'First Day of School Activities Students Love'

The first day of school will be here before you know it. Most teachers face the big day with enthusiasm, but they dread the inevitable challenge: what to do on the first day of school.

Every teacher’s approach is different. Whatever your goal, here are a few things to try to get the school year off to a great start!

Goal: Getting to Know Your Students

How well will your incoming students know you? How well do you know them? How well do they know each other? How well do they know the school? These are important things to consider as you start planning the first day.

If you’re teaching kindergarteners (or high school freshmen, who often seem like kindergarteners), you may need to spend the first day – or the first several days –getting everyone comfortable. There are tons of icebreakers out there, but here are a few different techniques to try:

Plan a Scavenger Hunt

This could involve students searching the classroom to find things like the pencil sharpener or the hall pass, or it could ask them to discover which of their classmates took a long trip over the summer or who has a younger brother.

Assess Learning Styles or Multiple Intelligences

For older students, the first day can be a great chance to find out more about how they learn. There are many differentlearning style inventories available online. Find out the many different ways your students are smart by having them complete a multiple intelligences assessment. Have students share these results.

It can encourage students who have typically struggled if they know you are aware of the things they are good at, and it provides an opportunity to address some of those “I’m dumb/she’s dumb” issues that inevitably crop up in a classroom.

Do a Self-Portrait

Whether it’s done with words or pictures, collage or drawn by hand, having students describe themselves can be fun, informative, and occasionally surprising. Of course, the self-portrait will be most effective if you do one of yourself, too.

Create a Time Capsule

Have students create a sample of their current work — for example, have students take a pre-test, write a paragraph or even video tape them reading aloud or speaking in a foreign language. Bring the examples out in June and let students recognize how much they’ve grown.

Goal: Introducing Your Subject(s)

For some teachers, the first step is helping students to understand what they are going to learn this year. But you don’t always want to start right off with a lecture or worksheet, so try one of these:

Get Them Guessing

Prediction activities can be a great way to activate students’ prior knowledge on a topic and get them excited about what lies ahead in the course.

Guessing Game 1: Give them a series of true and false statements about the content of the course and have them guess the right answers.

Guessing Game 2: Or do a demonstration experiment and have students guess about the results.

If you teach English, try this trick: get a movie of the first novel students will read and show one brief, suspenseful or exciting scene. Make sure to stop the film so that students are “left hanging” and tell them they’ll have to read the book to find out what happens. You may get kids begging to start the book!

Start with a Challenge

This is especially effective for older students or for classes in which you want to set a specific tone. Since most teachers spend the first day of school distributing syllabi and lecturing about class rules, you will really get the students’ attention if you make them work the first day and get around to that “business” stuff on the second or third day of class. Give students an assignment that will really challenge them.

One drama teacher actually starts her beginning drama class by making students do an audition where they read a speech aloud in front of the class. It’s not graded, but it gives her valuable information about the students and it helps them get past their initial “I can’t act” attitude.

If you teach an AP class, why not start the first day by giving the students part of a practice AP exam? The students will see them soon enough – just jump right in!

Begin with a Book

This approach is especially effective for non-language arts teachers. Find a book that puts a different spin on your subject and share it (or part of it) on the first day.

Ways to Use Books to Introduce Subjects Outside Language Arts

- Maybe a children’s book on animals is a fun way to begin studying biology.
- A coffee table photo book might provide striking images for students to think about as they begin studying history.
- For older history students, consider taking an excerpt from a book like Guns, Germs, and Steel; Founding Brothers; or Citizen Soldiers. These books describe history in a different way and may grab the attention of students inclined to “tune out” their textbook.
Whatever method you choose, the first day of school offers a great opportunity to learn about your students and set the tone for a terrific school year!

'Teaching Students Who Don’t Want to Learn

As educators, we know all too well how tough it is to get (or keep) our energy level up to teach students who sometimes don’t want to learn. I’ve even heard students describe teachers as being “a speed bump to a grade.”

It’s true that more and more students are not graduating from high school with the necessary skills to succeed in college (or in life for that matter). It’s also true that more and more students are taking their education for granted and not respecting the process and the institution of learning.

However, these obstacles also offer us an opportunity to make a huge impact on our students.

One of the cardinal rules of teaching is that students will not believe in you until you first believe in them and what you’re teaching them.

