Teaching Strategies Archives - Page 16 of 18

Teachers need a variety of effective teaching strategies. This collection of teaching strategies will help teachers with motivation and management, and engaging students in active learning.

What is the Most Important Question You Can Ask?

January 24, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

What is the most important question you can ask?

Why is this important?

Why do I need to learn this?

Why do I have to do this?

Why is this working..or not?

We all know the major questions: who, what, where, when, why and how.

Questions that start with who, what, where, and when, are all questions that can be answered with concrete, low level answers. They are questions that ask for recall and comprehension. They have a right answer and a wrong answer. You can ask them with a multiple choice question. In Bloom’s taxonomy, these are the questions that ask us to remember and understand.

How is the question that gets at the process of something. How do we do this ? How do we implement the steps? How do we apply the formula? In the realm of Bloom’s taxonomy, how is at the application level. How will you solve, execute, implement, or demonstrate something?

Why is the question that gets at higher levels of thinking.

Why asks us to judge, select, value and weigh benefits. Asking why leads us to analyze, to investigate and evaluate, and to formulate new ideas. These skills are at the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and are the skills we need in order to take information and knowledge that is readily available to us and use it in new and beneficial ways.

Asking why also gets at purpose.

One of the best ways to increase motivation, whether for adults or for students, is to help people understand the purpose of something. When people don’t understand the purpose for a task, they often need some kind of manipulation to entice them. Rather than coming from within, their motivation is external. In a job situation, this might show up in the form of more money or extra time off. In an educational situation, you will see it show up as a sticker, a good grade or some sort of prize.

When you understand your purpose, everything changes.

As Daniel Pink states in the book Drive,

“We know— if we’ve spent time with children or remember ourselves at our best—-that we are not destined to be passive and compliant. We’re designed to be active and engaged. And we know that the richest experiences in our lives aren’t when we are clamoring for validation from others, but when we are listening to our own voice- doing something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves.”

We are at our best when we know our why.

That’s why the most important question you can ask is…why.

Here’s to asking good questions,

Are You Killing the Love of Reading?

January 4, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers 6 Comments

There are many reasons to develop a love of reading. Reading, like playing tennis or a musical instrument, is a skill. When we read, we are practicing a skill, and as with any skill, the more you practice the better you will get. If you enjoy reading, you will be more likely to read, and more reading makes you a better reader.

Reading also helps us to bridge cultures, to learn about other people and places that we may not have had the chance to experience first hand. Reading is a source of unending information about almost any subject imaginable. It is a key to success in school and in life.

No parent or teacher would intentionally try to lessen a child’s success by killing the love of reading, but it happens every day.

Here are some ways adults unintentionally kill the love of reading:

Using long sessions of round robin reading.

You remember this from childhood. Going around in a circle, or up and down a row, each person reads a paragraph followed by the next person. Good readers are bored and read ahead. Poor readers count the paragraphs before their turn so they can silently practice it so they won’t look foolish. No one is actually paying much attention to the student who is actually reading. The lesson? Reading is boring.

Asking students to read as a punishment.

When reading is assigned as a punishment for some infraction, the message is that reading is a punishment. Enough said.

Never allowing students to choose their own reading material.

Our knowledge, abilities, and interests vary widely. We are more interested in reading when we have a choice in our reading material.

Allowing students to read only when all of their work is done.

In school, this often means that the students who most need to practice reading don’t get any time to read. Reading is seen as an “extra” and not as something important.

You don’t model a love of reading.

Children imitate adults. If they never see an adult read, they are not likely to understand the value of reading. If adults don’t think it is important, why should children?

You don’t allow students to reread a beloved book.

Good readers often reread favorite books. There is comfort and joy in rereading. It also helps beginning readers to develop fluency. Rereading is a sign of a good reader.

We hope that you are not committing readacide with your students.

.Do you want to help students to develop a love of reading? Here are some things you can do:

Read aloud to children every day.

Share your favorite books.

