Posts by techsupport
Communicating with Parents
Communicating with parents is a powerful tool for increasing student performance and improving student behavior. Parents will welcome your efforts to keep them informed and can be a valuable support to your teaching goals. Don’t just rely on scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Here are some things you can do beyond these conferences. At the beginning of…
Read MoreStudents with Limited English Mastery
Some students in your class may have limited mastery of English. Here are some things you can do to help these students understand the information you present. Preteach the important vocabulary you will use in your lesson. Teach the meanings of these words in the context in which you will be using them. Simplify the…
Read MoreOvercoming Reluctance to Write
Students are often reluctant to write. Guiding them through the steps that follow can help overcome their reluctance. Have students think about and discuss topics about which they have an interest. Next, have each student write a draft about their topic of interest. Tell students to do this without worrying about correct spelling and punctuation.…
Read MoreClass Rules
It is important to have class rules. These should be in place from the very beginning of the school year, and posted in clear view. Teachers tend to make two mistakes when setting class rules. They often have too many rules, and the rules are often general rather than specific. Here are five rules we…
Read MoreEasily Distracted Students
Some students are easily distracted. They have difficulty focusing and maintaining their attention. Try reinforcing these students for time spent on task (i.e., their attention is on what you want it to be). Gradually increase the length of time these students must stay on task in order to receive reinforcement. The reinforcement can be points…
Read MoreDifficulty Completing Assignments
One or more of your students may have difficulty completing assignments. Always begin by making sure that an assignment is not too difficult or will not take too long to complete. Try to make each assignment as interesting as possible to increase students’ motivation to complete the assignment. Some assignments can be presented in segments.…
Read MoreEvaluating Websites
The World Wide Web is a valuable source of information on just about any topic. But anyone can put information on the web. Students must know how to evaluate web sites to ensure that they can use the information provided with confidence. Teach your students to ask the following questions. Is the author of the…
Read MoreBrainstorming
Brainstorming is an effective technique for stimulating creative thinking in your classes. Here are some guidelines for using brainstorming. Identify a problem (e.g., what can we do about global warming?) or a situation (e.g., what would happen if there were no traffic laws?). Keep the brainstorming session short – no more than a few minutes.…
Read MoreTeaching Through Different Modalities
Vary the types of activities you do with your class. By providing variety, you will maintain the interest of your students. Further, students will utilize all of their learning modalities – auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic. Here are some ideas. Auditory activities: participating in debates listening to oral presentations listening to something read aloud Visual activities:…
Read MoreMotivating Students
It is easy to recognize an unmotivated student. This is the student who seems to put more effort into avoiding work than doing work. Most students will be motivated if they find school to be interesting and relevant, and are given assignments at which they can succeed with reasonable effort. Here are some things you…
Read MoreDisruptive Students
Disruptive students are a major problem in any classroom. They interfere with your teaching and other students’ learning. Here are some things you can do to manage a disruptive student. Ignore behaviors that are only minimally disruptive, such as inappropriate laughter. Focus on major disruptive behaviors, such as walking around the room. Reinforce positive behaviors.…
Read MoreJournals
Having students write journals related to school is a great way to encourage reflection and creativity and enhance learning. Journals can be used to help students deal with emotional issues such as conflict they are encountering or stress they are experiencing. Journals can also provide a valuable review tool by having your students write about…
Read MoreParent Volunteers
With school budgets decreasing as a result of the economy, consider using parent volunteers as a resource. Many parents like to be actively involved in the education of their children, and often have very special skills and abilities. With the loss of jobs, increasing numbers of parents are looking for volunteer activities in their communities.…
Read MoreAlternative Forms of Assessment
As long as there have been schools, there have been tests and quizzes. These are important and valuable devices for measuring your students’ learning and progress. Here are some alternative ways you can measure student learning and progress. Have students present an oral report to the class. Have students complete a research project. Have students…
Read MoreReluctant Students
Some students are reluctant to participate in class. It is important to encourage these students to participate. By participating, such students enhance their communication skills while you learn about their understanding and instructional needs. Here are some things you can do to encourage a reluctant student to participate in class. Establish a supportive class environment.…
Read MoreBullying
Bullying appears to be an increasing problem in our schools. Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior that can be physical, emotional, and/or verbal. It can be done by individuals or groups. Whatever the form, bullying has many adverse effects on its victim. Here are some signs that a student in your class may be…
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