Teaching Strategies: A Discussion

At the 2011 T’ai Chi Chih conference, we held roundtable discussions to talk with each other about effective teaching strategies. We began by each reviewing our own classes. This included considering how we teach; use time; welcome, motivate and engage students; plan for new and continuing students; and evaluate our classes.

Teachers asked themselves: “What are my major concerns in teaching TCC? What do I need to know more about to be a better teacher? What problems am I experiencing in class?” Those not currently teaching asked themselves: “What do I need to know so I can start teaching? What is keeping me from starting a class?”

Next, we paired up and spent time talking with another teacher about how our classes were going and what was not going so well. We wrote questions about teaching on file cards and then shared ideas and strategies with the larger group.

Eight strategies were selected for discussion. They came from brain research and best practices used in educational settings worldwide.

Adequate classroom environment (heat, light, ventilation, chairs, accessibility, room size, sound system, bathrooms, parking, etc.)

Direct instruction (show and tell, review and rehearse)

Guided group practice (teacher leads and teaches as students move as a group)

Partner practice (an integral part of TCC class at all levels)

Think-alouds (modeled by teacher to reveal inner awareness processes)

Stimulating higher-level thinking skills (teacher asking “why” questions; students responding with answers)

Correction (use of positive feedback to everyone and modeling the correct way to perform a movement)

Auditory/visual support (use of music, handouts, charts, signs, books, technology)

Topics teachers raised included:

• How to handle disruptive students or students who arrive late or talk too much in class.

• How to meet all the students’ needs in an ongoing class with new students joining each week.

• How to teach a class in which some students have learned all the moves and some just half.

• How to teach a drop-in class for all levels of students, and teach the entire form over time.

• How to challenge long-time students and still meet new students’ needs.

• How to cover everything in one hour.

• How to engage students and make the class more interesting.

• How to engage those who don’t follow directions or don’t make adjustments in their form.

• How to get health info on students without being intrusive.

• Benefits and drawbacks of teaching in a classroom with a mirror.

• The best use of Justin’s TCC DVD in class.

• How to handle a couple in class in which one partner does not want to learn TCC.

• Whether to use mirror image or all face the same way when leading TCC group movements.

We discovered that many challenges in TCC classes can easily be solved by using the eight strategies. These include issues of discipline, correction and handling diverse groups of people. In fact, students will blossom, become more engaged in their own learning and more supportive of others. Our classes will grow larger when our teaching is inclusive, positive and interactive. As teachers, we can empower students to be self-motivated to seek improved skills and deeper understanding.

Many supportive ideas were shared at the conference and teachers expressed a strong desire to have an ongoing dialogue about teaching strategies at future TCC conferences.

Where to Begin

TCC teachers who want to evaluate and improve their classes can start with a few key steps, including:

• Use the eight strategies to evaluate your teaching and see which ones might offer ways for you to improve.

• Visit another TCC class and observe how that teacher teaches. Then provide feedback on the eight strategies if he or she requests feedback after class. Be supportive. Consider becoming a mentor for another teacher and discussing how he or she might improve.

• Continue to evaluate yourself after every TCC class by asking:

– Did I meet every student’s needs in this class?

– Are students making the same mistakes they made last year or are they progressing?

– Are students getting more actively involved in their learning each time they come to class?

– Is my class student-centered, interesting and challenging?

– Is my class socially interactive and experiential, rather than lecture-style?

– Are my students becoming independent, self- motivated and passionate about TCC?

– Are they doing TCC independently now?