Guest Post

Kids learn in a variety of different ways. Some may be auditory learners, while others may be visual learners. Each child is different so it is important to teach in a multitude of ways to engage each and every sense. Multisensory environments not only cater to each individual student, but it is also known to improve the development of thought, intelligence, and social skills. It gives them more than one way to make connections and learn concepts. Particularly in younger students who have not fully developed all their senses, multisensory environments can improve concentration, alertness, memory, mobilization creativity, and communication. Each of these aspects promotes learning and retention to help students grow and succeed in the future. As teachers, this is all we want for our students. So, here are some ways you can create a multi-sensory space that promotes learning.

Whether you’re teaching a specialized ACT course or acting as your school’s point person for students taking the ACT, providing the right kind of support for your students as they prepare for the test can make a huge difference--not only in students’ scores, but also in the quality of their lives. Realizing the pressure that students are under to do well on standardized college admissions tests is the first step. That doesn’t mean you should assign less homework or let students get away with bad behavior, but it does mean that there are some concrete, actionable steps you can take to help set your students up for success, both in your classroom and for their futures.

As teachers, we mentor, manage and guide the most valuable gems of any parent: the children. Having a successful relationship between teachers and parents means understanding diverse personality types. We’ve written about 5 distinct, general personalities that are commonly observed by teachers.

I’m what you would call a “nontraditional student.” I’ve got two kids, I’m gainfully employed, and I’m 33. Getting my degree in education and a license to teach wasn’t my first choice of career. It was a dream that arose after countless hours of helping my sons with their homework and volunteering in their classrooms. This dream was left unrealized for years until the right opportunity presented itself, and I jumped on it. In this way, I’m not unique.

Now that you’re a teacher, you have an important reason to remind yourself about the role you’re playing in students’ lives. You can probably think of a few awesome teachers that gave you the guiding points to your future. However, you will also think of some that didn’t deserve to be called educators. They were frustrated, arrogant, too strict, too flexible, or simply not inspiring enough.

The teaching profession has taken some hits over the last few years. Common Core, Big Data and High Stakes Tests are all hot-button topics that elicit emotional responses from people. Decorated teachers are penning public letters about why they are choosing to leave the profession after 20 plus years of service. The pay has never been great. And of course all of society’s ills seem to be the fault of classroom teachers.

So why on earth would someone want to become a teacher?