A Stanford study shows that recess is a profoundly important part of the school day. Click below to read what the study shows about the benefits of school recess.
Public education has "childproofed" education, and we will regret it. As Dr. Mark Benden shared in our interview, “We will look back on the past generation and ask, ‘What were those people thinking making children sit still all day in school? Who thought that was a good idea?’"
I've been a Special Ed Teacher for about 10 years now...haven't had much luck with classroom management. I have some pretty good horror stories. I've been hesitant to ask for help, which was part of the problem. Anyway, this Fall I will be teaching a counseling-enhanced elementary (3rd-5th) class. I'm a bit nervous. I know it's important to start out strong. And I do have confidence in myself. Thanks for any advice.....
Marv Marshall, the author of Discipline Without Stress explains why he believes Class Dojo is a negative, unproductive system that should "go the way of the dodo."
These are some great suggestions! I have one more to add to the list. I used to have trouble losing track of time when we got really involved. The bell would ring and then we'd rush to straighten up and dismiss. So I wrote a computer program for my classroom that is a clock with the time remaining and it will play an alarm near the end (or anytime before that). It also has a countdown timer for timed class activities.
Other teachers at my school saw my Classroom Computer Clock and asked if they could have it. Of course I gave it to them. Next thing I know, teachers from other schools were contacting me about it. That's when I realized what a gem I created. It's gone through 3 major upgrades over the years with lots of minor additions via teacher suggestions.
I give it to teachers for free! Take a look for yourself.
I invite you to try out my graphic dramatic story, Teacher Killed Over an iPod on Amazon. I would especially like to hear feedback about the story from seasoned educators, Special Ed and Foreign Language as well as substitute Teachers.
There is a thought-provoking message for Educators, Administrators and Parents on the Author's page in the back of the book. Please share it with associates and parents.
The solution for some has been to do an end run around such assignments by having the students read the piece in class instead. That takes a lot of instructional time and leads to strategies like Round Robin Reading (RRR)—also called Popcorn Reading or Combat Reading.
RRR is not really a comprehension strategy; it’s a management tool. Kids keep quiet and listen because they might be called on next. Worrying that they might get called on next means they’re not paying attention to what is currently being read. If the teacher is obvious about who’ll read next, the students know when their turns are coming and are rehearsing while someone else is laboring away at her chunk of the text.
RRR is not a valid fluency strategy, either: With no chance to rehearse what they’re reading, poor oral readers won’t do well—and on top of that, they’re modeling poor reading for others. And, there’s the embarrassment factor. I can remember from my own schools days that some kids hated reading aloud because they anticipated stumbling, and the good readers hated it when the poor ones read for just that reason.
But after all these years, teachers still use RRR. Why? Because the kids are quiet, occupied, and the assignment gets read. In other words, it’s all about management. So okay. Round Robin Reading doesn’t promote fluency or comprehension, but you still have to lick the didn’t-read-the-assignment-before-class problem. (Click below to read about an alternative practice you can try.)
These are some great suggestions! I have one more to add to the list. I used to have trouble losing track of time when we got really involved. The bell would ring and then we'd rush to straighten up a...See More