Greetings to all,
I feel that to effectively reach all of your students, it is imperative that students are able to make connections to the material to be covered. If a student has no vested interest in the material, their mind will inevitably wander. Every effort should be made to find that connection and work it into the lesson. I know that sitting through anything that is not relevant to me will not keep my attention for very long.
When you adjust your lessons to reach out to the students, you also need to involve them in the learning process. When the activities and questions are adjusted taking the individuals into account, the teacher will be better equipped to 'reach' the student.
Catering the lessons to reach all of the students will help to keep their interest and offer the students the best possibility of success in digesting and retaining the material covered. Every student deserves the best the teacher has to offer to provide a free and appropriate education for all. The teacher's lesson plan will most likely 'fit' the majority of the students; but there must be accomodations and adaptations in place for both the gifted students as well as those with IEP's.
A major piece of the puzzle to teaching students is 'ATTITUDE'! If you seem bored with the material, how do you think the students will feel? I once had a teacher who had a totally monotone voice when speaking. There was no difference in pitch, tone, volume, or expression. I used to laugh when I looked at my notes. The pencil would consistently seem to trail off into no man's land. Those were the times when my eyes would start to close and I would shut down. That may be an extreme example, but I was an adult at the time and I can only imagine how tough it is for a younger student to follow a teacher who does not possess the passion necessary to stay upbeat when feeling low. A teacher must be able to 'act' the part when they really may not feel like it.
I agree that it is important to keep in mind what you are trying to teach when making the test and testing what you are trying to teach. This may be a tough thing to master, but if you remember the example about teaching swimming when you are planning your lessons and tests.
Earlier in the book we learned how to chunk our lessons in five minute intervals. This can help to eliminate boredom and keep the students engaged. This will also offer a simple way to change things up if the teacher notices that the students are losing interest. Just like practicing to give a speech, a teacher should practice teaching a lesson. This is especially important when starting a lesson for the first time or when a lesson does not go well and needs improvement.
How to teach anything to anyone is pretty much what we have been taught at Edinboro. First and foremost, you need to spark an interest in the students to get them prepared for the material. It will be much easier to teach the new skill when they are interested in what is being taught. When the students are given an opportunity to learn the skill or material through practice and personal investigation; the student will retain the information much better. Reviewing the material with the students gives the students the ability to showcase what they have learned and identify those who may need more attention.
Like the book says, "This is not rocket science...", but it does require a lot of planning and practice!
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