What Students Really Need

Students’ needs evolve by the day. Not only have the world’s technological developments surpassed expectations over the years, but new generations of learners seek and need newer forms of teaching. Being a teacher goes far beyond the basic impartation of knowledge. Rather, it has become more about connecting with learners in meaningful and impactful ways.
No matter how long you have been an educator, your duties should always include finding more effective ways to teach. Along your teaching journey, you will come across different individuals with their own ways of communicating, understanding, and receiving knowledge. Thus, teachers are constantly faced with the challenge of meeting learners where they (the learners) are most comfortable and receptive.
As most teachers know, no two learners are alike. But even though they are vastly different, they have some needs in common. From individual attention and practical teaching methods to a figure to look up to, these are just a few things that every student can benefit from. Here is what students really need for their education to be valuable and worth every hour in the classroom.
Fun and Engagement
A stereotypical belief about school, both among students and educators, is that it either can’t or shouldn’t be fun. Truthfully, students need to be both entertained and engaged in order to see the value of learning. Math teachers can use online math competitions to encourage healthy competition and motivation in their students, for example.
It is no longer enough to simply lecture students in the hope that they might hold onto the information they are reading and hearing. Students who are engaged are more likely to understand the material that they are dealing with and, more importantly, enjoy it.
Personalized Teaching
Since we know that students have different needs and learn in various ways, we can also safely say that they need personalized teaching that is in line with those specific needs. Engagement can actually be used as a way to identify learning gaps and differing needs among students, which is another reason why it is so important.
Following the online math competition example above, teachers can use math competition websites to identify learning gaps through scores. By having access to a complete overview of what students excel in and struggle with, teachers gain insight that guides their future lessons. Math competition websites are an ideal tool for monitoring students’ progress and needs.
Mentorship
Even experts stand to benefit from mentorship. Individuals with mentors tend to perform better in their fields, and this is the same with students of every age. Mentorship doesn’t have to come from you as a teacher, but it can be encouraged.
Schools are also in an excellent position to implement mentorship programs with businesses, entrepreneurs, parents, and other educators.
Mentorship should go beyond the classroom and extend to extracurricular activities and personal goals. An individual mentor can lead to a healthier work ethic, motivation, and direct career guidance.