Tag Archive for: Best instructional practices

Mind Your Mindset: Cultivating a Growth Mindset in our Students

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F A I L U R E       S E T B A C K S       O B S T A C L E S

When we read these words, feelings of sadness, defeat, and pain may rush to the surface as we recall challenging situations. They aren’t always easy to think about, are they? Let’s consider these words in an educational setting with a few tough questions.

  • When we face challenges as educators, do we avoid or embrace them?
  • As students face setbacks and obstacles, do they give up, blame others, or persist to overcome them?
  • When we face criticism, do we ignore it, discount it, or learn from it?

The underlying beliefs that we hold and teach about learning and intelligence have a strong impact on student achievement. We’ve all heard these laments from our students:

  • I’m not smart enough!
  • I’ve tried, but I can’t.
  • Everyone does it better than I can!
  • I. Give. Up.

When students believe that they can improve at something, they will understand that effort, time, and persistence help them excel. It is our privilege to help students believe that they can learn and increase their skill in new areas. Carol Dweck, an educational researcher from Stanford, describes how learners who adopt a growth mindset will come to believe that they can achieve more than they ever thought possible. She contrasts this belief to a fixed mindset where learners are fatalistic, believing that they are born with a certain amount of intelligence and living in fear that they are bound by their insecurities and inadequacies. She writes, “No matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment”[1] Dweck’s research on mindset has influenced curriculum and instruction globally, guiding educators to create skillful learning environments that help children achieve more rigorous learning outcomes.


Psalm 139:14 assures us that all mankind is fearfully and wonderfully made. The most powerful growth mindset we can cultivate in our students is the belief that each child is made in the image of God and therefore possesses huge potential to do great things. The apostle Paul reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to experience God’s perfect will. “Putting on” a growth mindset helps us to create a powerful passion for transformative learning. Scripture is full of stories where God brought greatness out of difficulty, challenges, and failure (e.g., consider Joseph, David, and Paul). It is entirely possible to change a fixed mindset to a vibrant growth mindset.

Teacher practices have a huge impact on students’ mindsets. Let’s build students’ confidence by encouraging a growth mindset in our classrooms. Here are some tips to do so:

  1. Challenges
    Encourage learners to…
    • Choose more complex challenges in learning task options
    • Embrace challenges as learning opportunities
    • Realise that their value as students is not at stake
  2. Failures
    Provide safe classrooms for students to fail when learning
    Encourage learners to…
    • View mistakes as necessary, vital steppingstones to learning
    • Understand that their identity and value as students is not in their performance
  3. Obstacles/Setbacks
    Encourage learners to…
    • Persist, to devote more time and effort to overcoming obstacles
    • Avoid blaming others or situations
  4. Effort
    Encourage learners to…
    • Put time and effort into endeavors to achieve mastery
    • Avoid thinking that all effort is futile
    • Not give up
  5. Criticism
    Encourage learners to…
    • Learn from criticism and not be offended by it
    • Not become defensive about, avoid, or ignore criticism
  6. Success of others
    Encourage learners to…
    • Be inspired by the success of others, to enjoy rejoicing with those that succeed
      (This attitude helps them to see the wonderful image of God in others.)
    • Not be threatened by the success of others or be excessively self-critical
  7. Feedback
    • Praise effort and perseverance, and avoid phrases like, “Great job – you’re so smart!”
      Compliments about students’ hard work are more likely to foster a growth mindset where they are encouraged to persist despite failure and setbacks.
    • Provide personalized feedback as much as possible – help students see areas of improvement and next steps in their progress. Encourage their development.

 As educators, it is our privilege to create learning environments where students believe that God created them with the ability to do great things. Fostering an encouraging environment and cultivating a growth mindset that welcomes challenges, anticipates struggle and errors, and provides rich and specific feedback for improvement are empowering for students!

Let’s rise to the growth mindset challenge and encourage effort and perseverance which ignites ability and turns it into accomplishment. Let’s mind our students’ mindsets!

Here’s a quick reference table for you to print, edit, or share with your students:

 

Dorothy Gnanakan
Education Consultant, Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond Global
 

[1] Dweck, Carol. S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House: 2006, p. 41.
Photo Credits: Problem-Solving via Shutterfly. Dream Big via Shutterfly.

