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10 Ways Teachers Teach More than Content Information

August 30, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Recently, a candidate for public office suggested that schools could save money and become more efficient by replacing teachers with videos. Experts who are excellent lecturers would be videotaped presenting important content information. The videos could then be shown to large groups of students at a small cost.

This plan presumes that teaching is mostly about giving students information. There is a perception that teachers stand in front of a class and lecture while students passively receive information. While this may be true in some cases, in most classrooms today students are actively involved. They apply learning by working on projects. They test theories and create hypothesis as they learn to generate new knowledge. They read first person accounts and other primary sources in order to learn how people think, to recognize patterns and to understand the past.

It is true, that if disseminating information is the key objective, then taping experts presenting information and using it over and over again is a good strategy. What’s missing in this equation is that teachers do many valuable things in addition to presenting information.

Here are 10 things teachers teach or do that go beyond giving students information:

Teachers know students well. They know when to push them and when to encourage them.

Teachers guide students, often one-on-one or in small groups, as they apply their learning to real world projects and products.

Teachers teach critical thinking by asking questions and guiding discussions.

Teachers help students to recognize their individual strengths and areas for growth.

Teachers foster social interactions, teaching students how to work well with others.

Teachers teach social skills such as manners and patience.

Teachers model respect for all people, no matter their culture, gender, race, or abilities.

Teachers work with parents, sharing information and providing information about student progress.

Teachers help students work with emerging technologies.

Teachers teach students to be responsible by assigning tasks and homework, and by having high expectations for student work and conduct.

We are sure there are many more things we could add to this list. What do you do besides deliver content information? We would love to hear in the comments below.

10 Reasons Why Kids Don’t Do What You Tell Them To Do

April 5, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 5 Comments

We’ve all felt the exasperation of asking kids to do something only for it to fall on deaf ears. We repeat our direction, often resulting in more non-action, until finally we are yelling. We hate that we have succumbed to yelling, and they hate that we are yelling at them.

Why don’t kids do what we ask of them? If we could figure it out, it might lead us to another, better way of communicating.

Here are 10 reasons why kids don’t do what you tell them to do.

1) They didn’t process the request.

This is particularly true of very young children. If you ask a three year old to go to the corner of the classroom and pick up her toys and put them on the shelf, you are not likely to get compliance. You lost her in the three part direction- she heard “go in the corner of the classroom,” where you find her happily dumping out a bin of blocks.

Many older children also have processing delays; they hear part of the request and forget the rest. Try giving simple directions. Use picture clues such as signs. Another idea is to give cues. For example, before we can go to lunch there are three things I need you to do. Listen for the three things. First… then second… then lastly… Ask children to repeat the directions.

2) They didn’t hear the request.

Let’s face it, it is a noisy world. Maybe a child has still has their ear buds in from their time on the computer. Maybe there is a lot of peripheral noise. Many people have difficulty hearing in a noisy environment. At school, today’s classrooms often include multiple teachers working with multiple groups. Excessive noise can be a challenge.

Make sure you have attention before giving a request. Use hand or light signals. Look them in the eye. Try a loud whisper or a catchy call back to attract attention. If they don’t hear you, they can’t comply with your request.

3) They don’t understand the reason for the request.

As much as we might like to think “because I said so” is a good reason, children often respond well to a request when they understand the motivation for the task. Saying ” I don’t want you to walk around the classroom right now” becomes a challenge to be contested. Explaining that you don’t want them to walk around the classroom at the moment because you are giving important directions that will help them with their homework works better.

Children might see a fire drill is an opportunity to talk to their friends. When the teacher explains that it is important that they to be quiet so that she can listen for fire safety personnel or to hear if someone needs help, they are likely to move through the halls quietly. Whenever possible, give children reasons why you want them to do something.

4) The task is too challenging.

This might not apply to simple tasks such as asking a child to put on her shoes, but it often applies to tasks such as homework. A struggling reader might shut down when confronted with the task of reading a long chapter of a book that is beyond their reading level. A child who feels that playing a musical instrument is too hard or the requested practice time is too long will not practice.

In the classroom, children may not understand the directions and give up if the work seems too difficult. For many students, it feels better to not complete work than try it and fail. They would rather be known as a trouble maker than as a failure.

Make sure work is at a level that is not too easy, but also not too hard. Encourage students by helping them to understand that trying and doing something wrong is an opportunity for learning.

5) The task is not challenging enough.

Students often reject tasks that are not challenging as “boring” or a “waste of time.” If a student can successfully complete ten two digit subtraction problems, do they really need to complete 100 more? Our brains like novelty and interesting things. Rote copying of answers directly from the textbook to the paper does not stimulate interest or curiosity. Whenever possible, make sure tasks have some level of challenge.

