Newbie teachers can really help more experienced teachers.

Filed Under Learning Strategies, Teacher Support, The way I see it | Leave a Comment

I should complete my MEd by the end of July. I’ve really enjoyed the journey thus far. I completed my teacher training over 30 years ago and am enjoying revisiting education issues once again after all this time. Some things have changed but somethings haven’t changed. I must confess, I’m always envious of new teachers because their training is more recent, and they know a lot of things I don’t know. A lot has happened in education in 30 years. I like to keep on top of things so I’m always eager to learn from new teachers and to share what has worked for me. I like the Board’s mentoring program because it allows ~~old~~ experienced teachers like me to share with new teachers and vice a versa. Experienced teachers and newbie teachers have a lot to give one another. I bet newbie teachers don’t know how much they can help experienced teachers. I’ve retired from classroom teaching now, but I’d love to go back and share what I’ve learned with other teachers that helped me be successful in my classroom. Newbie teachers have shown me how to use new digital technology in the classroom that helped make my classes more engaging for my students. What are some things you’ve learned from newbie teachers?

Jul

4

Learning styles explained simply to assist students in completing their learning plans

Filed Under Engaging Assignments and Activities for Students, Evaluation, Graphic Organizers, Learning Strategies, motivating students, Organization, positive climate, Special Education, Study Skills, The way I see it, underachieving students, Useful Handouts | 4 Comments

When I have students complete the their learning plans to prepare for evaluations, I review learning styles because I want them to be efficient in preparing for their evaluations. Many students are visual learners so the following chart would be helpful in reminding students what strategies to use for each learning style. I encourage students to use all learning styles and to continue to develop their less preferred learning styles. I tell my students learning styles are pathways to the brain so the more pathways you use, the better the results.

Compiled By: OnlineCollege.org

Jun

9

Research finds the best study strategy for students is quizzes

Filed Under Engaging Assignments and Activities for Students, Learning Strategies, Lesson Plans, motivating students, positive climate, Special Education, Study Skills, The way I see it, underachieving students, Useful Handouts | 50 Comments

Student preparing for exams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s the second week of June and that means it’s time for students to start to prepare for final exams. A recent study found 84 percent of students prepare for tests and exams by rereading the material. Fifty-five percent of students in the study believe rereading material was the best way to prepare for tests and exams. But,rereading material proved not to be the best way to prepare for exams. The most successful way to prepare for exams is quizzing. Yet, only 11 percent of students reported they quizzed themselves to prepare for tests and exams. Students who used quizzing as a study strategy correctly answered 65 percent of questions taken directly from text and 70 percent of questions that required inference and making connections across concepts. That is an increase of 10 percent for direct questions and a 10 percent increase for inference questions.

A 10 percent increase is significant. I would be absolutely delighted if my students could demonstrate a 10 percent increase in their learning. In the past, I have encouraged students to create quizzes about the material as part of their study plan. But, some students were not convinced it was worth the effort. Now, I have data to share with students to support the contention that creating quizzes is a successful study practice.

I encourage my students to create a learning or study plan because it makes them responsible for preparing for exams and gives them a sense of being in control of the process. They can differentiate their study strategy to suit their individual learning preferences and strengths.

The plan includes the following headings

What I need to know;
When am I going to study;
How am I going to organize what I need to know;
How am I going to remember what I need to know;
How will I know I have learned the material I need to know.

If you like, I can email you a copy of the handout. Just leave a request in the comment box below. I’d be delighted to share my learning plan with you. students have told me it is helpful and have gone on to use it at college.

Jul

19

Don’t tell me anything more about students in Finland and how great the education system is there.

Filed Under "At-risk" students, Behaviour Management, Learning Strategies, motivating students, underachieving students | 9 Comments

I don’t want to read another thing about how successful the education system is in Finland . I congratulate Finland for their fine education system, but I don’t want my school in Mississauga to be compared to schools in Finland because doing that is like comparing apples to oranges. Mississauga is not the same as Finland. Finland has 2.5 % foreign citizens. Mississauga has many more. 46.62% of residents in Mississauga (almost 700 oo0 ) were not born in Canada. Apples to oranges. Apples to oranges for Pete’s sake.

Mississauga has one of the largest, if not the largest, cluster of ethnic groups in Canada. At my school, the student body speaks over 60 languages. All this diversity is what makes Mississauga so great. I love it. But, all this diversity brings with it challenges that a more homogeneous country like Finland doesn’t experience.

I don’t want to write a post outlining all the challenges new immigrants face that can affect the them as they enter our schools. But, some students who are immigrants come to grade 9 illiterate in their mother tongue, and we are expected to teach them so they will pass and earn 16 credits by the time they are 16 years old. Some parents are struggling to learn English themselves and can’t support their kids and help with homework or assignments. Some parents work at two jobs to put a roof over their children’s heads and food on the table and aren’t there for there for their kids after school.

O.K., O.K. I’m going to stop now because I’m starting to write a post about the challenges of being an immigrant living in Mississauga and that’s just what I didn’t want to do. I just don’t want apples to be compared to oranges.

photo thanks to Dano