Check out the top ESL conversation activities for adults—make your English speaking classes fun, engaging and filled with happy students.
Photographs of anonymous female workers at Tredegar iron works in the 1860s From this foul drain the greatest stream of human industry flows out to fertilise the whole world. From this filthy sewer…
Looking for a fun vocabulary activity? This extension is perfect for middle and high school to help encourage critical thinking and associations.
Classical Conversations Cycle 3 Week 1 tutor plan for abecedarian abc class with all subjects including new grammar, art, presentations, science, and review game. Also included is my weekly parent email. CC Cycle 3 W 1
"My class won't stop talking. How can I get them to be quiet?" Even experienced teachers make three mistakes that result in an unruly, disrespectful class. Find out what these mistakes are and what you can do to get your class to be quiet in this post!
I don't know about you, but the new school year is in full swing, and things are crazy around here (stacks of papers to grade, keeping my son on track with
It amazes me how much class size affects my teaching and my students. I started the year with 31 students. I just lost my second one at the ...
There are many different versions of the Angry Birds Parabola Project. We compiled the best methods to use with your class. Transforming Parabolas.
When I first started teaching there was only one word to describe the start of class – chaos.I remember standing in front of my class as the bell rang wondering how on earth I was going to get their attention.With half the class talking, 5 kids walking around the room, and 2 more coming in late, it
On A Peach for the Teach on Facebook, I invited people to ask their most challenging behavior questions. We got some great questions, each of which really tied together. Dona asked, I have a student that comes to me from second grade (I teach 1st) for my entire reading block, who likes to shout out talk back and just shuts down when you ask him to do something. He then treats his 2nd teacher with severe disrespect when he goes back to class. Rebecca asked, I have a class of 25 this year. 1 student is below K level (I teach 1st grade), 2 are identified as ADHD, we are working towards another student getting identified as ADHD, and I have 2 students who have really disrespectful attitudes. I have tried talking with parents, I have changed their seating, I have tried encouraging them and pointing out the positive......nothing seems to be working. Ideas? Lindsay asked, I need motivation tips for kids who can do the work but basically refuse to... These are such common issues that teachers face daily. I think they all tie together and have similar interventions, which led me to write this blog post-- How to Help Calling Out and "Class Clown" Behavior. "If you put a kid in the position of choosing between looking bad or looking dumb, he will choose to look bad." - Rick Lavoie, Motivation Breakthrough When a student is performing at a level lower than his peers, he is often aware of that. That could be part of the reason for the acting out. Maybe the child is embarrassed and would rather be seen as a class clown than struggling. It allows the child a sense of control over a situation where he would otherwise feel out of control. Try giving him some control in a positive way. To intervene, start with an informal play meeting. Meet with the student individually when he is calm, to play a preferred, non-academic game at the beginning or end of the day. He may be more likely to open up honestly in that type of setting through informal conversations (e.g., favorite TV shows, games, etc.). Casually ask what he likes and doesn't like about school, and "admit" to him that you always had a hard time with [insert his least preferred subject]. Try not to make it obvious that this is the whole point of your conversation. He might give you some insight into what's causing this. It's also great for establishing rapport, which will help you to get the student on your side. Give him some sort of task with which he can be successful, and give him positive attention for completing it. Avoid patronizing him or making it obviously at a level lower than the other students. Instead, try non-academic leadership positions, like a class helper, teacher's assistant, etc. Maybe give him the opportunity to call on students with questions. "Class, today we are going to try something new." Next, set limits. Start by telling the whole class that today we are going to try something new. Starting today, the teacher will no longer answer any calling out. Explain that we need to practice raising our hands and not calling out. Demonstrate, practice, and ask for volunteers to show you what hand raising looks like. Establish a non-verbal cue (e.g., a cue card with an image of a hand, or simply hold up your hand), and completely ignore calling out. Instruct the class to also ignore calling out. Have students practice calling out while you ignore it. Explain why you're doing this, so the student knows it's not just him being ignored. Ignore the behavior, not the child. You might want to give one verbal cue, such as, "I'd be happy to answer you when you raise your hand." This is your new procedure that will happen every single time a student calls out. You could still say it in a positive tone of voice, but it's all you will say. Give a Little, Get a Little Use positive language to elicit positive language. If a student is using disrespectful language, being threatening will teach the child to talk back with threatening language. Think about your reaction when somebody confronts you with doing something wrong. You initially feel a little attacked, so you want to react. Give the student the opportunity to save face. For example, instead of, "How dare you speak to me that way?" try a, "Whoops, that sounded disrespectful. I know you could ask me using nicer words," and only respond when he uses nicer words. If he doesn't, say, "I'll be over here when you're ready to use nice words to ask me." Dodge the Power Struggle To nip disrespect in the bud, we need to avoid power struggles-- even when a student questions what we're doing. That's the part that really tricks even the most skilled behavior interventionists. We want students to believe in, trust, and respect us. When they question what we're doing, we