A different approach

Posted on 10/29/09

I've recently had to remind my students of what it's like when
the teacher doesn't try so hard. Last week, I got fed up with
whining & complaints from students who don't spend the 5-10
minutes to do a minimal homework assignment & then are rude to me
after I've stayed til 5:30 at school to make an interesting
lesson for them. (While all my coworkers went home by 4pm, which
made the kids' snotty comments even more aggravating!)

So, in a very calm, level voice, I told my class that when they
disrespect me when I'm trying hard, that it reminds me that my
work day officially ends at 3:30, that I do not get paid extra
for working late, & that my job description only says that I have
to teach the standards, but not how I do it.

So, today we will have a lesson that meets the standards, but
doesn't have my extra time & hard work put into it. "Read the
textbook p.106-113 & answer the questions on binder paper. Yes,
you have to copy the questions & yes, you have to write in
complete sentences." And I didn't help them much with it, left
them pretty much to work in silence. They really did not like
that day & now if anyone complains, they usually tell that kid to
be quiet & how they would really like to do what I'm teaching.

Obviously, you can't do this all the time, but if you've tried
the other suggestions about mixing it up in your lessons & it
hasn't worked, maybe they're just being bratty & need limit
setting.

On 10/29/09, Sara wrote:
> You have to change it up - it's not in the challenge, it's in
> the presentation. Power points are very 'now' but would you
> want to see one every single day??
>
> What drew you into history? Power points? What excites you
> about history? I'd say - put the textbook away for a day or
> two or three. Take your next topic and just do it - no
> powerpoints, no textbook.
> Tell them why it's important to you -(is it?) Maybe take a
> broader concept not one of the smaller details and ask this
> question after briefly explaining its importance to history -
> 'what would happen if we took this out of history? Would
> history as we know it tumble down? Is history an a chain of
> events that are dependent on each other?"
> (is it?)
> If you Really want to get their attention, show them as an
> illustration the Simpsons episode that discussed just that -
> yes, the Simpsons' buffoonery sometimes had a thought
> provoking message. Homer sticks a fork into the toaster, goes
> back in time, sneezes and the dinasaurs drop dead one by one
> and when he returns to the present, everything is different.
>
> Is that how it would work? What is the real significance of
> your next topic on the present - and on the future to come?
> Don't teach the past as if it is the past - teach is as if
> it's the present for it just that.
>
> Ask your students to name one thing now that has not been
> impacted by the past. If your kids are truly bright, they
> won't say the future for the future is designed by the past.
>
> But is it controlled by it? Does the past absolutely dictate
> what happens next?
>
> Think about history as a living, breathing entity rather than
> a chain of dead events. At least, that's how I see it and
> it's why I like, no love, history.
>
> Why do you love history? Figure that out and tell them so but
> allow them the right to disagree. They don't have to love it
> but if you're truly passionate about it, they should
> recognize that.
> If you're not truly passionate about history, I'm not sure
> why one would be teaching it. It's the great drama of the
> human experience. What's their favorite book or play?
> Guarantee them that history is even the more exciting and
> then show them how.
> Maybe without a powerpoint. I don't think you're
> underchallenging' them - I think they might be a bit bored
> with powerpoints. Let them do the talking - have discussions.
> If they're bright, they might have very bright things to say.
>> I am a first year (middle school) history teacher and I
>> need much guidance! I have tried teaching the lesson in
>> numerous ways. For example, I do power points for almost
>> all of my lessons, I have tried story form, reading aloud,
>> group readings you name it. My students however, show
>> little interests in the above. In addition, we do projects
>> for almost every unit. Today, one of the students
>> commented "Oh no, not another power point"! Any
>> suggestions? They are extremely bright, and I feel as
>> though I am not challenging them enough.

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