Sometimes we do need to do repetitious or boring tasks. Anyone who has ever played airplane to get a small child to eat vegetables understands the power of fun and novelty. When you ask children to pick up the classroom, turn on the timer on your phone to make it a game. See if they can beat their best time. Practicing spelling words? See if you can find ten different ways to spell them- with a pen, by writing with your hand on someone’s back, writing with your foot by making letters in the air…

6) They are meeting a personal need.

You talk to your class about the importance of using kind words when disagreeing. Then, to your dismay, you find out that one of your students used unkind words to exclude another student from her social group immediately after school. The exclusionary language might have been a method for your student to gain peer approval or social status from other students. Her need for peer approval is higher than the need for teacher approval, so she doesn’t do what you asked.

Another example is typical of playground behavior. You tell a child not stop fighting with his peers at recess. He continues to fight. He might be fighting to meet a need for power; as long as he can hit other kids he feels powerful.

When a child’s behavior is caused by their desire to meet a particular need, often you can help the child figure out a better way to get their needs met. Ask questions. What does it mean to be “popular” and how else can you gain popularity? Likewise, what other things could a child do to feel more powerful? What opportunities could you find to give a child power in positive ways?

7) They feel a need for autonomy.

No one, including children, likes to be controlled 100% of the time. Think about how you feel when you are micromanaged. You like to have some control over your tasks and how they are done. Children do as well.

If children never have choices, they may refuse to cooperate with requests. Children who don’t complete homework despite adult requests may perform better if they are taught to set up a schedule and to choose which homework to do first. Many students will take more responsibility for their work when they are allowed to chose a datebook or planner and keep track of their own work. If children are used to someone else constantly dictating what they do and when they do it, they are not likely to want to or be able to manage without that constant reminder. Children need to be taught skills that will allow them to be independent.

8) They don’t like or respect you.

It is human nature to resist doing something for someone we don’t like. Children are often reluctant to do something for someone they don’t respect. Many adults believe that they deserve respect just by being adults, but many children and adolescents don’t see it that way. Respect is more of a two way street. It is given and earned on both ends.

If you think that respect is at the heart of the issue, ask yourself why. What can you do to build respect? The way to solving this problem is by building relationships. Do you treat the young person with respect? Do you ask about and care about their experiences and feelings? Do you listen to them? Do you take their perspective into consideration? Building relationships takes time, but is worth it.

9) The timing of the request is off.

Sometimes, students fail to complete a request because the time is not right. For example, students might not complete homework directly after school because they are hungry or thirsty or need some physical activity after a long day of sitting. Being extremely tired is another reason for slacking; think of how much work you get done when you are very tired.

In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our basic needs, such as the need for food, water, air and sleep come before anything else. Take these needs into consideration before asking children to comply with a task.

10) They are suffering from traumatic experiences.

This is the big stuff, bullying, violence in the home, abuse. Some children live in violent neighborhoods. Others are often hungry. Their focus is on existence, with little energy left for anything else. After the most basic human needs for survival, Maslow’s next step tells us that we must feel physically and emotionally safe before we can learn or attend to other tasks. Some psychologists note that childhood trauma is a form of PTSD.

Children who are traumatized have bigger issues than following directions. Their safety needs must be met before they can work on other things. There are no quick fixes here. Do your best to get to the bottom of the issue, and get help from a professional such as a school counselor, social worker, mental health professional or a physician.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it will give you some things to think about when you feel frustrated when children don’t do what you ask.

What other things have you found to be effective? We would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

Our best,

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Share with Parents: 6 Easy Ways to Help Your Child’s Teacher

February 2, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 5 Comments

Most parents are thankful for the teachers who spend their days educating children. Parents are especially thankful after long breaks in which they realize how difficult it can be to spend the day with their own children, let alone twenty-five other students in one classroom all day every day. However, parents are often unsure how to show their appreciation or best offer help to make the teachers’ lives a bit less stressful.

