A History of Teaching With Brian King

Veteran teachers have been dealt a wild hand over the past year and a half, having to adapt to new things along the way. This week, I talked to Brian King, a North Carolina educator who has been doing this for more than half of his life.

What do you teach, where do you teach, and how long have you been teaching? 

I teach American History and AP US History at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina. This is my 24th year.

What is your ‘why’?

This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I teach because I like being a positive influence on students’ lives and I love history. I hope to make students love history as well. I think a lot of students don’t like history or find it boring and I try to change that.

What is your favorite thing to teach, and why? 

I really enjoy teaching the Civil War - the things leading up to the Civil War and the Civil War itself. Although the Civil War happened a long time ago, a lot of the things that are important today can be traced back to the Civil War. Whether it’s the lasting impact of slavery, or how after the Civil War, leaders did not successfully deal with the issues that former slaves faced, leading to the Civil Rights Movement later in the 50s and 60s. I also think this topic leads to a good debate about what freedom means.

Do you have any advice for other teachers?

I think the best advice that I always got is to really make sure that you know your content. Everything else will come later, just know your content. The kids will know whether or not you know what you’re talking about so you just need to be prepared. I also think it's important in your first year of teaching to focus on teaching. I was a soccer and basketball coach, and I was told not to coach my first year of teaching so that I could really focus on my classroom instead of getting distracted by extracurriculars. One of the best things that I ever did was wait to start coaching until after my first year.

What do you think makes a classroom successful? How do you encourage students to do their best work?

What makes a classroom successful is to try and make it as fun as you can, and to also make sure the work that you give your students is meaningful and not just busywork. The students need to know that what you’re assigning is important and valid; you are giving them work to help them learn what they need to know.

How did you adapt to teaching virtually this past year?

Before virtual education, I didn’t use Canvas or other online tools very much. Teaching virtually has kind of forced me to get more familiar with technology and now that we are back in school physically, I still use the technology because I’ve enjoyed incorporating it into teaching.

8 Ways to Encourage Student Success in the Classroom

You probably already have tons of engaging activities in your teaching repertoire, from educational games to dynamic study guides. However, it takes more than a few activities to help your students be the best, most successful version of themselves.

So, How Can Teachers Help Students be Successful?

Here are eight ways that you can promote your students’ success:

Be Clear and Transparent

Be upfront about what you expect from your students and what will be covered over the course of the class. Keep everyone in the loop about any changes or updates in the curriculum as you move forward. With everyone on the same page, there won’t be too many surprises, and you can guarantee that nobody is left behind.

Let Your Students Set the Pace of the Class

Before you really dive into your curriculum, start off with a quiz to figure out where your students are at with the material. Does anything need to be focused on more? Could you spend less time on a certain topic? Once you gauge their knowledge a little bit, you’ll be able to teach them more effectively.

Be Accessible

Emailing, tutoring after school, and even using lunch times are all ways for students to reach you outside of class. When you make yourself more available to students, you are showing them that you truly care about their learning. If you do open your email inbox or offer tutoring to them, be sure to reply in a timely manner or stay consistent with your tutor schedule. They want to know that you are true to your word!

Show a Genuine Interest in the Students

This point goes along with the previous one, because increasing your availability shows them how much you care about their efforts. They might be stubborn sometimes and not always realize it, but their confidence will continue to rise when they notice that you will not give up on them. 

Incorporate Engaging Learning Activities

Yes, play the games! Assign fun projects where students can create a comic strip about an important event. Play your own version of ‘Jeopardy’ with class material. Get creative when you engage the students with different activities to stimulate their minds. High School English Teacher Chelsea Herron knows how important engagement is.

“There definitely needs to be an emphasis on student engagement. From my experience, I think that comes from being up to date on the latest trends or technology and making them relevant and worthwhile for the students.”

Watch and see how excited they get about something that would otherwise be labeled boring or mundane.

Give Your Students Feedback

Tell them why they got the math problem wrong. Explain it to them. Tell them what they can do to improve their writing skills, or how they can study more efficiently. Help your students by constantly pushing them to do their best with their work.

Make Everything Meaningful

All of your content should be related and mean something; Projects, quizzes, tests, and activities should align with what your students need to know to pass the class. As long as they are absorbing relevant information throughout the course, you’re doing your job.

Set High Expectations

Let your students know that you expect them to ace your class! Tell them that you want them to succeed, and that you will do everything in your power to make sure that happens. Tell them that you are in their corner. You are rooting for them!

And, last but not least, here is a bonus idea: have FUN!

Show your class that you have a sense of humor by having fun while you teach. If you’re giving students the tools to succeed, and maybe some occasional tough love, you will gain their respect and watch them do great things.

How will you promote success in your classroom? Let us know - leave a comment, or message us on Instagram @leapedlive. We would love to hear your ideas!