Inspired Teacher
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Using the skills of a teacher in my home
Up until two weeks ago I could not have known how closely the skills of teaching and parenting were aligned...
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Teaching Self Discipline
Decrease
the time spent on discipline by building student problem-solving
skills. Learn to create a classroom where students' behavior is
governed by their role as valued members of their classroom community,
rather than punitive measures or rewards. Develop strategies for
successful student and teacher conflict resolution.
Wednesdays: April 30 May 7, 14, 21, 28
4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Inspired Teaching
1436 U St., NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
Call or email Kaneia Mayo to register:
202.462.1956
Register online.
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What do I teach now?
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April is at its end which hopefully means you're seeing the light at the end of the testing tunnel. After April, the weeks leading up to summer tend to fly and teachers face an important decision. To teach or not to teach?
Field trips to amusement parks and end-of-year assemblies begin to fill the calendar. The warmer days make longer recess enticing. It's tempting to put a book of crossword puzzles on the copy machine and call it a year. But there are still several weeks to go before it's over, and with some work these could be the most exciting weeks yet.
You have the freedom now to put your test prep books on a shelf and explore learning environments beyond the desk and chair. You have permission to teach those subjects (like science and social studies) that took took a back seat to the "core curriculum" for the past few months. And you have more than 8 months of teaching this class under your belt. You know your kids. You know how to work together. It's time to have some academic fun.
At Inspired Teaching we recommend using these weeks to try out new adventures in end-of-year teaching - which simply means trying something new with your class. This is a great time to challenge yourself with techniques and activities you've never used before. Hopefully, in the process of exploration, you'll discover something you want to use earlier in the school year the next time around.
Your adventures in end-of-year teaching don't have to be grandiose. They can be as simple as a new strategy for getting students' attention or as complex as a whole-class project. Here are some examples:
- Experiment with free seating, or ditch the desks entirely and teach on the floor!
- Try teaching something outside.
- Give students a topic to explore and have them create their own group projects around this content.
- Invite outside guests in to teach mini-lessons or talk with your students.
- Have the class choose a novel to read aloud - read after recess (or for subject-specific grades: a few minutes at the start of class) and have students draw, journal or simply listen while you read. Students love to be read to and it's an important way for them to learn what fluent reading sounds like. For older students you can have volunteers from the class take turns reading.
- Give your students topics to research and teach to the rest of the class. This works particularly well with middle and high school students. It is important as part of this project to take some time to teach the class how to plan and present a lesson.
No matter what you do in the weeks ahead, enjoy your students! You have worked hard all year to build relationships with them and to develop a positive classroom culture. Now is the time to reap the rewards of your (and their) efforts!
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| Project Based Learning |
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These
steps can be used to create valuable student-directed learning
experiences in your classroom. You may want to have your students do
these projects in conjunction with your scheduled curriculum or
dedicate a specific period of time to working on them.
Click here for a full description of the activity.
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| Teacher Resources |
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Travel to Galapagos!
Administered by the Institute of International Education, the Toyota International Teacher Program offers study abroad opportunities for U.S. teachers.
Now in its third year, the Toyota International Teacher Program to the Galapagos Islands will travel with thirty secondary school educators in late November 2008 to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Full-time teachers and teacher librarians in grades 6-12 from all fifty states and the District of Colum- bia are encouraged to apply for this fully funded international professional development opportunity.
The 2008 program to the Galapagos Islands will take place November 22 - December 6, 2008. Direct costs of participation (transportation, lodging, meals and all program activities) will be paid by Toyota.
While in the Galapagos, program participants will have the unique opportunity to work in groups with Galapagueño teachers on the design of interdisciplinary environmental lessons. These lessons will be shared with the wider education community.
Visit the IIE Web site for complete program information and application procedures.
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Sign up for the Inspired Teaching Institute
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If you're looking for an experience that will revolutionize your teaching practice, consider the Inspired Teaching Institute. It's a full year course, with an intensive 2 week introduction during the summer - it may sound like a lot of time but it is time WELL SPENT!
Click here to apply or learn more.
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Center for Inspired Teaching is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that exists to ensure schools make the most of children's innate desire to learn. We do this by investing in teachers. Please visit our website to learn more about our philosophy, programs, and results.
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