Encourage daily reading.

Take children to the library.

Buy children books.

Let children see you read.

Talk about what you are reading.

Building a love of reading isn’t rocket science. It is possible to promote reading and good reading habits. We hope you are doing all things in your power to help students to develop a love of reading and ultimately, to be good readers.

Happy reading,

Do you want to learn more about motivation? Get our free guide:

Growing Brains: Reading as the Anti-Zombie

August 9, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

Today we are happy to welcome guest author Dr. Kathleen Lovie, MD. Dr. Lovlie is a board certified pediatrician and self- proclaimed book pusher. She is the author of the gold medal winning book Practical Parenting: An Un-Politically Correct Guide from the Trenches , which will help parents raise children who are healthy and self-confident, responsible and brave. We love her advice about growing children’s brains through reading.

Growing Brains: Reading as the Anti-Zombie

by Dr. Kathleen Lovlie, M.D.

In The Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams said, “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” They can, in particular, change your child’s world.

I am a book pusher. In my office we force free books on babies and children at every visit, compliments of the Read program. They generally would prefer lollypops, but they put up with it.

With each book they get nagged about reading. We do this because a child’s brain develops most rapidly between 6 months and 3 years, and reading aloud stimulates the parts of the brain in which language skills reside. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

The problem is that only 48% of families read to their children every day; 1 in 6 read to their children only 3 days a week. One third of children enter kindergarten lacking basic language skills. These kids are typically 12-14 months behind; 88% will never catch up. These kids start the uphill journey of life at a tremendous disadvantage.

The solution is reading aloud. Reading aloud is the single most important thing a parent can do to prepare their child for school and beyond. Reading aloud develops literacy skills, including:

The number of words with which children enter kindergarten directly predicts their later success.
There is no other way to learn how words sound than by hearing them spoken.
Familiarity with the printed word. Opening a book should feel comfortable, warm, and welcoming, not intimidating.
Storytelling ability. There is no better way to stimulate your child’s imagination than allowing them to create their own story.
Children learn the actual meaning of the words by hearing them used.

Knowledge is power, and it is waiting to be gathered from the words in books. Love of reading is also waiting in those words, needing only to be nurtured by time shared reading. That love will become a mighty tool and support throughout their lives.

There are tricks to doing it better:

Ask questions. The traditional questions are what-when-why-where-how?What is the creature in that tree? Why is Clifford so big? Where did that mouse go? Get involved in the book.
Describe the book. Talk about the pictures:That dog is bigger than the house! Look how tall that beanstalk grew! Count objects, if there are several: One-two-three apples! Notice the actual letters: Look, there is an “N” – that’s the first letter in your name! Notice and point out colors and shapes.
Use funny voices: nothing will entertain your child like you sounding like a duck.
Emphasize rhymes; sing the words when you can. Kids love to imitate crazy words. Generations of people can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’. What were the chances? Is your Mama a Llama?There is a reason “One, two, buckle my shoe” is around long after the demise of shoe buckles. It rhymes, and you can sing it.
Relate the book to your own life. If you read “Clifford and the big storm,” talk about that storm you had last week.
Have fun. Your munchkin will see your happiness, and their joy in reading will grow.
Reward reading. Kids will do what they are rewarded for doing. If reading brings with it hugs, smiles, and time with mom or dad, they will want to do it again.

Bring reading into the rest of your life. Notice signs beside the road; mention the movie marquee for the show they want to see. Visit libraries, museums, and parks and talk about what you see. Listen to music, and talk about the lyrics. When your child shows you the picture he or she drew, invite them to tell you a story about it. Where is that dinosaur going? Is he all alone? Show them how you use words through the day, writing your lists, or paying your bills.

Talk about the words themselves:

Some words can sound the same, but have totally different meanings. You can bake cookies with flour, or pick a flower off a bush; Grandma’s hip might creak, but it’s not the same as the creek you fish in.
Different words can mean the same thing. That flower can also be called a blossom, if you are in the mood.
The exact same word can have very different meanings. A dogs bark is very different than the bark on a tree, as a computer mouse is different than a live one.
Words can end the same, and rhyme! That mama llama is an enduring favorite.