The Importance of Healthy Teacher/Student Relationships

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How can we help our students to learn? According to educational research, two of the strongest factors in student learning relate back to the teacher/student relationship. This shouldn’t surprise us, since we know that we are created as relational beings in the image of a relational God.

According to researcher John Hattie, healthy teacher/student relationships have a strong positive effect on student learning[1]. When students believe their teachers know and care for them as individuals, they are more willing to take risks and make mistakes and to see these mistakes not as failures but as opportunities to learn. A student who knows his teacher cares for him is likely to work harder and aim higher. Conversely, a student who believes that her teacher sees her as difficult or “a problem” (whether this perception is true or not) will be less likely to fully engage in the learning process.
 
Even more impactful to learning than a positive teacher/student relationship is teacher credibility. When students believe that they can learn from their teachers, it positively impacts learning almost twice as much as healthy relationships [2]. What builds teacher credibility? Foremost is trust. Students need to believe that their teachers know them as individuals and “have their best academic and social interests at heart.[3]” In addition to trust, students need to believe their teachers are competent in both knowledge of content and practice of pedagogy, that they are passionate about their teaching and why it is important, and that they will be reliably accessible and relatable.
 
What does all this mean for teachers? Here are some ideas that ring true for both physical and virtual classrooms.
 
Call students by name. Just as the Lord spoke to Israel in Isaiah 43:1, we should call our student by name and let them know they are ours, that we know them and care for their needs. This can be done when addressing students, but it can also be incorporated in more subtle ways such as by adding student names & interests into your teaching examples.
 
Notice individual students and respond to their needs. It can be easy to only respond to those students who seek attention (raising their hands, adding comments to chat bar, etc). However, all our students need to know they are valued. We should be intentional about including every student in class and finding avenues to give every student a voice. (I found it helpful to keep a tally in my grade book or planner of every learning interaction. This highlighted the inequities in my classroom and helped me engage everyone.)
 
Provide opportunities for students to fail. This may seem counter-intuitive, but allowing students to fail and then giving them tools to change that failure into a learning opportunity increases student confidence in the learning process. Students need to understand that an incorrect answer or undesirable behaviour is not going to impact their teacher’s care for them. They also need tools that will help them learn from their mistakes. This could take the form of meaningful feedback, opportunities to make corrections, or even the chance to try again. The key here is that students know that the teacher believes in them and will support them.
 
Make yourself available. In a physical classroom this could be as simple as moving around the classroom which signals to students that you are there if they need you. In an online environment, communicating clearly and frequently when and how students can contact you for help is essential. The way you respond—your physical demeanor, tone of voice, etc.—should communicate to your students that their concerns are important to you and you have the time and desire to engage them.
 
In a season where so much of life—not to mention school—has been disrupted and feels very uncertain, taking time to intentionally build positive relationships with your students is an essential ingredient in both student learning and in the ministry of transformational education. It is also one of the most rewarding investments you will make this year!


Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Global Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

[1] Fisher, Douglas, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie. The Distance Learning Playbook: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in any Setting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2020. pg. 48. The positive effect size is 0.48. 

[2] Ibid. pg. 66. The positive effect size of this is 1.09.

[3] Ibid. pg. 66. teach by.

Photo Credits: On the chalkboard. via Shutterstock. Learning to Write. via Shutterstock. 

Moving Towards an Inclusive Classroom

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Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. That kid over there says weird stuff. This kid always needs the teacher’s help. The kid in the corner seems to overreact all the time. And that kid flaps his arms when he gets excited.

How many times have we thought “My students make fun of the kid that ______ (you fill in the blank). They don’t like to hang out with him. I don’t know what to do.” More often than we realise, these behaviours may simply be symptoms of a deeper issue.

It’s natural to see someone who is different or something we don’t understand, and automatically react negatively. We don’t move towards understanding and acceptance until the difference is explained or we become familiar with what we see—often both.  

