Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Chapter 6

Answer the same questions.

posted by Barney Slowey at 5:51 PM

2 Comments:

Blogger Barney Slowey said...

More responses to your comments...I can't remember if I expounded on this or not but I am a strong proponent of Looping and especially multiage classrooms...With all we know about developmental learning I can't believe we haven't been more active in making the shift. We need to take kids where they are and let them progress at their pace...Someone mentioned figeit toys...skoosh balls, etc...These are bodily Kinesthetic kids and they need to be doing something with their hands...I am going to recommend another book that I think needs to be read...John, you indicated that you want to incorporate more Multiple Intelligences into your lessons...this book is tailor made for that...Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong is a great practical book that walks you through how you can change easily...Lots of charts and graphs and especially activities for each disciplin and all ages...Multiple intelligence classrooms are exciting to teach in , learn in, and when kids are excited and engaged in their projects they don't have time to screw around...If we know that kids can learn anything we want to teach them if we find their intelligence, how can we ignore it...Again I believe the vast majority of teachers want to continue to search for answers especially to meet the needs of those who right now are not interested...More so how can we fail kids if we don't teach to their streghths... Nutrition is key to learning and I applaude the breakfast in the classroom idea...you may give up 20 minutes in the am but the quality of what happens after will go up tremendously...It just makes sense...and Dave what a great opportunity to make some changes in the school lunch program...I know many schools are taking out the pop machines and re;alcing them with water milk etc and some school around here just cut out junk food ala carte lunches...There are many reasons for doing that...I liked the toothpaste tube idea for putdowns and one like that I also used at the high school was a cut out of a heart and everyone had one...we called on people to give put downs and each time we wrinkled it up until it was in a ball and then we had kids say positive things and tried to straighten it out but you could still see the wrinkles or scars...Dee, I feel sorry for you and title teachers who everyday get about 30 minutes withX number of kids and are expected to cure them...I know that you and most teachers in this situation do great things but I belive it surly doesn't have anything with the amount of time with them as much as it is with the relationships you make with the kids...I really believe great teachers create a learning evironment that allows for that teacher to develop positive relationships with their students...at all levels...But again its difficult in the middle school and high school where we see 150-190 kids especially in a 45-50 minute period...In 1972 our high school went to a 90 minute block and it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me...I had to change my classroom for more activity based units...It helped me become a great teacher especially in the area of developing relationships...less kids and more time with them...Elementary teachers have been teaching this way forever...I have since been involved in putting block schedules in the last two schools I have been in as well as several others I have consulting with...Enough for now...

1:23 PM  
Blogger Barney Slowey said...

Susan Kovalik of Integrated Thematic Instruction fame says that when possible start each unit with a field trip,real or virtual...It gets kids revved up and can also serve as a way for you to find out who already knows what about the subject

8:51 AM  

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