want to tell them. Please don't. You don't need to justify yourself in this moment. You may be skilled with planned ignoring, but when the child asks, "Why are you ignoring me?" it's too tempting to reply with an explanation, but resist the urge. If you planned and practiced this procedure previously, the child already knows why you're ignoring him. He may try to get you to give him anything other than the ignoring. Stick to the ignoring, and he will eventually try using nice words to get you to reply. It may also be helpful to teach a lesson on the words "disrespect" vs. "respect." Teach the meaning, and explain situations and words that are unacceptable. Teach this with empathy, and practice it. If the child uses negative language in class, prompt with a, "Please use your nice words if you need me to respond to you." Completely ignore anything else. I know that using a firm prompt followed by planned ignoring sometimes feels like you aren't doing anything to stop the behavior, but that's the best thing about it-- doing "nothing" stops the behavior. It completely eliminates the power struggle and argument. The child will be forced to use kind words to get any type of reaction out of you and to gain access to his wants/needs. This also works with whining. I told my little ones that my ears can no longer hear whining, and they all stopped whining. Now if only I could use planned ignoring on messes to make my kitchen clean itself! Words of Caution Sometimes when implementing planned ignoring, the child may initially test the limits and engage in more attention-seeking behavior. This is typical and should pass when he sees that he won't get a reaction. I got a comment on this post that really made me think and add another word of caution about this strategy-- exercise caution when using this for students with bonding and/or attachment needs. We certainly do not want to intensify feelings of abandonment, and we want to be sure that we are responding to their needs. It is vitally important to make sure that we are ignoring the behavior, not the child. Give the child plenty of positive attention for positive behavior. Make giving positive attention during appropriate behavior part of your behavior protocol for this child. When the negative behavior ends and the child begins acting positively, give positive attention. No need for a lecture at that moment. After the Procedure is Learned Once you are sure that the student understands how he will appropriately gain access to wants/needs, you can begin to address the calling out caused by impulsivity and habit. Make a T-chart, and write the positive behavior on the left and negative on the right (e.g., "Called Out" and "Raised My Hand"). Instruct the student to tally when he does each. This alone is often enough to curb the negative behavior. Other times with more severe behavior, it helps if tallies are tied to reinforcement. For example, the student can earn [something preferred] if he has more positive than negative tallies at the end of each block. You could also set goals based on baselines. For example, if the student reduces his calling out by ___% or does not exceed ___% incidents of calling out, he can earn [something preferred]. Class Dojo is another fun way to track this! The teacher can track the behaviors throughout the day, or the students can self-monitor behaviors on their T-Charts and plug them into the Dojo at the end of the day. Establish a procedure that students must earn more green (i.e., "positive") than red (i.e., "needs work"), or a certain percentage of green, in order to earn a reinforcer, positive note home, etc. Another helpful strategy is bonus free time. It's often harder for a student with ADHD and/or behavior needs to attend to instruction for a given length of time, so plan three breaks in the day. I call them "five minute free time" to play with something fun, and I end each of my subjects with it. It gives me five minutes to clean up or correct work, and it gives the students five minutes to regroup. If you're strapped for time, you could have students complete exit tickets, assessments, etc., and give the student with ADHD the special free time. It also gives him something to word toward, as he has to earn the free time. If a student engages in negative behavior or work refusal, I ask if he is earning his free time or if he is to make up his work during free time. Never underestimate the power of a question instead of a demand. A simple, "Are you earning your free time?" is often enough to set the behavior back on track. An additional motivational tool is a task chart where students rank their tasks by preference. They earn little reinforcement for easy/preferred tasks and high reinforcement for non-preferred tasks. You can download that chart for free here. What are some ideas you use in your classroom to help calling out and "class clown" behavior? Do you have any questions about behavior challenges? Please share in the comments below! A Peach for the Teach
Agenda Students were given the first 20 minutes to prepare their presentations to the class. For section 3, Groups discussing parallelism and names will go at the beginning of the hour on Monday. Students were also to turn in found poems. Most were not completed. Late work will be accepted. Posted below are samples of Found poems: http://chippedteacup.hubpages.com/hub/visual-and-found-poetry By Carrie Arizona (www.deviantART.com) http://chippedteacup.hubpages.com/hub/poem-charming-imperfection kirstyes.co.uk kirstyes.co.uk http://piccsy.com/2011/05/night-overtakes/ http://www.gwarlingo.com/2012/the-sunday-poem-mary-ruefle/ Homework: 1. Read Chapter 3 to review for a short quiz. 2. Read the following article on Euthanasia. Especially read the pro and anti euthansia arguments. Then comment below. What is your personal response to Euthansia after having read both sides of the argument? Refer back to the article in your response. Do you believe it an act of good will to allow Curly's dog to die as he is suffering a less than dignified existance and is in a great deal of pain? Or do you believe it to diminish the sanctity of life by putting Curly's dog down? Is Carlson wrong to suggest the notion in chapter 2 of OMAM? 3. Read over the Found Poems above for reference in class next week. 4. Section 3: Turn in chart with 5 points that extend both the argument that George is a good or bad friend.