As discouraging as some students’ attitudes are, nothing should negate the fact that as educators, we have an opportunity to take a closed mind and replace it with an open one. In essence, that’s our number one priority…to get students to think.

Our jobs give us a great opportunity to get students to open their minds and challenge themselves beyond their limits. You’re not only teaching them basic skills, you’re teaching them life skills – skills that will impact them well beyond the classroom. Unfortunately, if you don’t believe this is true, neither will your students.

To get yourself in the right mindset for teaching, skim through the class objectives. Then ask yourself, “How could a student benefit from this material, now and in the future?” Obviously, if you can’t think of a student benefit, then maybe you shouldn’t be teaching the subject.

If your belief in the subject matter isn’t strong, then you will have no conviction in the classroom. And we’ve all heard the saying, “When it comes to children, you can’t kid a kid.” Students can detect an insincere teacher faster than a fake I.D.

However, if you truly believe that the knowledge and information taught in your class will prove to be beneficial to your students, then take your conviction and passion and put it into class discussions, activities, and assignments.

The fact of the matter is, students will only care about your class to the degree to which you do (sometimes less, but never more). If you don’t care about a thing, that “thing” can and will become a burden on you.

Likewise, if you teach that “thing” for the wrong reasons, you will become a burden on your students. And quite frankly, if a teacher doesn’t care, then that teacher shouldn’t teach.

'Code of Ethics for Educators'

This Code of Ethics for Educators was developed by the distinguished AAE Advisory Board and by the Executive Committee of AAE.

It contains four basic principles relating to the rights of students and educators.

OVERVIEW

The professional educator strives to create a learning environment that nurtures to fulfillment the potential of all students.

The professional educator acts with conscientious effort to exemplify the highest ethical standards.

The professional educator responsibly accepts that every child has a right to an uninterrupted education free from strikes or any other work stoppage tactics.

PRINCIPLE I: Ethical Conduct toward Students

The professional educator accepts personal responsibility for teaching students character qualities that will help them evaluate the consequences of and accept the responsibility for their actions and choices. We strongly affirm parents as the primary moral educators of their children. Nevertheless, we believe all educators are obligated to help foster civic virtues such as integrity, diligence, responsibility, cooperation, loyalty, fidelity, and respect-for the law, for human life, for others, and for self.

The professional educator, in accepting his or her position of public trust, measures success not only by the progress of each student toward realization of his or her personal potential, but also as a citizen of the greater community of the republic.

• The professional educator deals considerately and justly with each student, and seeks to resolve problems, including discipline, according to law and school policy.

• The professional educator does not intentionally expose the student to disparagement.

• The professional educator does not reveal confidential information concerning students, unless required by law.

• The professional educator makes a constructive effort to protect the student from conditions detrimental to learning, health, or safety.

• 5. The professional educator endeavors to present facts without distortion, bias, or personal prejudice.

PRINCIPLE II: Ethical Conduct toward Practices and Performance

The professional educator assumes responsibility and accountability for his or her performance and continually strives to demonstrate competence.

The professional educator endeavors to maintain the dignity of the profession by respecting and obeying the law, and by demonstrating personal integrity.

• The professional educator applies for, accepts, or assigns a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications, and adheres to the terms of a contract or appointment.

• The professional educator maintains sound mental health, physical stamina, and social prudence necessary to perform the duties of any professional assignment.

• The professional educator continues professional growth.

• The professional educator complies with written local school policies and applicable laws and regulations that are not in conflict with this code of ethics.

• The professional educator does not intentionally misrepresent official policies of the school or educational organizations, and clearly distinguishes those views from his or her own personal opinions.

• The professional educator honestly accounts for all funds committed to his or her charge.

• The professional educator does not use institutional or professional privileges for personal or partisan advantage.

PRINCIPLE III: Ethical Conduct toward Professional Colleagues

The professional educator, in exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues, accords just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession.

• The professional educator does not reveal confidential information concerning colleagues unless required by law.

• The professional educator does not willfully make false statements about a colleague or the school system.

• The professional educator does not interfere with a colleague’s freedom of choice, and works to eliminate coercion that forces educators to support actions and ideologies that violate individual professional integrity.

PRINCIPLE IV: Ethical Conduct toward Parents and Community

The professional educator pledges to protect public sovereignty over public education and private control of private education.

The professional educator recognizes that quality education is the common goal of the public, boards of education, and educators, and that a cooperative effort is essential among these groups to attain that goal.

