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Nothing Working! HELP

by Regina

Mar 7, 2013

I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I try to make all of my lesson strategic.

At the beginning of the school year, my students were very excited to come to class. They appeared to enjoy everything in general. Fast forward to the present.....they are bored with everything and don't mind saying so. In addition, when I assign group work (we are required to do so) they use it as their social hour. My engaging ppts are something they are accustomed to so this does not hold their interest! Projects and mu interactive notebooks also brings groans. Any suggestions? I am open to anything!!

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Rob Burns Regina - Email me [email removed].

Rob Burns.

On 3/07/13, Regina wrote: > I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my > classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by > any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I > try to make all of my lesson strategic. > > At the beginning of...See More

Mar 7, 2013

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My vote is, tone it down on the PowerPoints On 3/07/13, Regina wrote: > I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my > classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by > any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I > try to make all of my lesson strategic. > > At the beginning of the school year, my students were very > excited to come to cl...See More

Mar 7, 2013

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Too much of the same thing Also, remember you are probably not their only teacher using interactive notebooks, journals, group work, and ppts. Kids burn out on these things after awhile. Teachers/admin tend to grab on to these types of "activities" and way overdo them, in all classes.

My students never want to see another foldable "as long as they live", so we don't...See MoreAlso, remember you are probably not their only teacher using interactive notebooks, journals, group work, and ppts. Kids burn out on these things after awhile. Teachers/admin tend to grab on to these types of "activities" and way overdo them, in all classes.

My students never want to see another foldable "as long as they live", so we don't do them. Last year they had a journal for every single subject. Can't say I blame them for dreading those either.

This is the time of year to drag out the mock court, debate, etc. activites. Have them create prezi(s) (what is the plural of prezi?)And sometimes the students just crave an old fashioned study guide.

I've found it works better to change up your presentation and instructional activities each semester.

On 3/07/13, My vote is, tone it down on the PowerPoints wrote: > On 3/07/13, Regina wrote: >> I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my >> classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by >> any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I >> try to make all of my lesson strategic. >> >> At the beginning of the school year, my students were very >> excited to come to class. They appeared to enjoy everything >> in general. Fast forward to the present.....they are bored >> with everything and don't mind saying so. In addition, when >> I assign group work (we are required to do so) they use it >> as their social hour. My engaging ppts are something they >> are accustomed to so this does not hold their interest! >> Projects and mu interactive notebooks also brings groans. >> Any suggestions? I am open to anything!! > > > Too much hassle for you, and PowerPoint can get old fast > (although it's not a bad way to present key points of a general > overview.) > > Take advantage of the endless variety of really good > documentary footage available online, for sale on Amazon, etc. > LOL...I've known kids who struggle in history class but then > go home, turn on PBS, and gobble up everything there is to know > about the Gold Rush, Che Guevera, or Japan trying to own China. > History teachers are blessed, really, with the ability to tap > the children's love of visual media and still maintain a > soundly standards-based curriculum. Also, once you light up > their curiosity with some riveting DVD excerpts, some of them > will actually be CURIOUS to read about the incident or > philosophy at hand just to find out more and discover the > answers to their newfound questions. > > With history, too, it helps to point out universal themes and > predictable patterns in regard to human behavior. History > really does tend to repeat itself, because people keep doing > the same crazy, reckless, and/or amazing stuff over and over > again. Be sure to help them draw connections between events in > the past and similar situations playing out in the world right now.

Mar 8, 2013

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Michael R. Try providing students with more hands-on opportunities and incorporation of current events. My students are currently discussing the Bill of Rights. I have created a debate for students about gun control as it is a hot topic in society. Students have enjoyed the opportunity to debate with one another. Following the debate, students wrote a persuas...See MoreTry providing students with more hands-on opportunities and incorporation of current events. My students are currently discussing the Bill of Rights. I have created a debate for students about gun control as it is a hot topic in society. Students have enjoyed the opportunity to debate with one another. Following the debate, students wrote a persuasive essay to their Congressman about their stance on the issue.

To make history more engaging, try relating the material to social media the students connect to. I had the students created a Twitter board related to the most significant events leading to the creation of America. Students enjoyed this assignment.

