Most teachers will agree that teaching teenagers is often a lot more difficult than teaching younger children. This is because teenagers are more challenging to manage and motivate. They usually distance themselves from adults especially teachers and find it difficult to concentrate on their studies because of the many things that are happening in their worlds, including friendship issues, love life, fashion, sports, competition, and many more. It is imperative for teachers to keep teenage students engaged in class for them to learn effectively. Here are some teaching tips you can incorporate in your teaching programs.
Learn the characteristics of teenagers
Teenagers are in that awkward stage in life where they are no longer children but they are still not yet adults. Being in that phase feels like a rollercoaster of emotions for most of them. Being cool is paramount, as if it is matter of life and death. Some teenagers are absorbed about themselves, have trouble empathizing with others, have lack of self-esteem, are always on the lookout for the latest trends, and have difficulty trusting people.
Learning the general characteristics of teenagers will help you create lesson plans that they can easily relate with. Just be careful not to over-generalize because teenagers still have their own unique personalities and individuality that you also have to know about in order to relate with them more effectively.
Listen to what they have to say
Teens appreciate adults who take time to listen to them. If you ask teenagers, most of them complain about how their parents never listen to them. As a teacher, you need to be a soundboard that they can confide in. Don’t do all the talking and listen to what they have to say. This will help them build trust with you because they know and feel that you value their insights and opinions. It would be easier for them to listen your lectures and participate in your discussions if they trust and respect you as their mentor.
Know what makes them tick
Learn the latest fads and the things that teenagers are crazy about. Find out who their idols are and what their favorite television shows are. This way, you can easily grasp their attention when you open up a lesson by relating the latest Hollywood gossip about their favorite teen star. Just see to it that you don’t get overboard with this. You don’t have to spend the entire afternoon discussing the minutest details about Lindsay Lohan’s incarceration. Instead, you can just use her story to open up a discussion about teenage responsibility, driving, alcohol, and any other thing that you are supposed to discuss that day.
Use music as a teaching resource
All teenagers love music. They use it primarily as a way to express themselves. Find out what kids today are listening to. While you don’t have to like the songs they are crazy about, you can incorporate these into the lesson to make things more interesting for them.
It’s true that teenagers can be difficult to deal with sometimes. Many parents and high school teachers can attest to that. However, if you were able to get in through their worlds, it would be easier for you to relate with them and teach them the things they really need to know.
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