• The professional educator makes concerted efforts to communicate to parents all information that should be revealed in the interest of the student.

• The professional educator endeavors to understand and respect the values and traditions of the diverse cultures represented in the community and in his or her classroom.

• The professional educator manifests a positive and active role in school/community relations.

BEST TEACHER DESCRIPTION

There are many characteristics, techniques, etc. that make for a successful teacher. These may be as varied as the teachers themselves. However, there are certain time-tested attributes, characteristics, and practices which contribute immensely to teacher success. The following list contains items that students have used to describe their best teachers.

1. Enthusiasm
   • Students can feel the excitement
   • Students easily detect the teacher’s love for job and subject
2. Preparation
   • Teacher knows the subject
   • Teacher plans and prepares lessons daily
3. Punctuality
   • Always arrives on time
   • Begins and ends class on time
   • Expects and encourages students to arrive on time
4. Support and concern for students
   • Lets students know that he/she cares about their success
   • Takes time with students
   • Allows for creativity
   • Is friendly and courteous
   • Is supportive and encouraging
   • Is smiling, caring and loving
5. Consistency
   • Does not miss class
   • Is consistent in attitude and dealings with students
   • Is always well prepared to teach class
6. Politeness
   • Treats students with respect
   • Does not condescend
   • Avoids embarrassing students in class
7. Firmness and control
   • Is firm in a kind manner
   • Avoids tangents in teaching
8. Does not play favorites
9. Provides personal help
   • Takes time to explain concept
   • Gives individual attention
10. Accepts individual differences
11. Employs an effective delivery
    • Clarifies for understanding
    • Creates a sense of fun with the learning task
    • Eliminates bad, irritating and/or distracting habits
12. Does not make students lose face
    • Avoids criticizing students
13. Has high expectations of class members
14. Is humble
15. Is fair
16. Uses variety
    • Uses a variety of learning activities
    • Experiments
    • Allows for spontaneity
17. Has a sense of humor; is relaxed
18. Use of engaged time
    • Sets a good pace and provides for a change of pace
    • Avoids engaging students in “busy work”
19. Use of text
    • Is not a slave to the text
    • Uses text as a road map
20. Keeps within 1-2 days of the scheduled course outline
21. Field trips and other activities
    • Applies student experiences to classwork
22. Does not always teach from a sitting or leaning position
23. Interpersonal relationships with students
    • Does not allow students to call him/her by first name
    • Does not try to win a popularity contest
    • Maintains a healthy teacher-student relationship
    • Respects students (remember that sometimes what you think is healthy, fun joking with students may be interpreted by them as disapproval and dislike.)
24. Does not allow one or two students to monopolize or dominate the class
25. Keeps accurate records of
    • Work completed
    • Attendance
    • Test results
    • Grades

Additional Suggestions

1. Provide for activity changes — perhaps something not on the lesson plan; for example, scrabble, hangman, pictionary.
2. Be somewhat unpredictable — Students will not know what comes next. Keep students in some suspense.
3. Variety — In teaching, variety provides for renewed interest in the subject matter. Use variety in how you have students work together. Do not always pair the same ones together. Provide for a variety of learning activities. Some suggestions are:

   Assignments Brainstorming Buzz sessions General discussion Panel discussion Problem-solving discussion Music Instructional games Questioning and quizzes Reports and talks Role playing Worksheets Demonstrations Dramas Storytelling General chalkboard use

   Chalkboard illustrations Charts and maps Displays and mobiles Filmstrips Flannelboard Flashcards Motion pictures Opaque projections Overhead transparency projections Pictures, posters Tape recordings Video tape recordings Videodisk recordings Videotaping class presentations or activities Guest appearances Combined activities with another class.

4. Instant Involvement — Create a variety of instant involvement techniques that can be used to capture students attention for what will be presented.
5. Give eye-to-eye contact.
6. Change teaching style for variety.
7. Pace — A change of pace is refreshing and helps students re-enter the learning process.
8. Change of setting — At appropriate times it is stimulating and interesting to meet in a different location or setting for a specific learning task.

Role of Special Educators in promoting Inclusivity in Education

Special Education is that component of education which employs special instructional methodology (Remedial Instruction), instructional materials, learning-teaching aids and equipment to meet educational needs of children with specific learning disabilities. Remedial instruction or Remediation aims at improving a skill or ability in a student.

