September 27th

Effective Strategies for Kids in PT Classes 👧👦


✨ What strategies, techniques, or ideas from the session on teaching kids could be adapted to your own classes with teens or pre-teens?

There are several strategies that can be adapted to different populations. However, considering the courses I am currently assigned, I find these to be the most useful:

🔔 Attention Grabbers – “1-2-3, Eyes on Me”
This strategy is effective to regain students’ attention when they are either hyperfocused on an activity and I need to give an extra instruction, or when they are distracted and need to refocus.

📜 Classroom Rules & Contract
A valuable lesson I learned from my co-teacher was the importance of setting rules from the first class. She made sure students understood them, and in later sessions she reinforced them. Eventually, students themselves began to remind each other of the rules. This encouraged students to take responsibility while giving her a fair and consistent way to address discipline when necessary.

⚡ Activating Students
Pre-teens often have a lot of energy but also begin to show teenage resistance toward participation. Including short energizers or engaging activities helps improve the classroom atmosphere and motivates them to transition smoothly into the next task.

📝 Assessment & Self-Awareness
Using simple check-in markers to let students express how they feel about the class encourages self-reflection. It helps them become aware of areas they might need to improve and promotes responsibility for their own learning process.


✨What challenges or differences do you notice between teaching kids and teaching teens/pre-teens, and how can the insights from the session help you address those differences?

I believe the greatest challenge lies in students’ attitudes. In a single classroom, a wide range of emotions often collide, which can sometimes create a negative atmosphere. For this reason, it is essential to design an engaging environment where students can channel their attention into meaningful activities rather than getting distracted by classmates or their own thoughts.

Patience is also key, as it allows the teacher to analyze which strategies are most effective in each situation. For instance, incorporating short “brain breaks” can re-energize students and help them shift into a calmer mindset for activities that require more focus and silence. Likewise, establishing a classroom contract can be a powerful tool to address defiant attitudes and encourage accountability.

The biggest difference between kids and pre-teens is reflected in their attitudes, likes, and dislikes. Pre-teens stand at the threshold of adolescence, which means they often show resistance—acting as if nothing is interesting or worth doing. Yet, at the same time, they are still children who seek attention, enjoy playing, and need engaging interactions.

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