A teacher with strong facilitation skills walks a fine line between remaining quiet and playing the central role in the classroom. The active role of the teacher as a facilitator involves presenting a topic that involves students in the teaching and learning process. Asking questions and encouraging students to reveal opinions can help empower every student to enjoy the classroom experience. Use what you know about the strengths and challenges of your students to create a class discussion that involves everyone. For example, praise quiet students for participating, and reinforce points made by top participators.
Avoid short-term gimmicks to gain the interest of your students. Instead, consider how you can build a sense of excitement for learning that lasts all year. Consider using a thematic approach that weaves all subjects together. Using themes is a fun way to help students learn new material. With a little creativity, you can tie a theme into each subject and help students make connections with classroom learning and real-world thinking. A thematic approach also allows parents to become more involved by supporting creative projects in the classroom or continuing the lessons at home. For example, use America as a theme and have students take an oral history of their family heritage. Have them use the information in a play presented to parents that teaches history and culture.
Involve students in small group work to encourage sharing of ideas. Students who work together on a project become collaborative problem solvers. This makes it more likely they'll participate in whole-class discussions. In this way, you become a facilitator of learning rather than a deliverer of information. In a group learning environment, students learn to teach one another, and a sense of teamwork is fostered. This is carried through when the class comes together for lessons you deliver to the class as a whole. For example, have students work in small groups to create a model that illustrates a new math concept. Each group can share their model and teach the math skill to the entire class.
Creating the opportunity for students to become engaged in the classroom environment is an effective strategy for making learning fun. Developing learning stations allows students to work at their own paces and become self-teachers in the classroom. When you give your students the opportunity to experiment and experience, they are more likely to participate fully. For example, establish an English learning station that allows students to critique each other's work. Students can share their individualized learning with the class -- and a peer education process is born.