Pedagogy
At this point you may be asking yourself just how you’re going to help students to learn during the various activities you’ll be helping with. Being able to interact with students and to build relationships are somewhat natural, normal activities you may do every day. There are subtleties that we cover in our sections on Classroom Management and Interpersonal Relations, but actually teaching can be intimidating to some. In this section we cover some basic strategies to help you engage with students and help them to learn.
First, consider the design element in the classroom. Much of this work will have been done for you by the team and the students’ teachers. However, you should be somewhat familiar with the basics of design from your work in your STEM career. Being aware of the principles of design will help you to understand the lesson implementations that you will be a part of.
VIDEO 1
While you may be very familiar with the basics of design, and also be extremely comfortable with your chosen career field, it is important for you to also realize that the students are NOT. You want to help them to learn, but to also be aware of when you are using too much jargon, or “technobabble.”
VIDEO 2
An important part of helping students to learn is questioning. The joy of learning often comes in the discovery of a previously unknown fact or conclusion. You may have heard two description of teaching: “the sage on the stage,” (lecturing) and “the guide on the side.” You will not be lecturing students, rather you will be guiding them through their unknown tasks and helping to direct them towards drawing their conclusions. In this role, effective questioning plays a vital role.
VIDEO 3
Finally, after students have begun to draw conclusions or have completed tasks, whether correct or incorrect, you must be prepared to provide them with constructive and useful feedback.
VIDEO 4