We like to celebrate and talk about diversity in our classrooms and in our circles. Unfortunately, when we actually encounter the individuals that fall outside of what we abstractly call “normal,” misunderstandings and problems often arise. The truth is that acceptance of these students doesn’t just happen. Acceptance comes through education, experience, classroom community building,[1] and facilitated discussion. This is when we can see mindset shifts and students moving away from separation and into inclusion.

We’d like to think it is enough to teach that God loves everyone the same and thus we treat everyone just as we’d want to be treated. That is a good first step. However, it doesn’t really address some of the unique differences our students face that often require a more targeted response.

If we are not having conversations with our students about individuals who are differently-abled, they will continue to see them as outsiders. However, when we bring disabilities out of the shadows, acknowledge their presence, and educate ourselves and our students about them, we begin to make our classrooms truly inclusive.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started:

  1. Have students brainstorm and write down what comes to mind when they hear the word disability. Discuss the differences between physical disabilities vs. “hidden disabilities” (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities).
  2. Autism is now identified in 1 in 59 individuals[2]. This is a great video that demonstrates what it is like to live with autism: “Amazing things happen video“
  3. Brainstorm perceptions vs. facts of different kinds of disabilities. Help students discern the difference between these and why it matters.  
  4. Brainstorm ways that language can be used to colour our perceptions. Is someone loud or enthusiastic? Impatient or eager? Bossy or a strong leader?[3]
  5. Put students in someone else’s shoes through experiences. Give them a test in German (or another language they can’t understand), play sounds of nails on a chalkboard, assign work that they cannot complete. Then debrief this experience.
  6. Have students research celebrities who have faced disabilities: Tom Cruise (Dyslexia), Ray Charles (blindness), Handel (epilepsy). What effect did these disabilities have on these people and their way of life? Do students personally know anyone with a disability? Does it keep them from doing what they want to do?[4]
  7. Promote self-advocacy. Give students the language to name their challenges, to put words to what they are experiencing in school and in life and equip them to advocate for themselves and their special needs.
  8. Model the truth that we believe: Every person is unique. Some of us struggle with reading; some of us struggle to balance well, bounce a basketball, multitask, or communicate with someone when we are in a conflict. We all have things to learn and ways we can grow. Being honest and vulnerable about our own weaknesses or challenges when talking with our students opens us up and makes us human.

Remember, understanding is the beginning of acceptance.

Morgan N.
Special Education Consultant
TeachBeyond, Asia

[1] “Morning Meeting Archives.” Responsive Classroom, https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/category/morning-meeting/.[2] “Autism Facts and Figures.” Autism Speaks, https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-facts-and-figures.[3] Koenig, Jen. “Autism Awareness Resources.” The Autism Helper, 1 Apr. 2019, https://theautismhelper.com/autism-awareness-resources/.[4] Disability Awareness Activity Packet. https://www.dvusd.org/cms/lib011/AZ01901092/Centricity/Domain/1318/Disability Awareness Packet 2.pdf.
Photo Credits: Banner Photo. via Shutterstock. Playing Alone. via Shutterstock. Inclusion. via Shutterstock. 

Morgan N. is a certified special education teacher from Chicago IL who is currently serving in Southeast Asia as a special education consultant.

Tags: Best Instructional Practices, Special Education

Teaching Through Play

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What’s a child’s favourite thing to do? PLAY!

Here are four questions I ask myself while planning activities that use play to teach in early childhood classes. They can be easily adjusted for use with older children as well.

Open or closed activity?

When planning an activity in the classroom, I always ask myself if there is a way to make this open-ended so students can play and explore for an infinite amount of time. When an activity never ends, it allows students to practice until mastery rather than just until completion. Open-ended activities feel like play and can be used over and over. They are ideal for introducing ideas and concepts that need a lot of practice. Closed activities, on the other hand, give me opportunities for assessment since they show how close students are to mastery.

Topic: Matching quantity to numerals
Open Activity: Play a game with flash cards matching quantity to numerals. Students have to match the card with the correct quantity to the numeral. When students finish they can mix the cards and repeat the activity. For students close to mastery, see how fast they can do the activity. This works great in a small group activity or during free play time.

Closed activity: Do a worksheet matching quantity to numerals. Students draw a line matching the quantity of drawn objects to the correct numeral. Once students are finished they can turn in the activity. This works great for an assessment or homework.

