Subject: What many fail to see or talk about in their Myspace feeds is what
Author: misshuana
Posted on: 06/01/2017 09:50:47 AM
Students: Check Emotional Baggage at the Door!
Its second hour in Mr. Ks class Erik Friberg Jersey , and the bell has just rung. Mr. K is ready to get started with his lesson, but heres what he doesnt know is lurking under the surface:
-Susie was just dumped by her boyfriend because of an untrue rumor posted on Facebook last night.
-Jimmy was just stopped by his coach in hallway and reminded that Coach really needs Jimmys best performance in the big game tonight.
-Sarah has butterflies in her stomach because shes hoping today is the day that Jimmy will ask her to the homecoming dance.
-Eric thinks he failed is history quiz today despite all of his studying last night.
So, whos ready to learn about continuously compounding interest, today? What does it mean if interest is compounding continuously? Susie? Jimmy?
Anybody? Mr. K wonders why much of his class seems to be on a different planet.
How can the students drop their personal issues (which all feel like world-ending situations to them) and focus on continuously compounding interest with the flip of a switch? The answer is they cant.
GETTING IN THE GREEN ZONE
Heres how I combat the problem. (You wont find this in any teachers textbook.) Rather than starting class with some form of curriculum, I start with neutral ground. I begin each day with a teacher-lead activity that takes 2-5 minutes of class time. The activity is high interest, unrelated to the curriculum, but is also predictable. Heres my weekly schedule:
Monday: My Crazy Weekend. I share an amusing, but personal story of my weekend
students love to hear about the real life of their teacher!
Tuesday: Tuesdays Two Minute Mysteries. I read a mystery from Donald J. Sobols book Dylan Remick Jersey , Two Minute Mysteries
the students love to play detective and try to solve the mystery before I reveal the answer.
Wednesday: Would You Rather Wednesdays? I read scenarios on a card from the old board game, Would You Rather
? For example, I might ask the class Would you rather have five bottles stuck on the fingers of one hand for a year or have a bucket stuck on your foot for a year? This always stirs up fun debate.
Thursday: Puzzle Thursday. I read a riddle or display a visual puzzle for the class to solve; this is challenging, but engaging.
Friday: Bad Joke Friday. I share a truly bad joke such as:
Q: When is a door, not a door?
A: When its a-jar!
The students typically roll their eyes and groan, but at the end of the semester, I often hear this was students favorite activity!
So what have I accomplished in the end? Some would argue Ive wasted valuable class time in a setting where every minute counts. I would disagree. In those 2-5 minutes, Ive cleared the inner-head trash of 34 teenagers. Ive helped reset their brains to a neutral state thats better-equipped to learn about continuously compounding interest.
Susies grinning and shaking her head at my bad joke. Jimmys imagining what it would be like to have five bottles on his fingers instead of whether or not hell make the winning play. Sarah solved the Two Minute Mystery and is confident that Jimmy was impressed. Eric correctly answered a very challenging riddle and feels a little smarter.
Im not suggesting that these activities will create world peace Darwin Jones Jersey , but they do:
Capture the attention of the entire class,
Put a smile on everyones face,
Create a bond between the teacher and the student, and
Make for a smoother transition to the real curriculum at hand.
Now when I ask the question, What does it mean if interest is compounding continuously? I might get an answer like, the compounding doesnt stop? This might be the right answer or might be the wrong answer, but at least it is an answer. It then gives me a starting point to engage with the students over the curriculum.
But Wait! Theres More
It wasnt until I had been using this strategy for several years that I discovered some unintended benefits. Over the years, Ive kept in touch with a lot of graduates. They often tell me what those 2-5 minutes meant to them. My students shared the following:
They thought I was doing it for the sole purpose of entertainment. They thought it was cool that I cared about them to do something to brighten the mood of the class.
They liked having something to looked forward to at the beginning of every class.
One student said Damion Lowe Jersey , Walking into class, I found myself thinking
I wonder what kind of kind of ridiculous joke he has today? In this case, I was thrilled to hear that their attention was already focused on anticipating my actions before they even entered my door.
They were disappointed if I had a substitute teacher!
Students perceived that I cared about them more than other teachers because of the connection that was made through mutual laughter and debate.
Getting Started
It is easy to get started with this simple, but very effective strategy; there is so much material available! However, I have listed a few links below to help you get started. Choose things that appeal to you, because your delivery will be much more natural.
Good luck, and most of all
have fun!
Readers Digest (www.rd) particularly the True Stories or Jokes
www.puzzlemonster
www.mindbreakers
www.5minutemystery
www.mysterynet
Cards from bored games, like Trivia Pursuit Cristian Roldan Jersey , Would You Rather, Cranium, Balderdash, Truth or Myth, etc.
www.historythis-day-in-history
Susan Kruger, M.Ed. is a certified teacher and learning specialist and is the author 10 Usefulness of Automated Forex Trading Software application . Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Football Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Wholesale Basketball Jerseys
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