Classroom Reading Strategy | Tebuireng Online

For an educator, it is fitting to know and understand how to enter a different class world, which is to see who the students are faced. For example elementary school children who are full of curiosity and innocent, the world of junior high school teenagers who are looking for identity, and the world of high school children who begin to question the direction of life and the future. As an educator, I cannot bring the same strategy into these three worlds. I have to adjust, sharpen sensitivity, and understand that teaching is not only about material, but about touching their lives.

I want to share my views with teachers, fellow educators, that teaching strategies are not just a method, but the way we respond to the soul and the atmosphere in front of us. And each level of education requires a different approach, both how to explain, give assignments, and convey lessons.

The art of teaching elementary school children

Teaching elementary students is teaching with heart. Primary school-age children learn not only from what they hear, but from what they feel. The teacher is not only a source of information, but the figure they admire. So, the best strategy at this age is to bring learning into the world they understand: the world of play and imagination.

Also Read: Why Are Students Listen More Influencer than Teachers?

For example, when explaining mathematical concepts such as multiplication, I did not start with numbers on the board. I told me: “Imagine you have 3 pencil boxes, and each box contains 5 pencils …” suddenly the class became alive. Children count with enthusiasm because they imagine real objects. Imagination makes them involved, not just memorizing.

Tasks for elementary school children should also be designed in the form of small projects or fun activities. Coloring, making crafts, or telling stories in front of the class can be an effective learning tool. Most importantly, the task must give a sense of success. Elementary school children need to be respected, praised, and convinced that they can.

However, in all that, the teacher must be sensitive to the classroom atmosphere. Sometimes there are students who come with a moody face. Not because lessons are difficult, but because their mood is disturbed. At this point the teacher must be a good listener, not just a teacher. Because education in elementary school children is education based on affection.

Teaching junior high school teenagers

Entering the junior high school class, I know that I can’t be too “patronizing.” These teenagers are in the transition phase. They began to question, are easily offended, and want to be recognized. Teaching them demands a balance between discipline and dialogue. Between being authority and being a friend.

I always start lessons with questions, not an explanation. For example, in Indonesian lessons, I asked, “Have you ever felt that you are not heard by adults?” And they immediately welcomed. From there I entered the material writing opinion. They write with enthusiasm because they feel their writing is their voice. They want to be heard, and teachers who understand this will find the door to enter their hearts.

Also read: Sorry, we don’t need a teacher

The task for junior high school kids cannot be too light, but also don’t be too burdensome. Challenging but flexible tasks can help them build a sense of responsibility. I once gave the task of making a simple podcast about the topic they like. The result is extraordinary. They learn to compile a script, speak, work together. And most importantly, they feel that the task is “reasonable” and “relevant.”

Junior high school teachers also need to have high empathy. Teenagers easily feel insecure. Physical changes, peer pressure, and identity search can make them sensitive. The teacher must be able to reduce conflict, calm anxiety, and be a safe place. A comfortable learning atmosphere will make them open.

Teach high school kids

High school is a level where students begin to shape the direction of life. They began to think critically, question the system, and weigh the future. Then the teacher cannot only be present as a material delivery, but as a facilitator thinking.

I often start a lesson by offering a real issue. In sociology, I bring news about the latest environment or social issues. I invited them to discuss: “What do you think? What is the solution we can think together?” This discussion not only makes them think, but also gives space for them to feel valued as individuals who are able to argue.

Tasks at the high school level must be reflective and applicative. They have been able to work on papers, debates, or group presentations. But more than that, they need to be given the freedom to choose. When I give an option: “You can write an essay, make a vlog, or make a campaign poster, as long as the idea is strong,” they feel given trust. And the results are even more creative.

However, do not forget that even though they look mature, high school kids still need the presence of the teacher as a direction. Many of them are still confused about determining the way of life, experiencing academic pressure, or inner conflict. Here, the teacher needs to be present not as a solution provider, but a wise companion. Listening, giving input without judgment, and giving a raising encouragement.

The teacher is not just delivering the material

Teaching is not a matter of how much we convey, but how deep students understand and are moved. Good teachers not only prepare RPP or Slide Presentation, but also readiness to read the atmosphere. I often delay the material when the classroom atmosphere is not conducive. Sometimes I invite them to play for a moment, talk from heart to heart, or just joking lightly. Only after that, the lesson can enter better.

Also read: Teacher and Student Education: Open Space for Critical Reason

At all levels, the teacher’s ability to understand the condition of students is key. Students are not recordings, they are human beings who can be tired, sad, bored, or restless. If we are unable to feel this, no matter how good the teaching strategy will be effective. So I believe, the best strategy always starts with empathy.

I never believed that there was a method that could be used for all. Each class, each student, even every day can be different. All we have to do is continue to learn, reflect, and open ourselves. The world of education is always moving, and we must move. But don’t forget, that basically, elementary, junior high, and high school kids, all want to be understood.

Isn’t the task of a teacher to be a bridge between ignorance and understanding? So let’s become a strong bridge, but also flexible, which can adjust to anyone who passes it.

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Writer: Fair skin
Editor: Rara Zaryry