I am a firm believer in matching my teaching style (or instructional method) to the goal of the lesson. As a result, I oscillate between teacher-led instruction, inquiry-based learning, group work, technology-infused lessons, and project-based activities. I try to incorporate as many real-world applications, labs, and activities as possible to help students connect what they are learning to their everyday lives.
I am also a major proponent of online learning and a flipped classroom model. Having my entire curriculum posted in the LMS and an instructional video for every lesson on YouTube has given me maximum flexibility and gives students maximum control of their learning. Students like watching the instructional videos (I keep them short!) - controlling the pace of the lesson, pausing when they need to, and moving forward quickly when they understand. And I like that students can take notes or finish a lesson at home giving me more time in class for processing the lesson or AP Classroom activities. If you are looking for ways to save time, reduce stress, and get past the question “What did I miss yesterday?,” I highly recommend the flipped classroom model!
(Note: I am in the process of updating my YouTube videos that were created hurriedly during the pandemic. I am only posting products in my TPT store that correlate with updated videos.)