        Techniques for remedial instruction may include providing more practice or more explanation, repeating information, and devoting more time to working on the skill. For example, a student having a low reading level could be given remediation via one-on-one reading instruction, phonic instruction, or practice in reading aloud.

Role of special educators

        Special education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities. A small number of special education teachers work with students with mental retardation or autism, primarily teaching them life skills and basic literacy. However, the majority of special education teachers work with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using the general education curriculum, or modifying it, to meet the child’s individual needs. Most special education teachers instruct students at the elementary, middle, and secondary school level, although some teachers work with infants and toddlers. Special educators provide programs for specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. Students are classified under one of the categories, and special education teachers are prepared to work with specific groups. Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part of a special education teacher’s job. Early intervention is essential in educating children with disabilities. Special education teachers use various techniques to promote learning. Depending on the disability, teaching methods can include individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small group work. When students need special accommodations in order to take a test, special education teachers see that appropriate ones are provided, such as having the questions read orally or lengthening the time allowed to take the test. Special education teachers help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each special education student. The IEP sets personalized goals for each student and is tailored to the student’s individual needs and ability. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home. They are involved in the students’ behavioral, social, and academic development, helping the students develop emotionally, feel comfortable in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behavior. Special education teachers communicate and work together with parents, social workers, school psychologists, speech therapists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.

Special Education can be provided to the child in a one to one setting outside or within his/her formal educational environment. Special remedial, therapeutic, or enrichment services can be provided to students outside the regular classroom which is referred to as Pull-out services.

An Inclusive Model of education would imply educational provision for individuals with special needs within the educational system where these children study side by side with their mainstream peers, so as to enable them to develop to their full potential. Inclusion is an educational philosophy aimed at “normalizing” special services for which students qualify. Inclusion involves an attempt to provide more of these special services by providing additional aids and support inside the regular classroom, rather than by pulling students out for isolated instruction. Inclusion involves the extension of general education curriculum and goals to students receiving special services. It involves shared responsibility, problem solving, and mutual support among all the staff members who provide services to students. One aim of inclusion is to reduce the removal of students from the regular classroom when the same intent of service can be provided within the regular classroom.

Modifications for children with specific learning disability-

The different areas looked into and modifications incorporated for a child with specific learning needs maybe-

 Accommodation: An adjustment made to an environment, situation, or supplies for individual differences.

Adaptation: A change in what students do or a reshaping of the materials students use. Adaptations are essentially the same as modifications, but can specifically refer to the materials and equipment student’s use to aid in learning. Enlarging the print on a worksheet and audio taping a textbook are examples of adaptations.

Cognitive learning: The area of learning based on knowledge and reasoning; also called academic learning.

Compensation or compensatory instruction: Instruction aimed at tackling a problem or an area of difficulty. Techniques for compensatory instruction include the use of alternative instruction, alternative techniques, and adaptive equipment.

Co-teaching: An instructional arrangement in which there is more than one adult in a classroom, instructional and classroom responsibilities are defined and assigned, and some type of co-planning is involved.

Individualized education program (plan) (IEP): A written plan of educational goals and objectives for a student. This plan is reviewed and rewritten each year.

Modification: A change in what students do or a reshaping of the materials students use. Reducing the number of questions students must answer at the end of a textbook chapter, allowing a student to answer aloud instead of writing an answer, and allowing the student to do an activity that is different from what the other students are doing are all examples of modifications.

Transition services: Services, training, skills, support, or instruction identified as necessary to help a special education student successfully move from a school setting into a post-secondary setting (i.e., work, job training, technical school, college, military, independent living, semi-independent living). There are a variety of facilities in which these professionals work.

• Special schools: Mostly special educators are found working in special schools helping children with the academic skills.
• Rehabilitation centre: There are many public/private rehabilitation centers.
• Private support: In India private practice is very common where many Special educators work independently. They may be working part-time in any of the facilities mentioned above along with private tutoring also.

