Skip to main content

5 Things to make you a better Teacher This Year - Be the Change!



1. I might have to add this to my mottoes for teachers:
 STOP TALKING, Start Listening.
This article about BRAIN research from Kagan is awesome.  It tells teachers, that "Tellin' ain't Teaching"
I wish I could YELL it to all teachers.
http://www.kaganonline.com/online_magazine/spencers_thinkpad.php


2. Build Relationships First - Get to know them.
http://www.bamradionetwork.com/edwords-blog/5-lessons-from-camp
They are kids. They need consistency and love. They need to like school, just like Camp. "School is awesome."  I love playing games at the beginning of school to find the leaders, or shy students in the group, get them up, get them moving. Start with music something positive and happy.  Be happy to be there and love your content and they respect that. Make it about them, and their favorite things - then add in the content to those topics.  If they love video games, go online - grab some cheat codes and see if they can tell you how to score higher, watch and see how fast suddenly they can read. I haven't had a student give me a boring answer on an inventory sheet that didn't help me know, understand more about them. Find a student inventory - reading inventory, or personality inventory and learn more about your students likes and dislikes.
Questions like: The best thing about me is...
What I enjoy doing the best....
I earn the best grades when I....
The things I like best about myself are...
If I could follow someone around for a day at their job it would be....


I have learned that ALL students come to school to SUCCEED, so you can help them do that by saying,
3. "I Believe in You"
This article from BAM Radio tells you how to avoid embarrassing students, and how to reword your questions to encourage them and let them know you are a support to help them Succeed more each day.  Ask them to SHOW you how it is done.  Believe they can.  Awesome Teachers do this.
http://www.bamradionetwork.com/edwords-blog/i-believe-in-you-what-students-most-want-to-hear-from-teachers


4. Classroom Strategy  STRUCTURED TIMED Pair Share

Asking students a question and getting one eager volunteer to answer is common in every classroom.  However a better way is the Kagan strategy of Timed Pair Share.  Ask the same question but give students 45 seconds to answer it to their elbow partner, - Both have to answer, all have to participate and no one is daydreaming, all are participating. Time flies when this is used.  Use Higher level questions or ask students to compare two h istorical characters or characters from a text allow for more time. If you LISTEN you will hear great responses, and quickly can tell who might need more help understanding or focusing.  I love Kagan stuff and if I ever get to attend a class, I will jump at the chance.  Read more about it here at Kagan Articles:
http://www.kaganonline.com/free_articles/dr_spencer_kagan/274/Kagan-Structures-Not-One-More-Program-a-Better-Way-to-Teach-Any-Program


5.  Great ways to begin the year!

This one is wordy at the beginning so I scrolled down to the words: Part One there are some great ideas here and helpful. Remember YOU can do this, and Be Great!

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2013/08/response_ways_to_start_off_the_new_year_on_a_postive_note_-_part_one.html


Do-I-belong-is-one-of1111.jpg


Things to NOT do on first day.  I agree with a few of these.  Some maybe.
http://www.brilliant-insane.com/2015/08/14-things-teachers-should-never-do-on-the-first-day-of-school.html






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have a great day, by helping someone else's day be great!

Today was my 17th 'first day' in education. My 11th in public school at Everman I.S.D.  I am learning more and more every day.  The kids make it so much more fun though.  All summer I have been in and out of trainings, with some kids for summer school, and working the last two weeks with adults. Today was better because the KIDS were there. Some were scared and unsure.  Some were angry their sleep was disturbed.  Some were tired of the dress code already, but they were there.  I know in their heads they are saying to themselves, "this year, THIS IS the year I am going to be awesome, I am going to start off on the right foot, and make great grades.  I will be organized.  I will ace every class. Then there are the ones in lines with parents trying to just register and praying they have all the paper work required like at the D.M.V.  The constant paper work that ties us to places and people required to prove something.  I like the kids....
Post a Comment
Read more

Mid-Week Reads

I learn so much from Twitter! It is truly a constant PLN.  I have been overwhelmed by it in the past.  At iPadpalooza 2015 - it was stated WTF?  What's the FEAR? About Twitter, but I know the fear of being unable to read it all, that's the fear.  The fear of doing it wrong.  The fear of never finding the hashtag? But I've fixed that in my head, I don't have to read it all. A colleague of mine said he is limiting his to 50 people to follow so he only selects great Tweeters who have something to do with his content of History. So his is more specific, while mine is jumping all over the place, with great librarians, principals, school leadership, teachers, authors, magazines, writers. I am trying to read all the blogs, reviews, ideas, books, plus Twitter chats scheduled all the time is just crazy.  It goes so fast and changes so quickly. That's the FEAR! So this month my challenge goal is to calm down my own head about Twitter.  Just read what I want,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reflective Wanderings

This summer there are so many ways that I have learned new things.  From classes with Mr. LeBeau to National Conferences, to Twitter, and blogs daily.  There is just so much that my ADHD is just wallowing in it all.    I have learned that EVERYONE you meet knows something you don’t. I have learned: I must limit my time on Twitter because I will be there forever and reading so many blogs my eyes will cross. google forms can be used for exit tickets reading choice matters tons of reasons to help kids read and why I need a way to keep up with all the blogs that I read so I can share with others: This morning I read - great ways to reword you questions. Ways to reflect and keep a great summer going - http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/11720 How to motivate your life to get what you want out of everything - TED Talk Stop saying you are FINE - say Amazing!  I am Amazing! Say it. Epic Reads 8 Quotes that will mak...
Post a Comment
Read more