What do you do if your teaching skills need a mid-career boost?

1 Seek feedback

One of the best ways to identify your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher is to ask for feedback from your students, colleagues, and supervisors. You can use surveys, interviews, observations, or portfolios to collect data on your teaching performance and effectiveness. Feedback can help you recognize your areas of improvement, celebrate your achievements, and set goals for your professional development. You can also use feedback to adjust your teaching strategies, methods, and materials to better meet the needs and expectations of your learners.

2 Learn from others

Another way to boost your teaching skills is to learn from other teachers who have different experiences, perspectives, and expertise. You can join online or offline communities of practice, where you can share ideas, resources, and best practices with other educators. You can also participate in mentoring or coaching programs, where you can receive guidance, support, and advice from a more experienced or skilled teacher. Learning from others can help you expand your repertoire of teaching techniques, discover new approaches and innovations, and build your professional network.

3 Take courses

If you want to update your knowledge, skills, or qualifications in a specific subject or area of teaching, you can take courses that suit your interests and needs. You can choose from a variety of online or offline courses, such as workshops, webinars, certificates, diplomas, or degrees. Taking courses can help you deepen your understanding of the content and pedagogy of your field, learn new theories and research, and acquire new competencies and credentials. You can also use courses to enhance your digital literacy, communication skills, or leadership skills.

4 Try something new

Sometimes, the best way to boost your teaching skills is to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. You can experiment with different tools, technologies, or platforms that can enhance your teaching and learning experience. You can also explore new topics, themes, or projects that can spark your curiosity and creativity. You can also challenge yourself to teach a different subject, level, or group of students that can broaden your horizons and perspectives. Trying something new can help you develop your adaptability, flexibility, and innovation skills.

5 Reflect on your practice

Finally, one of the most important ways to boost your teaching skills is to reflect on your practice regularly and critically. You can use journals, blogs, podcasts, or videos to document your teaching experiences, thoughts, and feelings. You can also use models, frameworks, or questions to guide your reflection process and help you analyze your actions and outcomes. Reflection can help you evaluate your teaching effectiveness, identify your challenges and successes, and plan your future actions and goals. You can also use reflection to express your emotions, cope with stress, and maintain your motivation and passion.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?