The Tasks Ahead-

The service provisions in India for persons with disabilities are more or less similar to the global scenario. However, a majority of the services, including special schools, are concentrated in urban areas. There are more special schools for school going children than vocational training centers or integrated schools. Of late, a number of CBR programmes have been initiated to deliver services closer to the homes of people with disabilities. Keeping in view the diverse needs of children with disabilities and the different models of service delivery systems, there is a need for reorienting the existing pre-service programmes in general education from pre-school to university levels and to plan in-service and pre-service programmes in special education at all levels.  To implement the current concept of inclusive education, pre-school teachers should have in-service training on disabilities, and future training courses should include education of children with disabilities. In-service training programmes of two to three weeks’ duration for general educators and special educators in all the disabilities and in specific areas of disability are essential to effectively teach children with disabilities. Pre-service programmes at degree and post-graduate levels are necessary to improve the quality of teacher training and to promote research and development activities in the field of special education. All universities should have a department of special education to promote education of children with disabilities.  There should be separate training programmes for staff working in Community Based Rehabilitation programmes. The preparation of teachers for rural special education programmes should be planned differently, as the aim of these programmes would be to integrate disabled persons in their own environment and community. Periodic evaluation of the training programmes and constant updating to meet the challenges of changing trends in special education should be part of the planning of teacher preparation.  The curriculum for each of the above programmes should be carefully developed by an expert group which includes practicing special teachers. The feedback   from the teachers is imperative in making the correct decisions about the content.

Active learning

ACTIVE LEARNING

Many college teachers today want to move past passive learning to active learning, to find better ways of engaging students in the learning process. But many teachers feel a need for help in imagining what to do, in or out of class that would constitute a meaningful set of active learning activities. The model below offers a way of conceptualizing the learning process in a way that may assist teachers in identifying meaningful forms of active learning.

A Model of Active Learning

Explanation of the Components This model suggests that all learning activities involve some kind of experience or some kind of dialogue. The two main kinds of dialogue are "Dialogue with Self" and "Dialogue with Others." The two main kinds of experience are "Observing" and "Doing." Dialogue with Self: This is what happens when a learner thinks reflectively about a topic, i.e., they ask themselves what they think or should think what they feel about the topic, etc. This is "thinking about my own thinking," but it addresses a broader array of questions than just cognitive concerns. A teacher can ask students, on a small scale, to keep a journal for a course, or, on a larger scale, to develop a learning portfolio. In either case, students could write about what they are learning, how they are learning, what role this knowledge or learning plays in their own life, how this makes them feel, etc. Dialogue with Others: This can and does come in many forms. In traditional teaching, when students read a textbook or listen to a lecture, they are "listening to" another person (teacher, book author). This can perhaps be viewed as "partial dialogue" but it is limited because there is no back-and-forth exchange. A much more dynamic and active form of dialogue occurs when a teacher creates an intense small group discussion on a topic. Sometimes teachers can also find creative ways to involve students in dialogue situations with people other than students (e.g., practitioners, experts), either in class or outside of class. Whoever the dialogue is with, it might be done live, in writing, or by email. Observing: This occurs whenever a learner watches or listens to someone else "Doing" something that is related to what they are learning about. This might be such things as observing one's teacher do something (e.g., "This is how I critique a novel."), listening to other professionals perform (e.g., musicians), or observing the phenomena being studied (natural, social, or cultural). The act of observing may be "direct" or "vicarious." A direct observation means the learner is observing the real action, directly; a vicarious observation is observing a simulation of the real action. For example, a direct observation of poverty might be for the learner to actually go to where low income people are living and working, and spend some time observing life there. A vicarious or indirect observation of the same topic might be to watch a movie involving poor people or to read stories written by or about them. Doing: This refers to any learning activity where the learner actually does something: design a reservoir dam (engineering), conduct a high school band (music education), design and/or conduct an experiment (natural and social sciences), critique an argument or piece of writing (the humanities), investigate local historical resources(history), make an oral presentation (communication), etc. Again, "Doing" may be direct or vicarious. Case studies, role-playing and simulation activities offer ways of vicariously engaging students in the "Doing" process. To take one example mentioned above, if one is trying to learn how to conduct a high school band, direct "Doing" would be to actually go to a high school and direct the students there. A vicarious "Doing" for the same purpose would be to simulate this by having the student conduct a band composed of fellow college students who were acting like (i.e., role playing) high school students. Or, in business courses, doing case studies is, in essence, a simulation of the decision making process that many courses are aimed at teaching.

