Posts by techsupport
Do I Give Enough Feedback?
Ask yourself these five questions about the feedback you provide to students. Work to ensure that you can answer ‘Yes’ to each question. Does my instruction style facilitate feedback? Do I offer objective, non-debatable observations of student performance? Is my feedback aligned to desired outcomes or goals of the learning task? Students must be aware…
Read MoreRelating to Students’ Lives
Keep in mind that students’ lives should be a part of your social studies curriculum. Bring their lives into your classroom. This will naturally lead to informative discussions about race, class, culture, gender, language, and nationality. Students will learn that these things not only are important in broader society, but effect them every day in…
Read MoreReducing Math Anxiety
Demonstrate that you are enthusiastic about math. Use students’ mistakes as a teaching tool, not as a basis for criticism. Take the emphasis off of tests and try to avoid timed tests. Deconstruct the idea that math is an unlearnable, difficult subject. Emphasize that math is a sequential subject that can be learned skill by…
Read MoreClass Newsletter
A class newsletter is an informal way to communicate with parents. Here are some of the many things you can include in a newsletter. Announcement of upcoming events. Items parents should have at home for class projects. Explanation of your classroom rules. Explanation of your grading policies. Various kinds of reminders. Samples of students’ writing…
Read MoreLesson Objectives
Lesson objectives are one of the most vital parts of an effective lesson plan. Objectives provide a guide that allows the teacher to make sure that all the information taught is necessary to the main goals of the lesson. They also help teachers measure what the students have learned and achieved. Here are some guidelines…
Read MoreActivating Prior Knowledge
Generally, students learn a topic best when they already know some information about it. A lot of the time the information is inside their heads, but they don’t know how to access it. It is important to help students activate their prior knowledge. Here are some ways you can help students acquire prior knowledge about…
Read MoreEncouraging Reluctant Readers
In every class there are students who don’t enjoy reading and resist reading, either out loud or to themselves. There are several strategies that can encourage reluctant readers to participate in class reading activities. Choose high-interest reading materials. As you get to know your students you’ll understand what really motivates each child. Some may be…
Read MoreFishbowl Reading Technique
Students must often master the concepts, ideas, and themes that are present in a novel. One of the best ways to teach students to do this is by using the “fishbowl” technique. Begin by splitting your class into groups of 4-5. These students will work together to create a fishbowl. Assign each group a separate…
Read MoreUsing the Chalkboard
The chalkboard is an important teaching tool. Here are some guidelines you should follow when using this tool. When beginning a lesson, write the date and the lesson objectives at the top left corner of the chalkboard. This will help both you and the student to stay on track. Divide your board into a large…
Read MoreLight Exercise
Incorporate movement into your students’ day. This is especially important if physical education is no longer a part of your school’s curriculum. Teacher of core subjects can help teach students about fitness as part of their curriculum; even if it is just stretching. Getting in some movement before a long lecture or lesson helps students…
Read MoreThe Countdown
You may not realize it, but your students have been conditioned to change their behavior when a countdown is introduced. Sports, games shows, and video games often use a countdown to mark the end or beginning of something important. Game theorists note the countdown strategy as one of the key ways that games manipulate players’…
Read MoreDon’t Forget Your High Achievers
Teachers typically spend much of their time assisting low-achieving students. However, high-achieving students also need your assistance. Make sure that you are engaging both groups of students. Here are some ways you can help your high achievers. Have high achievers help low achievers with class assignments. However, be certain that the high achievers have completed…
Read MoreThink, Pair, Share
This is a strategy to help students think about different topics, formulate their individual ideas, and then share them with other students. It is a great way to get the whole class involved. It gives students the opportunity to think about their ideas carefully, thereby increasing the quality of their responses. It’s also a way…
Read MoreLife Skills
Today’s teenagers are all about technology. However, there are some things students should know how to do that don’t involve technology. Provide instruction to your students for the following. How to write a check. It may seem obsolete with online bill pay and debit cards, but there will come a time when a check is…
Read MoreEliminate Hallway Disruptions
Students in elementary school sometimes have a difficult time going from one place in school to another without disruption. Here are some tips to reduce disruptions. When you have the students leave the classroom as a group, stand at the back of the line. This will allow you see all of the students. Bring math…
Read MoreIntegrating Art and Literature
For many students, creating art is enjoyable. You can utilize students’ enjoyment of art to help them get more from a novel than they can by simply reading it. Here are some art activities that can be used to enhance students’ appreciation of a novel. Each of these activities requires that students think carefully about…
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