Amirul Mu'minin Parenrengi

I admit that I do enjoy being the "sage on the stage" in my class, but I realize that this does little to engage my student in deep thinking. I want my student to be at the center of their learning. Previously, when we read a book or short story, I'd ask questions to the class. I've seen an increase in comprehension, speaking and listening skills, and test scores. Implementing student-centered discussions is fairly easy to do—just create thought-provoking questions that dive deep into the content. The rewards are definitely worth it.

It is absolutely essential that the teaching methods I use help student make connections to their learning. Real-life connections make learning interesting and relevant for student. When I teach Johrdy, for example, I have my student focus on the idea of setting goals. He examine how ambition can be both positive and negative, and I have them study recent world leaders to help them understand the real-life implications of this concept. This helps students personally identify with another issues in a way they never could before. In maths class, student build their own math models to apply theory to real life. Examine curriculum and see what relatable applications I can bring into the class. Student will be much more engaged, and those real-world connections will help students understand the content and theories you're teaching much better than by simply reading a textbook.

After reading the research on student autonomy, I wanted to increase student independence in my class. Because it's important to tie learning to student personal interests, I permit student to choose their own topics for research papers and to choose which projects they want to explore. I make sure to still provide my student with clear learning goals, but they are able to make their own choices within that framework. Autonomy helps engage and empower my student, and it enables them to have a voice in their learning.

Building relationships in the class is extremely powerful for student behavioral and academic success. I can help build relationships by meeting with students during office hours and creating team-building projects like student videos. Finally, I like to have a few minutes of "real talk" each week in my class for student to discuss topics that are important to them, and that helps break down walls and build solidarity in the class.

I'm always trying to improve my student reading. Providing student with reading material that interests them and helps them to understand the joys of reading for pleasure. In addition, if I see a strong op-ed piece online, I'll share it with my student. I've noticed that my student now come to me when they read something compelling and thought-provoking, and they've become stronger readers and writers as a result.