Click play below to hear how you can engage your small classes:
Did you catch episode 43 about managing large classes in your secondary science classroom? Managing large classes can be a challenge but engaging small classes can be equally as difficult. If you are struggling with engaging your small class, you’re not alone! I’ve been there twice (teaching class periods with only 6 students!) and today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about engaging small classes.
Trying to keep the excitement and energy up in a small class isn’t easy and finding ways to do activities without enough students is challenging.
So in this episode, I am sharing my four BEST tips for helping you engage your small classes. We are covering why you should lighten up when you’re teaching a small class, the power of discussion and how it helps build a culture that encourages questions, how to use unique rewards as a means of motivation, and what to do when you just don’t have enough bodies for labs.
Do you have other tips on engaging small classes? I’d love to hear from you! Send me a message on Instagram and let me know your best tips and advice. I would love to share your ideas with other secondary science teachers!
Don’t forget to grab your Halloween-themed FREEBIE for biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physics. All you have to do it put your name and your email address, and they will be delivered straight to your inbox!
Topics Discussed in This Episode on Engaging Small Classes:
- Why lightening up a bit (even if you typically run a tight ship) will promote a more engaging classroom atmosphere when you have less students
- The importance of encouraging whole class discussions, even if it means you’ll get off task
- How to use unique rewards to motivate students
- Where you can find “special guests” to join your class for labs when you don’t have enough students in your class period
Resources Mentioned:
- FREEBIE: Halloween-themed resources
- Photosynthesis Activity – Class Relay
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
- 4 Tips to Engage Students in Discussions
- Teaching AP Biology for the First Time
- Everything you Need to Know About Having a High School T.A. Program
- Practical Tips for Using Small Groups in Your High School Science Classes
- Everything You Need to Know About Using Stations in Your High School Science Classroom
- Start Strong: 5 Beginning of the Year Procedures to Teach
- My Favorite Classroom Management Strategy
- Episode 33: 5 Mistakes to Avoid at the Beginning of the School Year
- Episode 39, Organization Tips for Your Science Classroom
- Episode 43: How to Manage Large Classes: What to do if you have WAY too many students
Connect with Rebecca:
- Join the list
- Follow me on Instagram
- Like us on Facebook
- Join the Secondary Science Simplified Course Waitlist
- Shop my TpT Store
More about Secondary Science Simplified:
Secondary Science Simplified is a podcast specifically for high school science teachers that will help you to engage your students AND simplify your life as a secondary science educator. Each week Rebecca, from It’s Not Rocket Science, and her guests will share practical and easy-to-implement strategies for decreasing your workload so that you can stop working overtime and start focusing your energy doing what you love – actually teaching!
Teaching doesn’t have to be rocket science, and you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to simplify your secondary science teaching life so that you can enjoy your life outside of school even more. Head to itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/challenge to grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
