Teachers play a vital role in shaping the minds of young learners and molding them into responsible citizens. But how do teachers become good at their job? How do they improve their teaching skills and techniques to provide quality education to their students? That’s where micro-teaching comes in.
Micro-teaching is a teacher training technique that involves teaching the teacher how to teach. The teacher sharpens their skills by teaching a small group of students in a controlled environment, with the aim of improving their skills and techniques. The technique was first introduced in the 1960s by Dwight W. Allen, a professor at Stanford University, as a way to help teachers practice and improve their teaching skills.
Characteristics of Micro-Teaching
- Controlled environment: Micro-teaching is conducted in a controlled environment where the teacher can practice his skills while being observed by a supervisor or coach, without the pressure of a real classroom.
- Small group of students: Micro-teaching involves teaching a small group of students, usually between 5-10.
- Short duration: Micro-teaching sessions are usually short, lasting between 5-15 minutes, allowing the teacher to focus on specific skills and techniques.
- Feedback: Micro-teaching provides immediate feedback to the teacher from both the students and the supervisor, allowing the teacher to improve his or her skills.
Components of Micro-Teaching
- Setting objectives: The teacher sets specific goals for the micro-teaching session, focusing on a particular skill or technique.
- Planning: The teacher plans the lesson in advance , preparing materials and activities that will help achieve the set goals .
- Teaching: The teacher delivers the lesson to the selected group of students, using the planned materials and activities, while the coach observes silently.
- Feedback: The teacher receives feedback from both the students as well as the supervisor. Were the goals of the session achieved ?
- Reflection: The teacher reflects on the feedback received, and plans ways to improve the way they teach based on this.
Cycle (Process) of Micro-Teaching
- Pre-observation: The teacher sets the objectives and plans the lesson.
- Observation: The teacher delivers the lesson, and the students and the supervisor provide feedback.
- Post-observation: The teacher reflects on the feedback received, focusing on areas that need improvement and planning ways to improve them.
- Re-teaching: The teacher implements the improvements in the next micro-teaching session.
- Follow-up: The teacher evaluates the effectiveness of the improvements and plans for further improvements if necessary.
This is very similar to the OODA cycle – Observe, Orient, Decide, Act , and teachers learn by experiments and iterating,
Merits of Micro-Teaching
- Helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of students: Micro-teaching is an effective method of teaching as it helps the teacher identify the strengths and weaknesses of students individually. The teacher can identify the areas where the students need more attention and work on them accordingly.
- Individualised attention: The teacher can give personalized attention to each student and help them to understand the subject better. This helps the students to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
- Active participation: Micro-teaching encourages active participation among students. The students can ask questions and clarify their doubts in real time. This helps the teacher to understand the level of understanding of the students and work on the areas where the students need more help.
- Improves the communication skills of the teacher: Micro-teaching helps the teacher to improve their communication skills. As the teacher is teaching a small group of students, they can focus on improving their communication skills.
- Safe and comfortable learning and teaching environment for both teachers and students: Micro-teaching provides a safe and comfortable learning environment for students. As the teacher is teaching a small group of students, the students feel comfortable and can ask questions without any hesitation. This helps the students to learn better and faster.
Micro-Teaching at ApniPathshala
At its core, micro-teaching is all about providing personalized attention to each student, allowing them to thrive and reach their full potential.
What’s truly special about micro-teaching at ApniPathshala is the sense of community and connection that develops between teachers and students. In these small groups, teachers have the opportunity to really get to know their students, understand their unique learning styles, and build relationships that go far beyond the classroom.
For teachers, the experience of micro-teaching at ApniPathshala is equally transformative. It provides them an opportunity to hone their teaching skills, experiment with new teaching strategies, and make a real difference in the lives of their students. This becomes a positive virtuous cycle!