002: What To Do When Your Lesson Falls Flat

No matter how skilled of a teacher you are, you’re bound to give a few lessons that just fall flat. This can happen for a multitude of reasons–from the structure of the lesson to your students’ attitudes that day. When it happens to you, don’t let it dictate your confidence in your teaching abilities. Instead, use it as an opportunity to understand your students better.

In this episode, we’re sharing my advice for what to do when a lesson inevitably falls flat. We’re explaining why our lessons sometimes don’t land with our students and how to recognize when they’re disengaging. We’re also sharing tips for creating an inspiring lesson and saving a failing lesson in the moment.

What’s in this episode:

• Why some lessons just won’t land with your students
• What it looks like when a lesson “falls flat”
• How to read students’ signals that they’re bored, confused, or disengaged
• How to activate prior knowledge to transition students into a new lesson
• Tips for “hooking” your students at the beginning of a lesson
• Why we strive to tell stories, not give lectures
• How to find the “just right” balance between a lesson that’s too easy or hard
• How student groupings can affect the success of your lesson
• Tips for problem solving in the moment and engaging with your students mid-lesson
• How to set behavior expectations at the beginning of a lesson
• Why you shouldn’t doubt your abilities if your lesson falls flat

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit trilliummontessori.org/podcast

Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Explore the Montessori Principles to Practice Webinar Libraries

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