Here are some ideas you can share with parents who want to help you but don’t know the best way to get started:

Help with materials. This type of help can be done at school or sent home if parents are unable to get to school during the day. Many teachers need instructional materials sorted, bulletin board items cut out, packets stapled together, etc. If parents can do this once, or on a regular basis, their volunteering can free up time that teachers can then spend planning.
Help with “crowd control” during classroom work time. As teachers, we love to do projects and host special events in our classrooms. However, these can be the most hectic times. Having another adult in the room to supervise a small group, help with transitions between activities, or to assist with student movement and materials throughout the room can help to maintain a safe learning environment.
Pick up supplies the next time parents are out shopping. This does not have to involve large sums of money. Parents can volunteer to pick up items needed for experiments or buy class snacks the next time they are at the grocery store. You may want to ask parents if they would consider picking up a pack of glue sticks or other instructional materials the next time they run to Target. These small items often come out of a teacher’s personal budget and require the teachers to run to a store to purchase the supplies. A willing parent’s time and contribution of an item that would likely cost five dollars or less would be much appreciated by most teachers. This does not mean you should make parents feel obligated to shop for the classroom. However, it is a nice suggestion you could make if a parent is asking for ways to assist you.
Embrace the parents’ individual talents. Teachers do not know the hidden talents of their parents. Are they an artist? If so, they could help the children learn how to draw self-portraits for the covers of their “About Me” papers. Do you know a parent in marketing? He or she could help the students make a brochure for the science fair. Teachers are “experts” in the curriculum and pedagogy of teaching. Parents may have hidden talents and, when shared, their expertise may help the students achieve new learning.
Ask parents to consider offering items to the classroom before donating or selling. We have all heard the saying, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” That chair that no longer works in your student’s living room could be the perfect reading chair in your classroom. Those plastic tubs that no longer store your student’s holiday decorations could perfectly store your classroom supplies for the year. Before donating or selling, ask your classroom parents to consider if the item(s) could be useful in your classroom and then donate them to you if so.
Offer a classroom gift card. As you know, a gift card to a grocery store to purchase snacks for a classroom celebration can make a teacher’s day. However, a gift card for a discount store where teachers can buy classroom supplies will make their week. If a parent wants to contribute to the classroom but doesn’t know how, consider asking them to purchase a gift card to a local store for classroom supplies.

These are just a few simple ways that parents can help you and show appreciation for the work that happens in your classroom. These are suggestions for parents that want to help but don’t know where to start.

What means of parent gratitude have you found most helpful in your classroom? What are some additional ways parents could help you? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy helping,

Share with Parents: 5 Ways to Keep Kids Learning During a School Break

December 22, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 4 Comments

Keep Your Child Learning — Image via Derek E-Jay FLIKR Creative Commons License

Kids are used to being in school, learning, several hours per day. Now they are going to be home for a break…a long break. Parents want extend their child’s learning into the break but you also want to relax and enjoy family time. We offer five easy suggestions that can accomplish both at the same time. Please feel free to send these suggestions home to parents as they are written or add your own to personalize.

1. Play games together

Learning opportunities abound in games. Basic card games can teach addition and sequencing. Scrabble and other word games can teach reading and writing skills. Maybe dust off that old Trivial Pursuit game to review content and teach them a new thing or two. Take a look at the games you already own or maybe purchase a new one. When you start examining games, you will be amazed at all of the academic skills and social skills they teach. By playing family games, you can disguise learning as fun.

2. A new fact each day

Every day have each family member share one new “interesting fact” with the family. As the days go on, you may find your family attempting to make the facts more fun and unique. This provides the kids an opportunity to use their electronics for research or to dig into books on your shelves. You may consider buying a journal, titling it “The ____ Family’s fun facts over _____ break,” and having each person document their facts within the journal. It is a fun way to create a keepsake that can be revisited over and over again.

3. Tape note cards around your house

Yes, you read that correctly. Write the content your child is learning at school on a notecard. Then tape the notecard near light switches, door handles, or any place that is frequently seen in your home. Every time the child walks past the notecard, they can tap it and read what it says. For example, if your little one is working on sight words or vocab words you can create a notecard for each and tape it by the front door. Every time they walk out the door, your child can tap the notecard and say the word/definition aloud. To make it more interesting, you can tape the cards high, low, and/or interchange them. This same idea also works for math facts, spelling rules, and just about anything you can be creative enough to add to a note card.

4. Create a scavenger hunt

This works well to keep the kids busy for long periods of time. It can also work well when friends or younger family are visiting as the kids can start creating their own scavenger hunts after you model the first one. The list of things they need to find can be academic or just plain fun. In any case, it keeps the kids reading, reasoning, and problem-solving, which are all skills taught daily in school and essential for school success

5. Read with your child

This can be relaxing, fun, and educational for both you and your child. Find a book that you loved at their age and read it to/with them. This is a perfect way to build their fluency and create memories at the same time. The learning that happens while reading together is immeasurable.

You will notice that when your child’s mind is occupied, they are less likely to engage in other activities that may just tire you out more. By picking one or more of the suggested activities, or creating your own, you will find that you all get some relaxation and learning in over break.

