Teaching Methods Agent Skill
Direct instruction, inquiry-based, project-based, flipped classroom, differentiation, and assessment
Install
one command, takes just this skill from the repositorynpx skills add https://github.com/cosmicstack-labs/mercury-agent-skills --skill teaching-methodsThe instruction itself
9 sections, as written by the authorTeaching Methods
Effective teaching approaches for different learning contexts.
Methods Overview
| Method | Teacher Role | Student Role | Best For |
|--------|-------------|--------------|----------|
| Direct Instruction | Expert, guide | Active listener | Foundational skills, procedures |
| Inquiry-Based | Facilitator | Investigator | Critical thinking, curiosity |
| Project-Based | Coach | Creator, problem-solver | Real-world application |
| Flipped Classroom | Mentor | Self-directed learner | Active class time |
| Socratic | Questioner | Critical thinker | Deep understanding |
Direct Instruction
Structure: I Do → We Do → You Do
- I Do: Model the skill, think aloud
- We Do: Guided practice with feedback
- You Do: Independent practice
When to Use
- New concepts or skills
- Procedural knowledge (math, coding syntax)
- Safety-critical topics
Inquiry-Based Learning
- Present a question or problem
- Students explore, ask questions, investigate
- Guide toward conclusions through questioning
- Debrief and formalize learning
Example Prompt
*"How could we determine the most efficient sorting algorithm without looking it up? What experiments would you run?"*
Project-Based Learning
Framework
- Driving Question: Open-ended, meaningful
- Sustained Inquiry: Multiple research cycles
- Authenticity: Real-world relevance
- Student Voice & Choice: Decisions throughout
- Reflection: Process and product
- Critique & Revision: Feedback loops
- Public Product: Presented to authentic audience
Differentiation
Adapt for different learners by adjusting:
- Content: What students learn (vary complexity)
- Process: How they learn (vary activities)
- Product: How they show learning (vary assessments)
- Environment: Where/how they learn (vary settings)
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How to use it
Take cosmicstack-labs/teaching-methods from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.