On 3/08/13, Too much of the same thing wrote: > Also, remember you are probably not their only teacher using > interactive notebooks, journals, group work, and ppts. Kids burn > out on these things after awhile. Teachers/admin tend to grab on > to these types of "activities" and way overdo them, in all > classes. > > My students never want to see another foldable "as long as they > live", so we don't do them. Last year they had a journal for > every single subject. Can't say I blame them for dreading those > either. > > This is the time of year to drag out the mock court, debate, etc. > activites. Have them create prezi(s) (what is the plural of > prezi?)And sometimes the students just crave an old fashioned > study guide. > > I've found it works better to change up your presentation and > instructional activities each semester. > > On 3/07/13, My vote is, tone it down on the PowerPoints wrote: >> On 3/07/13, Regina wrote: >>> I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my >>> classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by >>> any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I >>> try to make all of my lesson strategic. >>> >>> At the beginning of the school year, my students were very >>> excited to come to class. They appeared to enjoy everything >>> in general. Fast forward to the present.....they are bored >>> with everything and don't mind saying so. In addition, when >>> I assign group work (we are required to do so) they use it >>> as their social hour. My engaging ppts are something they >>> are accustomed to so this does not hold their interest! >>> Projects and mu interactive notebooks also brings groans. >>> Any suggestions? I am open to anything!! >> >> >> Too much hassle for you, and PowerPoint can get old fast >> (although it's not a bad way to present key points of a general >> overview.) >> >> Take advantage of the endless variety of really good >> documentary footage available online, for sale on Amazon, etc. >> LOL...I've known kids who struggle in history class but then >> go home, turn on PBS, and gobble up everything there is to know >> about the Gold Rush, Che Guevera, or Japan trying to own China. >> History teachers are blessed, really, with the ability to tap >> the children's love of visual media and still maintain a >> soundly standards-based curriculum. Also, once you light up >> their curiosity with some riveting DVD excerpts, some of them >> will actually be CURIOUS to read about the incident or >> philosophy at hand just to find out more and discover the >> answers to their newfound questions. >> >> With history, too, it helps to point out universal themes and >> predictable patterns in regard to human behavior. History >> really does tend to repeat itself, because people keep doing >> the same crazy, reckless, and/or amazing stuff over and over >> again. Be sure to help them draw connections between events in >> the past and similar situations playing out in the world right > now.

Mar 8, 2013

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Sam On 3/07/13, Regina wrote:

I'm having the same issue with my own 8th grade history class. I'd agree with the other poster who said tone down the power points. Even the best of Powerpoints become stale if it's day after day of Powerpoints.

If I'm required to do something that doesn't work, I do it briefly. I find group work is most...See MoreOn 3/07/13, Regina wrote:

I'm having the same issue with my own 8th grade history class. I'd agree with the other poster who said tone down the power points. Even the best of Powerpoints become stale if it's day after day of Powerpoints.

If I'm required to do something that doesn't work, I do it briefly. I find group work is most often a struggle and the college professors (they were brothers) who introduced 'group work' to education were well-intentioned but neither of them have ever taught anywhere other than a college classroom. People in the real work world who are assigned to group projects are being paid to do those projects. Pretend group work in school is not a training ground for real world group work. It's a fallacy.

I use youtube with increasing frequency at this time of the year - spring is springing. There are great things on youtube - more than I can describe. I spend many evenings on youtube looking for things to use in class. My kids will sit still, watch and absorb youtube clips. At this point in the year, they no longer enjoy much else and they fight with each other constantly.

Try bigmyth. com. Today I did a lesson on creation stories from different cultures. They loved it. There are youtube clips showing the Berlin Wall coming down - very powerful. German tanks crossing over into Poland, you name it, it's there. It's a wonderful source of primary sources- real film clips from the real thing - the Enola Gay taking off to drop the atom bomb. Interviews with the crew of the Enola Gay and how did they feel on that mission. A reenactment of Leif Erikson's voyage to the New World.

We do some discussion before and after. They're often spellbound. I don't know what I'd do without it anymore.

> I teach 8th grade world history and I try to make my > classes very engaging. I am not a traditional teacher by > any stretch of the imagination. My ppts are engaging and I > try to make all of my lesson strategic. > > At the beginning of the school year, my students were very > excited to come to class. They appeared to enjoy everything > in general. Fast forward to the present.....they are bored > with everything and don't mind saying so. In addition, when > I assign group work (we are required to do so) they use it > as their social hour. My engaging ppts are something they > are accustomed to so this does not hold their interest! > Projects and mu interactive notebooks also brings groans. > Any suggestions? I am open to anything!!

Mar 11, 2013

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