What better way to develop an Environment of Respect and Rapport than by developing a 1:1 relationship with each student??Watch Rick connect with students about their reading during conferences. What does he do/ say that develops an environment of respect and rapport? What does Rick communicate to his students with his verbal and non-verbal language? I’ve seen similar successes with… Read More
Classroom Discussion Strategy: SPIDER web
Whether you teach math, social studies or general music, I know you want to facilitate amazing classroom discussions! You may want to give Alexis Wiggins’ version of the SPIDER Web Discussion strategy a try. She has been refining this strategy for seven years and shares her experiences and her rubrics! While students are the ones discussing, the teacher is still… Read More
Dittos & Worksheets & Packets, Oh my!!
So, your school department actually has a manual for you and it’s full of printables… They were designed by educators and statisticians… and people that must know more about teaching this content than you do… so why aren’t you students engaged? Well, I am writing this post to make sure you don’t “throw out the baby with the bath water!”… Read More
Student Engagement… Buzz Words Demystified
According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), the 4Cs: Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity and Innovation are infused in learning. Watch and listen to how ASCD describes 21st Century Skills. In the video P21’s video library, the section titled “In Practice,” features sample lessons incorporating 21st Century Skills for any grade level/ content area…. Read More
My Favorite Questioning Resource
As I look at many of the available web resources out there on questioning, I just can’t find one clearer or more to the point than this one from the Tulare County Office of Education. The best part is about halfway down the page, and is titled, “ELA CCSS Bookmarks.” The tittle is fitting I think, because just like when… Read More
Improving Questioning & Discussion Techniques- 1 week Challenge
Let’s think about where we are starting! If you missed the rubrics I posted yesterday, you may want to check them out. Level 1: Questions are rapid-fire,and convergent,with single correct answers. All discussion is between teacher and students; students are not invited to speak directly to one another. -> Level 2: The teacher frames some questions designed to promote student… Read More