Make reading a habit. Children’s brains are designed to form habits. Habits and routine are security to them; use this to your advantage. A habit of snuggling up to read every night before bed will make bedtime a much more enjoyable experience. Happy children sleep better. If you make a habit of reading to your child for 15 minutes each day, by the time they enter kindergarten you will have read to them for a whopping 500 hours. No wonder it makes such a difference!

Parents are a child’s first and best teachers. They are the most important people in their child’s universe. If a parent thinks that reading matters, then it does matter. If they think that reading is enjoyable, then it is.

With a routine of reading, a child will enter kindergarten with a larger vocabulary, a habit of reading and learning, and a habit of being interested. They will know that interest is always rewarded. They will be ready to excel.

Reading can open up the world for children. Anything they find interesting, they can explore. They can discover things they otherwise might never have known existed. They can search for the answer to any question, and be inspired to ask new ones of their own.

Reading lights up the dark corners of prejudice and bigotry, and will help your child become a better person. With reading, he or she can find their own magic, unlimited by their immediate surroundings. To paraphrase Robin Williams in Dead Poets: “… the powerful play goes on, and your child may contribute a verse. What will their verse be?”

Dr. Kathleen Lovlie is a Board Certified Pediatrician, Anthropologist, Award Winning Author and Blogger. Her unique “tell it like it is” approach cuts through the fluff and gets right to the truths that help guide parents through their most difficult challenges, while showing them how to live in the moment with their kids.

Relying on decades of experience as a solo practice pediatrician, where she sees kids from birth through their teen years, Dr. Lovlie answers universal questions that she has been asked by parents over and over again.

Her award winning book is Practical Parenting,:an Un-Politically Correct Guide from the Trenches

Find her blog at: https://practicalparentingadvice.com
Follow her on twitter @drLovlie

We would love to hear your comments about children and reading below.

Happy reading,

8 Big Truths About Learning

April 26, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

Learning strategies and trends come and go, but with all of the current issues and debates in education, a few ideas remain constant. Here are 8 big truths that hold true no matter which strategy, method, or curriculum you use.

Understanding the big picture helps learning.

Have you ever tried to memorize random facts or bits of information? Chances are that although you might have been successful enough to answer test questions, the information left your brain shortly afterwards.

The brain is a pattern seeking organ. It wants to make connections. Our memory works better when it can see how information fits together. Connecting new information to the already known is a great way to build on existing knowledge and make learning stronger and deeper.

To helps students see the big picture, ask questions such as:

How does this connect to what I already know?

How and when will I use this information?

Why is this important?

Emotion helps memory.

How does learning become permanent? Why do we remember some things forever and forget other things? Chances are, when things are connected to our emotions, we remember them. Emotionally charged information gets our attention. We make stronger connections when information is tied to our emotions, which leads to improved memory.

Leverage this insight by helping students to connect to emotions. Make them laugh, or get angry or feel empathy. Involve the senses or music. Use stories to humanize topics. Make it personal by connecting to their experiences or examples. If students feel something, they are more likely to remember.

Visualization is powerful.

For many people, images are easier to remember than words. Visualizing helps us to see things in our mind and remember them. In some cases, visualizing an action evokes the same biological results as actually performing a physical task. Elite athletes have learned to harness the power of visualization to improve their skill. Visualizing is a powerful tool. You can help students visualize by encouraging tasks such as drawing a picture or map to explain a concept, using graphs, charts or graphic organizers, or asking them to close their eye and imagine how something looks or feels.

Practice makes permanent.