Student or teacher directed?
In a typical early education classroom, I could always use more adults. That means while planning activities I have to be strategic in what kind of activities require an adult’s support and which activities students can practice on their own. I plan teacher-directed activities to introduce a new concept or idea while student-directed activities allow students to practice on their own.

Topic: Family vocabulary
Teacher-directed: Students draw and label a family tree. With teacher-guidance, students will draw different members of the family and label each person. Teachers will provide assistance in organising the paper (children on the bottom, grandparents on the top) as well as provide vocabulary words to copy for the appropriate family members.

Student-directed: Use memory with family vocabulary. After students have been introduced to family vocabulary and have a basic understanding of rules, they can play a game of memory with family members as the cards. Pairs of cards with pictures and/or words are placed face down on the table. Students take turns flipping two cards to find matches while saying the words.

Individual or group?
Social skills are important to practice in the early years. I try to plan activities that require students to interact while I am providing learning beyond the academic concepts. Then I use individual activities to allow students to develop their own reflection skills and demonstrate their learning.

Topic: Science activity–what melts ice?
Group activity: As a group, students must find fun ways to melt ice. As a whole class the teacher may ask students for ideas about how to make ice melt quickly. Then the teacher can divide students into groups and allow each group to choose an appropriate method of melting ice (i.e., rubbing it in their hands). Students will pass around the ice cube rubbing it until their hands are too cold, then passing it to the next child. This practices taking turns, observations, and learning new science concepts.

Individual activity: After seeing ice melting, students draw a picture of what happened in their journals so they can remember.

Creative or directed?

Art is always a fun activity in the classroom! It’s messy, creative, and allows students to develop crucial fine motor skills. While thinking of art activities, I first decide whether an open-ended (creative) or directions-based activity is called for. Open-ended, creative projects give students the opportunity to experiment with new materials and develop ideas from start-to-finish. Directions-based projects allow students to develop skills they might not choose on their own and to practice following instructions. Both are important skill sets in the early education classroom; the key is finding the right balance.

Topic: Making penguins

Creative: In an art station, the teacher will provide many materials such as coloured paper, paint, glue, wiggly eyes, and felt. The teacher will also post pictures of penguins. During free play time, the students can look at the pictures of penguins as they model their own creations.

Directions-based: The teacher will model how to create a penguin by cutting out pieces of paper, gluing them together, and adding other parts such as eyes and feet. The students will follow the teacher’s instructions step-by-step to create similar projects.

 
Overall, in an early education classroom playing and learning walk hand-in-hand. The process of intentionally planning activities is the first step in engaging students in playful learning. Although all types of activities can be positive in the classroom and encourage learning, the more free-choice, student-based, interactive and creative the activity, the more playfully engaged the student will be. My general rule of thumb is finding variety by mixing up the types of activities so that at least one activity on the topic will engage each of my students.

Sarah Trussell, M.Ed.
Elementary Principal, early childhood teacher
El Camino Academy, Colombia

For more ideas to use in early education classrooms, check out the Early Childhood Education group on Yammer.

Integral Units: Presenting the World to Students as God Created It

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Imagine a trip to the grocery store. You think through your meals for the next week and make a grocery list. Obeying traffic laws you travel to the store you’ve chosen. Once you get there, you notice something special is on sale and evaluate if it’s worth getting. You also remember that your flatmate wanted bananas, so you get some even though they aren’t on the list. As you check out, you exchange pleasantries with the cashier.

20597994869_a4e17f6282_mNow think about all the different knowledge sets you used: language skills–to write, read, communicate; maths skills to calculate, analyse, and evaluate; a knowledge of science, economics, civics, and nutrition. You also made a dozen ethical decisions in conjunction with these other knowledge sets. The food you choose to eat, where you choose to shop, the laws you follow to get there, how you chose to get there, your consideration of others: practically every step of this trip required you to use both analytical reasoning and moral conscience[1].

In general, most schools separate the instruction of different fields of knowledge. In doing so they also separate the moral underpinning of that subject. However, we live lives that constantly combine all the disciplines fluidly. This is especially true of our faith, which is not something that we occasionally reference, but something that is quintessential to everything we do.coretopics

One way to present the world in a more holistic way to students is through integral units. An integral unit focuses on a topic instead of a subject. Just as a traditional unit can combine multiple topics, an integral unit combines multiple subjects.

