Thoughts on Strategies

Fast Llamas,

It's been awhile since I posted... but I am back!  It's Christmas time and all teachers know how busy December can be, but, take a moment and think ahead to that all important January reset.  That amazing opportunity to reteach classroom rules, remind of expectations and think about what worked and what you want to add to your list of teacher moves. 

Here are some strategies to get you started (in no particular order of importance):

1. Think Time  - The first three strategies here really all go together with an underlying theme. WAIT.  I know I said they had not ranking of importance, but seriously, allow students time to process.  Honoring this idea is a rapport builder.  Make it a norm that in your classroom, "we respect time to think".  No shouting out answers (either from other students or the teacher).  Calm is a super power and you are modeling this behavior.  Thinking is an important task that we will wait on. 

2. Avoid Rounding up - This strategy is built on #1 on this list.  Sometimes we get so excited about students' answering questions or sharing ideas that we interrupt them.  When we ask questions we are sending a message that our students have value and contributions to the classroom learning.  Don't interfere with that message by allowing a one word answer from students, followed you finishing it for them.  If you want students to hear the content again, have them repeat it (see #5)

Wait Time  - Probably should be number 1 on this list, but this list is not of particular order of importance, but waiting to kids to think before answering is a huge benefit to learning.  Process time is a game changer for a lot of students.  Focusing on Wait Time allows for you to avoid Rounding Up.  

3. Body Mnemonics - Want to grab your students attention?  Tying learning to a body motion is a great way to go about it.  What is important to remember, body mnemonics work best with you model them and get the students to do them... one mistake often made is that the teacher does the modeling solely.  Then, wonders why after an assessment, the students don't perform as expected... it's the student effort that matters here.

4. Recap - repeated review... social skills, academic content, expectations... these things never go away.  

'The day a teacher lets their guard down and thinks 'I will never have to check students for this again, they seem to have cracked it' is the day that standards start to slide. It is reminiscent of the man who falls from the roof of a skyscraper. as he passes the 20th floor, someone leans out and shouts, 'My God, are you OK?' and he replies, 'So far, so good!'   Tom Bennett - Running the Room

5. Call backs - Have your students repeat what you said, have them repeat what others say.  Ensure information that is important enough to remember gets repeated. Ask students to repeat instructions as well.  If they cannot repeat it, do they really know it?

7. Sentence Starters - When teaching skills, give students the words they need to get started.  Getting started is often the hardest thing to do... 

9. Learning Outcomes - Begin with the end in mind.  Clear expectations about what you expect the students to learn, how they will behave, what they can and cannot do are important beginnings when planning.  

10.  Attention Grabbers - It's all about attention. There is not remembering without attention.  Bad news, we are not multi-taskers and can only hold attention for about 10 minutes (less for younger kids).  The good news?  We know this, use it to your advantage.  

This list of 10 strategies either can be viewed as "small" moves, just a tightening up of good teachings practises.  However, to a novice teacher... these may seem overwhelming.  So, choose one, get masterful at it and move on to the next.  Noticing what you do and don't do is key... Keep working!