Implementing This Model of Active Learning

So, what can a teacher do who wants to use this model to incorporate more active learning into his/her teaching? I would recommend the following three suggestions, each of which involves a more advanced use of active learning. Expand the Kinds of Learning Experiences You Create. The most traditional teaching consists of little more than having students read a text and listen to a lecture, a very limited and limiting form of Dialogue with Others. Consider using more dynamic forms of Dialogue with Others and the other three modes of learning. For example: Create small groups of students and have them make a decision or answer a focused question periodically, Find ways for students to engage in authentic dialogue with people other than fellow classmates who know something about the subject (on the web, by email, or live), Have students keep a journal or build a "learning portfolio" about their own thoughts, learning, feelings, etc., Find ways of helping students observe (directly or vicariously) the subject or action they are trying to learn, and/or Find ways to allow students to actually do (directly, or vicariously with case studies, simulation or role play) that which they need to learn to do. Take Advantage of the "Power of Interaction." Each of the four modes of learning has its own value, and just using more of them should add variety and thereby be more interesting for the learner. However, when properly connected, the various learning activities can have an impact that is more than additive or cumulative; they can be interactive and thereby multiply the educational impact. For example, if students write their own thoughts on a topic (Dialogue with Self) before they engage in small group discussion (Dialogue with Others), the group discussion should be richer and more engaging. If they can do both of these and then observe the phenomena or action (Observation), the observation should be richer and again more engaging. Then, if this is followed by having the students engage in the action itself (Doing), they will have a better sense of what they need to do and what they need to learn during doing. Finally if, after Doing, the learners process this experience by writing about it (Dialogue with Self) and/or discussing it with others (Dialogue with Others), this will add further insight. Such a sequence of learning activities will give the teacher and learners the advantage of the Power of Interaction. Alternatively, advocates of Problem-Based Learning would suggest that a teacher start with "Doing" by posing a real problem for students to work on, and then having students consult with each other (Dialogue with Others) on how best to proceed in order to find a solution to the problem. The learners will likely use a variety of learning options, including Dialogue with Self and Observing. Create Dialectic Between Experience and Dialogue. One refinement of the Interaction Principle described above is simply to create dialectic between the two principle components of this Model of Active Learning: Experience and Dialogue. New experiences (whether of Doing or Observing) have the potential to give learners a new perspective on what is true (beliefs) and/or what is good (values) in the world. Dialogue (whether with Self or with Others) has the potential to help learners construct the many possible meanings of experience and the insights that come from them. A teacher who can creatively set up a dialectic of learning activities in which students move back and forth between having rich new experiences and engaging in deep, meaningful dialogue, can maximize the likelihood that the learners will experience significant and meaningful learning.

What is definition of activity based curriculum?

“Why use an Activity or Task based approach?”
The principles behind the activity based approach is that children are “doers” and learn language primarily because they need it and remember new language better because they have encountered and used it in a realistic situation.

Activity based learning recognizes that young children are physical, tactile and use all their senses. It aims to teach language and address a child’s linguistic intelligence while at the same time, developing a child’s other intelligences [Gardner, 1988]

Activity Based Instruction

Inquiry Oriented Lessons

· Meets the learning style of the student

· More hands-on

· More active participation

· Emphasizes cognitive thinking skills

Cooperative Learning

· Jigsaw Model where each member of the group learns a portion of the material and then teaches it to

   the rest of the group.

· Full Option Science System (FOSS) model for mixed ability groups.

· Cooperative learning activity involves 4 students working together and taking turns with the following

   roles.

1. Reader: this student reads all print directions.

2. Recorder: this student records data, observations, predictions and estimations.

3. Getter: this student assembles all of the necessary materials.

4. Starter: this student oversees manipulations or the materials and ensures that all members have

equal opportunity at using the hands-on materials.

http://www.nwrel.org/msec/pub.html Download It's Just Good Teaching: Mathematics and Science

Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities. Scoring guides using rubrics are also available online.

See The Reading Teacher's Book of Lists for "teamwork" roles and checklist.

Integrated Units

· Students prefer working on a project for longer periods of time rather than stopping and starting

several short lessons.

· Connects student to real world situations.

· Student able to generalize knowledge.

· Increases time on task.

· Increases creativity on the part of the teacher and the students.

· Increases teacher enthusiasm.

· Use video presentations to meet objectives of the unit.

· Assessments can reflect student work rather than the textbook's paper and pencil tests.

See The Reading Teacher's Book of Lists.

Class wide Peer Tutoring (CWPT)

· Practical and easy to use.

· Students learn more by doing/teaching.

· Students prefer working with other students.

· Increases time on task.

· Allows teacher to observe and help all students, not just focusing on 1 or 2 students in need.

· Promotes social and academic skills.

· Improves performance on standardized tests.