Integral units are first and foremost about presenting the world to students as God created it: a holistic blending of the different aspects of Creation. Traditional, segmented curriculum compartmentalises knowledge into man-made spheres. This traditional approach to curriculum reinforces a dualist ideology for students, teaching them that God and His realm are separate from the realms of science, history, and writing[2]. The impulse to avoid this pitfall is why so many schools emphasise Biblical integration in all subject areas. However, there are differences between having Biblical integration and using an integral unit or curriculum. Biblical integration seeks to show that Christ is relevant in each sphere of knowledge; Integral curriculum seeks to show students that all of life and learning is inherently full of religious meaning[3].

Integral units are easier to plan and execute than you may think. Start by thinking about a meaningful topic that has practical significance. Kindergarten teachers might choose plants as a topic, while senior history teachers might choose international government policy. Harro Van Brummelen outlines the process of creating an integral unit in detail in his book Steppingstones to Curriculum[4]. In essence, the teacher develops a central theme and key questions about the topic. These questions should focus on ways the topic is actually relevant to the students and the central theme should point to God’s sovereignty over that part of creation.

Topic: Oceans

Theme:

The ocean actively shapes how many people live and is used in many ways, some of which are honouring and some of which are dishonouring to God.

Key Questions:

What is in the ocean? (science & geography)
What do oceans mean to people? (social studies, Bible, arts, writing)
What things affect how the oceans work? (science, maths)

Once these initial steps are completed, teachers should design activities that help students answer the questions (ideally reinforcing the central theme). These activities should involve skills across subject areas. For an ocean-themed unit, students could chart tides, do a dissection, or investigate ocean pollution in maths and science classes. Humanities classes could study how the ocean has been represented and is used. Writing classes should encourage students to research and write about the topic. Discussions of God’s sovereignty and how humans can be good stewards of oceans could take place in both humanities and STEM classes. And, of course, any integral unit on the ocean would be incomplete without enjoying some good seafood!
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Integral units are successful when the topic, theme, and questions are truly relevant to students and the activities explore the topic in diverse ways. Teachers can get help from others when planning learning activities outside their own subject. In designing assessments teachers should be particularly careful to consider how they can assess progress in the students’ understanding of the theme and answers to the key questions. Ideally the unit will be different and exciting for the students, the primary teacher, and the other teachers involved in the unit.

For more detailed ideas on how to develop an integrated unit, check out van Brummelin’s work or this resource from ASCD.

David Christians
International Academy, Saint Petersburg
TeachBeyond

 

[1] Steensma, Geraldine. Shaping School Curriculum, Integral Learning: A Biblical View. Reformed Educational Publishing, 1987. 2-3.

[2] Blomberg, Doug. Wisdom and Curriculum. Dordt College Press, 2007. 26.

[3] Blomberg. 18, 27.

[4] Van Brummelen, Harro. Steppingstones to Curriculum. Purposeful Design Publications, 2002. 167-199.

Photo Credits: Grocery Shopping; amsfrank Flickr via Compfight cc; Seafood, Leonard J Matthews Flickr via Compfight cc.

David Christians has been teaching with TeachBeyond for four years at International Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Having taught everything from AP Calculus to freshman literature to fourth grade, he enjoys teaching art history the most. He’s currently working on a Masters of Education at Covenant College.

Connecting with Coaches

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“What do you think heaven is like? Do you think we will get bored?” Many questions peppered my sixth grade Bible lessons. While we couldn’t stop to discuss every one, how could I ignore my students’ curiosity about the Word? Because of this, I had each student conduct a research project based on a self-selected topic of interest. I asked several trusted adults from the community to guide small groups of students, and they became the mentors and managers of the project. Students were evaluated based on completion, but they gained so much more than knowledge from their interactions with coaches.

