Secondary School Teaching Methods

Teaching secondary school requires a variety of teaching methods to address different learning levels, styles and intelligence of secondary school students. Some of the most important teaching methods for secondary school include proper classroom management, motivation and a welcoming classroom environment, plus a curriculum and activities that address a multitude of learning styles.

A classroom environment should promote equality, diversity and independent learning. Environments that promote equality allow secondary school students to feel safe and secure in their own skins, which allows them to open up and participate more in learning activities. Diverse classroom environments give students a sense of uniqueness and exposes students to different cultures without social stigmas and prejudices. A classroom that promotes independent learning allows students to take pride in their accomplishments and instills a desire for knowledge. When coupled with the classroom environment, motivation allows secondary students to continue learning and take an interest in their progress.

Secondary school teachers should create lessons that address all three of the basic learning styles: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Auditory learners learn by hearing the concept explained, visual learners learn by seeing the concept demonstrated and kinesthetic learners learn by physically interacting with the concept. Addressing each student’s learning needs engages students in the lesson and promotes better memory retention and advancement. This teaching method is also an effective way to calm an active class and channel its energy into a productive result.

The goal of classroom management techniques is to promote a safe, productive and organized classroom. Good management keeps the teacher in control of the classroom and keeps students paying attention. Some suggested methods include picking students’ names out of a hat so not one student feels picked on and more are likely to participate, flashing lights on and off to grab students' attention or signal the end of an activity or having the students turn their desks toward the back of the classroom when there are behavioral issues so the teacher can see everything they are doing. These teaching methods keep classrooms in control and allow the teacher to focus on learning instead of behavioral problems.