· Allows students to respond and receive immediate feedback regarding their performance.

· Increases student learning opportunities.

· The use of "Tutor and Tutee" checklists makes the students more accountable and helps the teacher

monitor student performance.

Games

See The Reading Teacher's Book of Lists for a variety of educational games.

Hands-on Activities

See The Big Book of Books and Activities for ideas on how to create books, posters and bulletin

boards with simple resources from your classroom.

Use Make Intelligence Visible: Display Learning from the Center for Urban Education.

'The Mother of All Questions'

Ma’am, what in the world is Akash doing? What is the purpose of this activity? What is inside that skull of yours anyway? What would happen if that lizard came to sit on your table?

The ‘what’ questions are perhaps the easiest to find answers to, requiring a basic knowledge, not even much of understanding.  Lower Order Thinking Skills, you know, if you are technically inclined. You don’t really have to engage your mental gears at all to be able to respond. These are usually the inane questions, the answers to which the questioner already knows or can find out with minimum effort. They are generally used by children to express amazement, disgust, frustration, and least often, genuine curiosity.

But ‘How do you know what the purpose of this activity is’ is another level of questioning that needs some comprehension and turning of the wheels in the brain. ‘How do you know what is the purpose of your life’ is far more complex a query than the mere ‘what is the purpose of your life’. What is inside that skull of yours is a rhetorical question, the answer to which may vary from ‘a brain’, ‘loads of ideas’, ‘a monster in dormant mode’, ‘an inflated sense of self’, to ‘me’, ‘a psychopath’, ‘thoughts’, or ‘the universe’ depending on how the answerer thinks and whether he is in a contemplative mood, smart ass mood, wicked mood, depressed mood or simply bored, whereas “‘How’ do you know what is inside that skull of yours anyway?” would require deep contemplation, balancing of positive and negative forces, comprehension of the self, and images and feelings that you’d have to grapple with in order to admit they’re inside your skull. See the increasing complexity of the question stem? This is just from What to How. Even so, technically you are still in the LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skills).

You see, the Howes are definitely much more of thinking people than the Watts in class. (Standing joke from some smart kids even though I never had Howes and Watts in my class, but rather had Mishras, Sharmas and Nairs among others.)

Of course, questions that begin with When and Where are no-brainers. I don’t think there is much skill – lower or higher – involved in answering those.

The question that is most dreadful to answer in class is the Why question. It requires investing the brain in the process of thinking, analysing, evaluating, and synthesising information and thought before an answer can be arrived at. These are the Higher Order Thinking Skills or HOTS, for short. (You’re expected to not only have the HOTS in class, but also to help develop them in the kids! Sacrilege and OMG!) And then, you have to be able to use language to express exactly what you mean to say without stumbling, stuttering or rambling. Oh yes, you have to be good if you are to respond to a Why question.

And the most confounding answer to a Why question is, of course, ‘Why not?’ The sages of yore knew that they would be stumped if someone came up with a difficult why question, so they, in their sagacity and wisdom, invented its sure-shot counter –  ‘Why not?’

Why is Akash doing what he is doing? Why not? Why are we doing this activity? Why not? Why is there a brain inside the skull? Why not? Why would that lizard ever think of coming down to sit on your table? Why not?

Notice that you cannot use this strategy with the other question stems like what, how, when and where without sounding crazy (What not? How not? When not? Where not?). However, a ‘why not’ sounds a lot more intelligent and profound and is therefore a safe option to use if you wish to sound intellectual, superior, artsy or smart.  It’s like one of those modern paintings – the artist makes an intriguing pattern of colours or shapes and the rest of the world endows it with profound or fantastical meaning which is unique to each person…and which the artist probably never intended. But then, that is good art; each viewer experiences it at the personal level irrespective of what the artist meant – ‘Oh! I had these weird muscular spams while doing that piece; though the results look deeply stimulating, don’t you think?’

Here is one from a babe’s mouth that had me resort to the age old wisdom of those ancient sages:

Why do we go to school?

Innumerable reasons pulled out from their parking spots in the recesses of my brain and rushed to my tongue, but it was difficult to articulate any for the four year old child. ‘It builds…’, ‘you learn…’, ‘it helps…’ – three false starts later, inspiration hit me, ‘Why not?!’

P. S: ‘Whys’ might be the most important questions the kids would ever ask you.

Your ‘why not’ will invariably lead them to answer the why themselves with a little help!