Feb

9

Blogging in the classroom- What not to do.

Filed Under Blogging in and out of the Classroom, Computers In The Classroom, Learning Strategies | Leave a Comment

restingWhat was I thinking? I should have know better. I know that my students are strong visual learners and weak auditory learners. We did those learning style inventories in class. We even talked about the results. Why did I think that I could just sit them down at the computers and tell them how to get set up so they could get the registered user name from WordPress they needed so that I could invite them to participate in the blog. Why did I think they could just sit in front of the monitor and do what I said one step at a time. Why? I’m not sure, but I’m starting to think I thought that it would be easier. Yes, it certainly is easier to tell them what to do instead of having to go to all the bother of creating a powerpoint presentation with handouts that would show them what to do step by step. Who am I kidding. I didn’t create a powerpoint presentation with handouts because I couldn’t be bothered. I was too lazy, and now I was paying for it. I’m forever telling my students that if they want betterbell consequences , they need to make better choices. I wonder if they were thinking that as the class was unravelling? Maybe that’s why some of them had those funny little smiles on their face as they watched me trying to tell them what to do. Fortunately, the bell rang. The class was over, and I could reflect on what that was all about.

Jan

28

A Serendipitous Stumble.http://www.teachersatrisk.com/

Filed Under Learning Strategies, Study Skills, Useful Handouts | 2 Comments

coolI’ve just found the coolest way to amuse my curious mind. I stumbled upon Stumble-Upon. Some of you no doubt are already familiar with StumbleUpon and know what a serendipitous find it is. Visit the site and you’re told

StumbleUpon helps you discover great websites.
With a single click of the Stumble button you will
find cool sites matched to your interests.

It’s true. StumbleUpon asks you what you’re interested in, and then when you click on the link in your toolbar you’re in for a wonderful surprise: a site that matches your interests appears. Click ten times and ten different sites appear. I love it. I’ve selected about twelve different interests so that when I click StumbleUpon I’m never bored because I ‘m served such an eclectic mix.

StumbleUpon gave me this site about study skills. It looks very promising and no doubt I’ll be incorporating some of these strategies into my existing study skills package I give my students.

Earlier Todd generously shared an essay writing strategy that works for teaching kids how to write essays. I’m definately going to try it.

I’ve a handout to share that I use to help my students get their thinking organized when they start a new asignment. I’ll post it here. assignment planning sheet Feel free to adapt it for your own purpose. Let me know if it was helpful. Thanks

Dec

23

What a Surprise

Filed Under "At-risk" students, Learning Strategies | Leave a Comment

open doorMy classroom was packed with kids. It was the last class before the winter break, and kids had been coming and going all during period 5 wishing me and each other a happy holiday. At one point, I look up towards the door, and in they both walked. What a surprise! I hadn’t seen them since last June when they’d come to visit and tell me that their first year after graduating from high school had gone well. Now, they had come to visit again.

I was so pleased. I remember them fondly. When I first met them in my grade nine Learning Strategies Class they were two little round pegs that did not fit well into the square holes of high school. I can’t begin to tell you how many “talks” we had in the hall over the years outside my classroom about making better choices for better consequences, about how they needed to grit their teeth and hang in there because it really wasn’t that much longer, about how their learning disabilities made it difficult for them in high school because high school values strengths they don’t have and ignores the strengths they do have. Yes, we had many talks. I would talk; they would listen. They would talk; I would listen. They learned. I learned. It was quite a journey.
After a few moments of chit-chatting, I introduced the two of them to my grade nine students. Then, what a surprise! They started to give my grade nine students advice:

  • Stay in school. You need to graduate if you want to get anywhere. (This, from kids who hated school and talked about quiting all through grade 9, 10 and 11)
  • Take co-op, it’s the best. ( I had talked one of them into going into co-op because he hated school so much. I told him that co-op was perfect for kids who hated school. He loved co-op and started an apprenticeship which he is still pursuing. He told me he got his second raise.)
  • Don’t complain about doing all that writing in class. Doing all that writing in class really helps with the writing you’ll have to do at work. (All that writing? I had them write eight sentences into their journal every day. They complained constantly. That little bit of writing made that much difference. Who was to know?)
  • Don’t quit until your finish. (That’s actually quite funny now. I remember that they often didn’t even want to start the work I gave, let alone mind finish it. I talked and talked and talked about perseverance being one of the characteristics of succesful people. I even had posters up saying that. I never gave up.)
  • Make sure you’re organized. (Are they kidding. They used to come to my class like rock stars expecting to find personal assistants to take care of all the little details like pencils, pens, erasers etc.)

My grade nine students were sitting there quietly listening and asking them questions. It was great to watch. These nineteen year olds were mentoring and giving back some of what they had gotten. I told them that they had an obligation to help the younger kids because they had gotten help. They agreed and offered to come and speak to the other grade nine students. Their voices will be more readily heard than mine. That’s,  not a surprise!

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