 

Similarly, adult coaches were an invaluable resource for an ungraded middle school research unit. Students developed inquiry questions for independent study and were matched with coaches – my family and friends around the world – who had experience with the students’ topics.

soccer-ball

One supporter sent a soccer ball for his middle school researcher, while my brother emailed with a student constructing a model trebuchet. It was fascinating to watch student motivation and creativity blossom through this intergenerational, interest-based learning experience!

 

coaches

Why Involve Coaches?

When designed effectively, projects involving adult coaches can have numerous benefits. Hearing other voices will enhance student understanding about a topic and potentially expose them to differing viewpoints. Communicating with coaches will build their confidence and grow their enthusiasm for learning. Furthermore, local community members and long-distance contacts may enjoy this “window” in your classroom. This is a great way to involve supporters, former professors, and nearby experts!

Where Do I Begin?

Consider Curriculum: Review curricular themes and goals, and think about whether adult coaches could help students learn specific content or skills. Brainstorm ways to integrate community mentors into already existing activities, or design a purposeful project with a coach-based approach.

  • Connect with Coaches: Contact people directly or create an online survey to recruit potential coaches. Be sure to clearly communicate your expectations for these mentors, and for longer projects, check in with coaches periodically for feedback.
  • Make it Developmentally Appropriate: Guided independence worked well for my middle school classes, but high school students would likely thrive with greater freedom. At the elementary level, coaches could communicate with the whole class or provide enrichment for gifted learners.
  • Integrate Technology: Besides allowing for communication with long-distance coaches, tech tools may be useful for student research, peer collaboration, and teacher supervision of project progress. When introducing new tools, be sure to incorporate mini-lessons and provide scaffolded practice.
  • Protect Students: Student privacy is of utmost importance. When I connected my middle school students with remote coaches, I moderated all communication. I sent student e-mails to their coaches and forwarded coach responses back to the students. This was a bit cumbersome, but it was worth it to maintain student privacy and allow me to monitor the process.

 

As you look ahead to the new year , how will you connect on a deeper level with your students? Perhaps involving coaches could be the next step for facilitating transformational education in your classroom.

 

Heather Brown

Associate Director of Mobilsation and former middle school teacher

 

Photo Credits: both photos provided by Heather Brown

Following Jesus’ Example

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What is the difference between a Christian teacher and a secular teacher? Is it just that we tell the children stories from the Bible and pray with them? Or should it be reflected in the way that we do things and the way that we teach? How did Jesus and the rest of the godly people in the Bible teach and learn? Should we be following their examples? These are all questions that we have been thinking about and discussing with the teachers that we are working with in the mountain villages of South Asia.

How did Jesus teach his disciples? They sat before Him and listened to the things that he had to share.[1] He demonstrated for them how they should do their ministry.[2] They then worked alongside Him trying out the things that He talked about while He watched and gave them feedback.[3] When Jesus saw that they had a strong enough understanding to try this on their own, He sent them out to do just that.[4] They went out and tried it, but sometimes failed.[5] They returned to Jesus and asked why some of their healing didn’t work and He again gave them feedback.[6] They went out and tried again.[7]

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As we look at this, we are amazed at how closely it resembles the progression from a teacher-centered teaching method to a student-centered teaching method that we have worked so hard to teach our teachers. Teacher-centered teaching is what Jesus did with His disciples at the beginning. However He didn’t stay there. He pushed them to actually do the things they’d seen Him do. In some things they were successful, but they also had their failures. However, because of their relationship with Jesus, they felt free to come and ask Him for further advice on the matter and He was able to give them feedback reminding them of the things that He had taught. They then eagerly went back out and tried again.

If this is how Jesus taught, then shouldn’t we be following His example? How much time do we spend in lessons that are teacher-centered? Do we allow students to put their skills to use on new problems—even struggling through them and failing occasionally? Or would we rather rush on to the next lesson so that we can finish the curriculum? Have we learned to distinguish when to back off and when to step in with the scaffolding necessary to help students succeed?

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Taking time to think through and apply the answers to these questions will force us as teachers to move from teaching about a Christian worldview to teaching within a Christian worldview. Our students will experience what it means to encounter the world as image-bearers of Christ. I believe that this is how the Creator designed learning to happen.

