You spend precious minutes preparing a great lesson. It seems fun. It’s interactive. It gets students moving. And you’ve got a great story to introduce it. But just as you begin explaining to your class what they’ll actually be doing, you see eye rolls. … Read more
First, a definition. Although you may hear defenders spout limits justifying its use, narration is any talking by the teacher while students are meant to be performing a task that was asked of them. Typically, it sounds like reminding. But it can also be … Read more
Although in the moment it doesn’t seem like a big deal, accepting less than what you ask of your students is a form of failure. It’s a lowering of standards that communicates that you don’t mean what you say. It tells students that they … Read more
What does it matter? Who cares if students wear their pants below their waist or show more skin than you’re comfortable with? As long as it doesn’t interfere with your teaching, what’s the big deal? It’s a style, a fashion statement. It allows them … Read more
A problem with education today is that many (many) teachers make their lessons too complex. The result is that students become . . . Bored Disengaged Unmotivated Antsy Disobedient Again and again, I observe teachers taking basic concepts and twisting them into medieval labyrinths … Read more
I love learning games. They’re a great way to build camaraderie. They create fun and energy. They also have a knack for making information stick. One of my favorites is called the vocabulary game. It’s a review game you can play for virtually any … Read more
If you’re currently struggling to manage group work, it’s already too late. You’ve missed the boat. There is nothing you can do to fix it unless you’re willing to go back to the beginning. No, I don’t mean to reteach it. I mean to … Read more
Many students do poorly because they believe they’re incapable. They’re just not good at school. And it shows in their lack of enthusiasm toward learning. This in turn causes more failure, which further reinforces this belief. It’s a never-ending cycle. Tragically, most teachers make … Read more