Parents will appreciate these and any other suggestions you offer for ideas over break. In addition, you will find that your students will return to your classroom after break full of great family memories and new learning.

Wishing you many happy memories with your family over break as well,

5 Things Children Wish You Would Remember About Childhood

December 10, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 11 Comments

You were once a child, then you grew up. Now, with all the obligations and stresses of being a grown up, you may have forgotten what it is like to be a child. As an adult, you are helping a new generation to grow up. On behalf of children, we would like to refresh your memory, and give you a bit of perspective of what it is like to be a child. Here are five things children wish you would remember about being a child.

1. Children have little freedom.

Freedom is like cotton candy. Kids want it but when they get it, they don’t always know what to do with it. Freedom can becomes a sticky mess because they don’t know how to consume it correctly.

Elementary school aged kids have little freedom. They often have to ask, “Where are we going?” or “How long will we be there?” Can you imagine having to ask these questions multiple times a day because you really don’t know what is going to happen?

Children live a life that is greatly dictated by the adults around them, often for good reasons such as safety or consistency. However, a little freedom is a good thing. It helps children to feel autonomy and to learn to make good choices. Just like cotton candy, it is a sweet treat every once in a while as long as a grown-up helps the child to make sure it doesn’t become a sticky mess.

2. Children don’t get to control what they eat.

Children also have little autonomy in their choice of food. School lunch is a predetermined combination of foods and portion sizes. At home, young kids are generally at the mercy of their parents for meal times and choices. Can you see why it seems like a momentous occasion for children to have any say in the supper choice?

When was the last time you had to ask someone before you could go into your kitchen to get a bowl of ice cream? And if someone told you “no” on the way to the kitchen to get that ice cream, how would you respond? Would your response mirror that of a child? Most likely so. If you want a snack, you get one. Rarely do you have to ask someone. If you are having a particularly rough day, do you ever reward yourself with a chocolate, a latte, or some other special treat?

Remember this the next time kids beg you for a food choice that seems irrelevant to you. They aren’t trying to annoy you, they just want what you take for granted…choice in what they eat and drink. Giving children occasional choices in meals or snacks can bring great joy.

3. Children often don’t get a choice in clothing.

Much like the food example above, kids often have little choice when it comes to their attire. Children’s clothes are bought by adults, often with little input from the child. Sometimes dress is dictated by school uniforms or dress codes.

Adults often request that children change their clothes. Children don’t understand why the purple spotted scarf doesn’t go with the comfy striped, pastel sweatshirt. They don’t understand that certain situations call for certain types of clothes- thus the tank top in January.

Think of how excited adults get on “Casual Fridays” or other days when they get to dress in a way that is fun and comfortable. Adults use clothing as a form of personal expression. Kids want comfort and personal expression too, and don’t understand why they can’t have it. Looking good has a whole different meaning to them than it has to you.

Consider letting them wear Fourth of July bandannas in December and call it their version of Casual Friday. Try and build in some degree of choice for clothing selections on school spirit days. Your students will appreciate it and you might be surprised at the creative styles they concoct.

4. Children find being in school all day difficult.

The school day is long for children. Yes, you did it and “got through it.” Kids today sit longer, test more, have less recess and fewer opportunities in school for unstructured time. Do you remember the times you struggled to pay attention in elementary school? You may have blocked out all of those memories.

Think of days you struggle to pay attention. You may complain and discuss those rough days with your friends. Consider this…your students may understand those days as well as your adult friends, maybe even better.

It is OK to acknowledge that you know how kids feel when they get frustrated with spending so many hours each day sitting in school. Together, brainstorm solutions for being resilient through the tough days. The elementary students in your life may just come up with some ideas that work for you too.

5.Children want and need to talk.

Sharing a room with your friends all day and NOT TALKING is unnatural. People are social by nature. Kids learn through social interactions. Developmentally they NEED to talk. So when we put them in a classroom with 25 peers it is only natural that they want to talk.

Honestly, if you were in a room with 25 of your friends all day, wouldn’t you have trouble not leaning over and telling them about the funny thing that happened over the weekend? Obviously, kids can’t talk freely with their peers all day. However, discuss with them how to find appropriate times and ways to talk with their friends. Let them know that talking is natural. It just needs to be at the right times and in the right places. They love to about their lives and are often eager for an adult to listen when given the opportunity.

Given the demands of adulthood, we may think it is easy to be a child. Our memories are often more nostalgic than realistic, and it is easy to remember the fun parts at the expense of the difficult ones. With a little perspective, you can be aware of and sympathetic to the realities of being a child today.

Hoping you haven’t “grown up” too much,

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