilitar la atención, la concentración y la memoria. Además, una buena gestión del aula promueve la cohesión social y reduce el estrés, lo que facilita un ambiente óptimo para el aprendizaje.

• Set Clear Expectations: Establish classroom rules and behavior standards early on, ensuring students understand them. • Consistency Is Key: Consistently enforce rules to maintain order and build trust. • Be Fair and Understanding: Apply rules equitably and listen to students’ perspectives to foster a respectful atmosphere. • Promote a Positive Environment: Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior and classroom participation. • Link Management to Engagement: Create a classroom environment where students feel secure, valued, and motivated to learn.

Master the key components of teacher/ teaching knowledge and competences. The TPACK competences for instance. The technological, pedagogical content knowledge. Being a temporary teacher is no excuse that is why teaching is a profession not a job for all comers.