Secret #3 Aricka Ladebu

The authors provide a list of eight tips to let you know your lessons are appropriately paced.  Look at the list and reflect on your teaching for the past few days.  How many of these tips do you think apply to your classroom?  Describe which ones could be observed and give examples.

What we teach must be made relevant to the students, or they won't retain the information as well. 

When I taught a lesson last week about map skills, I had the students create their own maps.  I didn't require them to create a map of PA but of any location of their choice.   A few girls made maps of the Millcreek Mall.  One boy created a map of his farm.  I felt this encouraged them to relate to the lesson better and instead of being dry and boring (Pennsylvania) it was interesting and engaging.  

Plan lessons and activities that will actively involve your students. 

I taught about longitude and latitude this week and instead of just showing them maps and globes, I brought in enough navel oranges so that each student could have one.  I gave a washable marker to each student and instructed them, step by step, to draw lines of latitude around their oranges on the peel.  The next day we peeled them and looked at how the sections naturally create lines of longitude....then we ate them!  They had so much fun and were engaged the whole time.  It cost a little bit of money and made a bit of a mess, but it was worth it.  This was an activity I'm sure they won't soon forget.

Make all students successful by teaching them at their level and then moving them forward. 

I have a few students in my language arts classes who aren't at the same level as the rest.  I try to differentiate for them.  The one boy I allowed to circle pronouns and underline antecedents this week instead of writing them both out.  The other boy I allowed to orally give me the answers instead of writing them on paper.  They showed me that they both understand the material, but for whatever reason, they just can't put their pencil to the paper to record the information.  They are both emotionally and socially immature for sixth grade.  Maybe they just need time to catch up.  

Be enthusiastic in your teaching.

Teaching latitude and longitude for an entire week was difficult, especially since I had had to teach grids for the entire week prior to that.  I just didn't have enough material (and was provided with no curriculum - had to search the net for it) to keep things exciting and interesting.  I was losing interest, so how could I expect the kids to remain interested?  One day during this time I asked a member of maintenance to bring an 8 ft. ladder into my classroom.  I used this to illustrate lines of latitude and how you can "climb" the ladder of latitude (rungs) to move north and south on a globe.  The kids loved seeing me up near the ceiling and watching to see if I would fall off the top.  It spiced things up a bit and reeled them and ME back into the lesson.

Test only what you teach.

For both language arts and PA History I have been taking test and quiz questions straight from the worksheets and other information I have been giving the kids.

(I just realized I am on the wrong list of 8 things...)

Students appear interested.

I keep things moving fast so that they will remain interested.  I call on them quickly, move around the room quickly and constantly, and move through practice sentences quickly.  One boy who kept acting tired and putting his head down, I moved around the table so that his back would not be towards me.  I also began spending time talking to him one-on-one when he entered the room.  He is now engaged and answering questions.  His grades have also improved. I used a lot of manipulatives also.  When they have their hands around something they are more interested and involved.