The maxims of teaching are a set of statements that experienced teachers have put forward. These maxims are universal facts and are accepted throughout the globe. When a teacher understands the maxims effectively, the teaching gets more systematic and efficient.
To put it in a simple manner, if you were to assemble a wardrobe, you would need a guidebook. The guide will tell you how to assemble the parts and the order that you should follow. Without a guide, you are just working your way through assumptions and guesses. This might take longer and the results might not be satisfactory. Similarly, when you are preparing the students and assembling their knowledge and capabilities, there is a way to do it and you must follow a certain order. These are pointed out by the maxims of teaching.
Let us take a look at the maxims of teaching.
Maxims of Teaching
We will be discussing the maxims of teaching with examples so as to make this seemingly difficult idea, easier to understand.
1.From Known to Unknown
This is a maxim that throws light on previous and acquired knowledge that the students might have. The students might know some concepts and the teachers should introduce the unknown through the known concepts. For example, breathing and eating are known concepts that all students might be familiar with. However, respiratory functions and digestive functions might be an unknown concepts. Teachers must acknowledge the known and take the students to the unknown. This way, teaching can be made effective.
2.Simple to Complex
It is a given that simple concepts are taught first and then teachers move on to complex topics. The simple concepts lay a foundation for teaching the more complicated concepts. This applies to all the grades and all the subjects. For example, the story is a simple concept (relatively) and the figures and analysis are a complex concept. Teachers must gradually increase the complexity.
3.From Concrete to Abstract
Abstract concepts are those that are intangible. It cannot be seen since it does not have a physical form. For instance, infinity, BODMAS, and likewise are abstract concepts whereas numbers and counting, etc. are concrete and can be taught using physical objects. When we look at the maxims of teaching closely, it can be observed that all the maxims have a simple beginning point and it gradually grows and travels to a more defined, complex plot.
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