There are many tales told about Albert Einstein, some apocryphal and some without doubt, true.
But from his hatred of wearing socks to his love of playing the violin, there’s one fact that’s irrefutable: he knew how to share his incredible knowledge and inspire greatness in others.
His secret? As well as having an enormous IQ, a naturally inquisitive mind and rocking a look that was gonzo-meets-grandpa, he knew the art of simplicity.
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“If you can’t explain it simply,” he said, “you don’t understand it well enough.”
There’s a valuable lesson here for anyone looking to forge a new career in education with s1jobs – as meerkats and PMs like to say, it’s good to keep it ‘simples’!
Start with solid foundations
As well as Primary School Teachers, there are many jobs associated with nurturing young minds, such as Early Year Practitioners, Nursery Assistants and Pupil Support Assistants.
But all these education roles have one common denominator: they all put in place the first building blocks of learning.
You can’t expect fluency in Mandarin without first offering basic buzz words or conjure up ace physicists without teaching the rudiments of science.
Similarly, lay simple yet strong foundation stones before trying to share more complex ideas.
Make a natural progression
When moving on to secondary or even tertiary education it can be tempting to expect too much, too soon, and overload students with terminology.
While using long, technical words might seem appropriate, few will instantly understand what you’re talking about.
Choose everyday language instead.
There’s no need to pretend a Shakespearean soliloquy or chemical equation is not as complicated as it really is, nevertheless, your choice of easily understood words, will build a bridge not a barrier. This will allow your pupils to progress to more complex, technical terminology.
Always say it from the heart
Stuck for words youngsters will understand? Often the best way to share a message is to allow your passion to shine through.
Just like grown-ups, children of any age are inspired by infectious enthusiasm.
Whether it’s algebra, ancient history or iambic pentameter, let your love for your subject show in your body language and tone of voice.
Think Professor Brian Cox in full flow: would anyone comprehend his theories were it not for the incredible joy in particle physics he shares?
Being heartfelt is not only a great way to pin back ears and open minds but it’s by far the single most effective way to inspire a desire in your students to learn more.
Finally, remember to enjoy yourself. There’s nothing quite like having a good time to create an interactive, fret-free environment where learning feels like a natural side-effect of having fun.
Enjoy a brand-new role the simple way in Education/Teaching with top vacancies from s1jobs.