Sue Rollins

Teacher Mentor & Educator

[1] Luke 6:20-sermon on the mount

[2] John 13—washing the disciples’ feet

[3] Mark 8—the feeding of the 4,000

[4] Luke 10—Jesus sends out the 72

[5] Mark 9—the demon possessed boy

[6] Matthew 17:14-21—the demon possessed boy

[7] Acts 3—Peter & John heal the lame man

Photo Credits: Stained Glass Disciples. jpellgen via Compfight cc, Students Experimenting.  Pioneer Library System via Compfight cc.

Time is Running Out…

If you haven’t yet registered for this summer’s Transformational Education Conference in Manila, Philippines, now is the time to so. Registration closes on April 30, 2016. This conference–and it’s sister program, the K-12 School Leadership Program–is a great opportunity for you to grow in your own professional development. You can earn ACSI CEUs as well as a continuing education certificate from TeachBeyond by participating in this 4 day event. If finances are a problem, scholarships are available by contacting institute@teachbeyond.org.   

For more information or to register for the conference, visit  http://teachbeyond.org/teachbeyond-conference/. 

On Practice: Get students moving

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As a teacher, I spend my days on my feet. I know that my proximity to my students is one of the best tools I have as far as classroom management, on-task behaviour, checking for understanding, and encouraging student questions. Any time there are students in my room, it is rare for me to be sitting at my desk. And because this is my reality, it is easy to forget that the same is not true for my students.

Unlike me, my students spend the majority of their days sitting in desks. Their experience of school is far more sedentary than mine. It often has more in common with what we as adults experience when we attend multi-day conferences than what we experience when we are in our own classrooms. And as anyone who has attended one of those conferences can attest, just the very nature of sitting all day is draining. It’s no wonder that many students struggle to stay engaged.[1]

One of the things that we can do to help our students break up the monotony of sitting is to find ways to incorporate movement into our classes. This may take some intentionality and creativity on our parts, but the benefit to our students is worth it. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

Opinion Spectrums:

This activity can be done in just about any subject. Present the students with two opposing positions and ask them to think about which position they most closely agree. Create a space that represents a continuum of ideas with one position on the left hand side and the other on the right. (Some teachers place tape on the floor or use hallway space to create this space.) Give the students several minutes to brainstorm their reasons or support for the stance that they have taken. Then have them move to a location on the spectrum that represents what they believe. Ask students from various places on the spectrum to support their opinions. Students who are uncertain where they fall can be challenged to make a decision based on the most compelling argument they hear from their classmates.

Around the World: 

Students of all ages enjoy playing games. Games that allow for movement are especially good for primary and middle school students.  In this game, students are paired against each other to answer questions.  If a student gets the answer correct before his partner, he moves to challenge the person in the next seat.  He continues moving until he answers incorrectly or is beaten by another classmate.  The object of the game is for the student to move all the way around the classroom and return to his/her original seat.  As an additional twist (which can help keep all students engaged) if both competitors answer incorrectly or fail to answer before a given time, the teacher can randomly choose another student in the room to answer the question.  If that student gets the answer correct, she moves to the position in the room that would have been occupied if one of the other competitors had gotten the answer correct.

Gallery Walks:

This activity takes a bit more time to prepare and execute. Break students into small groups and assign each group a subset of what you have been studying. Ask them to create artifacts (such as pictures, statues, or museum exhibits) that illustrate the major concepts covered in their assigned topic. (For example, I often have my students illustrate major tenets or authors of a given literary movement.) Once students have created their artifacts, have them arrange these around a given space (in the classroom, the library, the gym).  Each group then takes turns guiding the rest of the class through the gallery space explaining the significance of, and fielding questions about, each artifact to the rest of the class. (If the weather is nice and you have an available space, I’ve found that nearly all students enjoy using chalk for this activity.)

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What other activities have you tried to incorporate movement into your classes?  Feel free to send us an e-mail at onpractice@teachbeyond.org.

[1] For an interesting article on one teacher’s experience “going back to school” and sitting all day, check out this blog: A Veteran Teacher Turned Coach Shadows 2 Students for 2 Days.

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond

Photo Credits:  Tag. Donnay via Compfight cc. Students. US Department of Education via Compfight cc.  Sidewalk Chalk.  hoyasmeg via Compfight cc.