Remember the old adage practice makes perfect? Actually, it is not true! Practicing something over and over again does strengthen the neural pathways in the brain to make an action permanent. However, if you repeatedly practice something incorrectly, your brain will have learned how to do it the wrong way! Once the wrong habits are ingrained, it is even more difficult to try to do something the correct way. Make sure students don’t practice incorrectly. Guide students as they do the first few math problems to see that they understand the correct procedure. Watch them as they practice a musical instrument to make sure their position is correct and that they are playing the notes correctly. Once you know that they can do a task correctly, then they can practice.

Creative thinking is not just about the arts.

Of course the arts and creativity go together, but creative thinking is bigger than the arts. Creative thinking is an essential tool for problem solving. When we think creatively, we combine things in new ways. We look at problems from multiple perspectives. We relax and play and allow our unconscious minds to work out solutions. Albert Einstein once said that the solution to a problem will not be found with the same level of thinking that created the problem. Solutions often require creative thinking.

We can encourage creative thinking. We can teach students to brainstorm and generate lists. We can teach students to reframe the problem. We can also encourage open mindedness, exploration and divergent thinking. We can encourage imagination and flexibility, and focus on ideas, progress and growth versus rigid answers, set attitudes and one way of doing things.

We learn socially.

For many years, learning was an individual, rather than a social activity. The reality of learning is that often, we learn with and with the help of others. Who hasn’t talked out a problem with a friend in order to find a solution? Who hasn’t learned from a conversation with others? Many times, we can do things with the help of another person that we cannot do alone.

Today’s teachers understand this which is why you will often see group projects, partnerships, and jigsaw activities where students divide up a task and deliver portions of the knowledge gained to each other. Activities such as buddy reading or cross-age learning partners help both individuals learn better.

Talking in school, once a taboo, is now a method for learning. A wise adage says that he who does the talking, does the learning. Who is talking in your classroom?

Preventing a problem is better than fixing a problem.

The best learning environments are active and productive. With lots of activity and many minds in one place comes the potential for off-task behavior and general chaos. Fortunately, preventing problems is possible.

Master teachers use many strategies to prevent problems. They establish clear procedures and rules, and teach students how to use those procedures and rules. They also understand that students must be busy with engaging and worthwhile tasks. Good teachers show enthusiasm for the subject and help students to be interested and excited too. Good teachers are actively involved in the classroom, and guide students throughout the activity. They build relationships with students and guide behaviors rather than demanding them.

Intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation.

When we have intrinsic motivation, we are generally interested in learning or doing something. We enjoy the activity and find purpose in it. Think of the activities that you choose to do in your free time. It is a good bet that no one is forcing your or bribing you to do those activities. You do them because you see a benefit, because you enjoy them, or because it fulfills a need or purpose in your life.

The opposite of intrinsic motivation is extrinsic motivation. With extrinsic motivation, an outside force is acting on you to get you to do something. You work for the prize, the reward or the incentive. Your students might work for the sticker, the extra recess or the grade.

Extrinsic rewards often work, especially in the short term or with unchallenging, repetitive tasks. But for long term gains, changing behaviors or creating life-long learners, intrinsic rewards work better.

How do we increase intrinsic motivation? Help students become interested in a topic by connecting it to their lives. Offer students choices- of topics, process of learning or products of learning. Mix up teaching methods and activities to keep things varied and interesting. Help students to set their own learning goals and to see how the learning will help them both now and in their future.

There you have it- our 8 BIG truths about learning. What about your BIG truths? What do we miss? We would love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Happy learning,

Exercise Balls as Desk Chairs: One Teacher’s Experience

February 9, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

Have you heard of exercise balls used as desk seats? Would you consider using exercise balls instead of traditional chairs in your classroom?

That’s exactly what Rahni Kay Haverland, third grade teacher at St. Anthony School in Dubuque, Iowa did. Intrigued by the idea, we interviewed Rahni Kay to get a teacher’s perspective. Here is her insightful look the potential and pitfalls of this unusual seating arrangement.

What made you want to get the new seats?

My students’ needs were the main reason for wanting the balls. 3^rd grade is a year where they are suddenly expected to sit still for longer periods of time. I do mini lessons and small group lessons, but I still had students who could not keep their chair legs on the floor or constantly rocked or tapped during short 5-10 minute lessons.

What do you call them?

We simply call them balls or exercise balls.

Had you ever tried them before you got them for your classroom?

We did have 2 balls in the classroom prior to receiving our classroom set. The students LOVED them and looked forward to the day it was their turn to sit on them. The love of the balls actually sparked the idea to get a classroom set.

Where did you get the funding?

My third grade students wrote letters to the Parent Association stating reasons the balls were a benefit to their education and asked for funding from the PA as well. They put together a presentation to present at a PA meeting and the rest was history. How could they say no to such logical arguments laid out by 8 and 9 year olds?

What was the reaction from students?

Saying the students love the balls is an understatement. They enjoy that they don’t have to “sit still” anymore. They are very careful to follow the expectations so they can continue to enjoy the privilege.

What was the reaction from parents?

Parents I have talked to appreciated the process we went through to get the balls. They are still relatively new, so I am eager to see what they have to say.

What was the reaction from other teachers/administrators?

Many teachers at my school and other teacher friends think I am crazy. They “couldn’t deal with that.” I agree, I am a little crazy. But, I also am willing to try new things. I want what is best for my students and chairs were not the best option. Why not try something else? I will be the first to admit the first week was rough, but things have settled into a routine.

My principal was very supportive. She encouraged me to give it a try and helped me get connected with the Parent Association. She saw them for the first time this week and was impressed with how calm the students looked.

What do you think are the benefits?

MOVEMENT. My students can now move while sitting still. It was hard to get used to at first…all the movement, but it is getting easier. They are able to get their wiggles out during a lesson. Trips to the water fountain and bathroom have decreased. They no longer need to make up an excuse to get out of their seat. I also like how much quieter they are than chairs constantly clattering. Also, we can do brain breaks with them. I can stop in between lessons and we can do sit-ups on our balls. The benefits are endless!

What have been the struggles or downsides?

Just like anything new in the classroom it takes time for the novelty to wear off. They are balls—in the classroom. Heck, I want to see how high I can bounce on them! High and consistent expectations have been key. They set the expectations as a class and we go over them at the beginning of every day and after lunch/recess. Safety is the main priority. There are also a couple students who are more distracted sitting on the balls.

How do they work with students- do all students use them all day? Do they also have regular chairs? Do they get to decide which seat to use at any given time?

As mentioned above, some students are distracted by sitting on a ball. They made the choice on their own to use a chair for most of the day. We have enough for every student in the classroom to sit on a traditional chair, if needed. The beauty is that the students decide when to switch the ball out for a chair or vice-versa. We brainstormed reasons we would want to use one over the other and they are becoming good at knowing what they need and when. We use “practice cards” from Whole Brain Teaching. If a student is given 3 practice cards in one day they do not get the option to use the ball the remainder of the day. Usually one practice card is enough of a reminder to sit safely. Choice is a large part of our classroom culture.

What else can you tell us that might inform other teachers about these seats?

I highly suggest paying an extra couple dollars for a weighted ball. Technically, I could have bought the cheaper ones and funneled 2 pounds of sand in each ball myself. But, who has time for that?! The weight keeps the balls from rolling around the classroom.

There are a few different sizes to choose from. I got the 75cm ones, which are a bit too large, but I can let some of the air out. Our previous 2 balls were 55 cm and just a little too small for the majority of our third grade students. I would recommend the 65 cm ones.

Any last words of advice?

I would like to tell teachers to not be afraid to give it a try. If it is a disaster, I am sure the P.E. teacher could find a use for them in class. Oh, and it will smell like rubber in your classroom for a few days. My students called it the “new ball smell.” Enjoy!

What do you think? Would you try these seats? We would love to hear your opinion. Please leave a comment below!

Happy bouncing,

Rahni Kay Haverland is a third grade teacher at St. Anthony School in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition to teaching, she is married and has a young daughter.

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