We all have those students that raise their hand and say, “I’m done, now what do I do?” We also have those who finish with their work and decide its time to
My district is one that is implementing Student Learning Objectives...which are basically large-scale goals for each student in class based on their ability levels. Teachers have to set target scores/learning outcomes for lower level learners to higher level learners. That means there has to be some sort of pre-assessment in order to determine the level of the students. I really have struggled in attempting to create pre-assessments for orchestra. It has been hard to wrap my head around giving a test to see what I know students don't know yet...since I haven't taught the skill, yet. Anyway, I am focusing my learning objective on rhythm. I want to be sure my students are fluent note-readers and rhythm readers. For my pre-test, I will use the 'I Got Rhythm' form that I created. This can be used many different ways and can be a useful tool in a variety of rhythm exercises. For my pre-assessment, I will perform the rhythm from one box on each line...and I will have students circle the rhythm that they think I played. This will help me see if students are already recognizing these rhythms. The rhythms get progressively more difficult as you move down the page, so I will be able to set some learning targets for individual students. Eventually of course, students will demonstrate the ability to perform these rhythms on their own - by the end of year 1. I can also use this form as a rhythm exercise...students can perform the rhythms across and down each line. They can cut them up to make flashcards. You can use the different rhythms for warm-ups and scales.
BOOM! is an easy and active review game that works well for any subject. This review game for middle or high school students is SO MUCH FUN! I play this in my classroom before test day. It could be used for math, science, social studies or any other subject!
"Soma Goddess" - A Giclée print on matte canvas of the original painting by Emily Balivet, 2015. With a protective coating, the print measures 11x14 inches and is stretched on a .75" pine frame. The print is signed, titled and dated on the back and ships flat. Soma is an ancient intoxicating drink frequently mentioned in the Hindu Rig Vedas. Prepared from a mysterious plant and used in Vedic ritual, it was believed to be the ambrosia of the gods and granted immortality. It has been suggested that Soma may have been hallucinogenic mushrooms. Soma literally means "body" in Sanskrit and unites the holy trinity of mind, body, and spirit. ~All prints are packaged professionally and shipped via Priority mail (within the US) ~Overseas shipping via USPS First Class International ~Shipping discounts on multiple purchases Please contact me with questions or comments and visit my website www.emilybalivet.com to see my entire portfolio!
I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions. Don't get me wrong. It's not the "resolutions" I disagree with -- it's the "New Year" thing. I resolve to do things all the time: I decide to try new recipes, I decide to paint a room, and so forth. But, in this case, the timing and
Literary criticism is challenging for students. But using familiar lyrics from Taylor Swift can help demystify complex literary lenses!
It's the 20 year anniversary of the premiere of The Nanny. Oy vey.
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Need some French swear words for those WTF moments that deserve an expletive or two? Learn it all here. But proceed with caution!
For the first time, my students have really gotten the hang of how to play chords along with music. They’re having a great time learning the chords and exploring music with them, so I wanted to share with you a little bit about what we’re doing. I’ve always been stumped about how to teach students ... Read More about Teaching Piano Students To Jam With Chords
These classic, timeless, old fashioned etiquette tips will never go out of style
We love memes but man the only thing I love more than memes, is you. Yes, you personally, and I know you think that I may be coming on a little...
This is what the internet does when Justin Bieber writes in the Anne Frank house guest book that he hopes she would have been a Belieber.
Subitizing, being able to quickly identify the amount of objects in a group, is a very important skill for early learners.
Frustration can run pretty high when you take a German class but you just can’t seem to speak it correctly. The baker in Germany doesn’t understan...
YouTube for art? You bet! My kids have shown me the wonders of using YouTube to find out how to do something. Art is no different. Check out these favorites YouTube art channels! There are channels just for learning to draw tutorials, art history, and channels that are like a great art class- a little of everything!
Article. By Ruth Shagoury. A review of children's picture books about the life of Helen Keller reveals the omission of any description of her active role in key social movements of the 20th century.
Boygenius' Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus on their new album, 'The Record,' their upcoming tour and the solo careers got brought them here
Summer break is upon us and I finally have time to share something I’ve been growing increasingly passionate about during the last several years…FINANCIAL LITERACY! Four years ago my department leader came to me and asked if I’d be interested in teaching a new semester course that all of our senior students would be required […]
Creating Proofs with Uno Cards is the most engaging and fun way to teach the most difficult lesson to your Geometry students. Here is how...
As an art teacher, I have many lessons that never fail. Here is my list of top 5 art lessons that always lead to engaged students and fun conversations!
Have you ever thought about using wordless videos in your speech therapy lessons? It increases engagement! Start with these videos...
For teaching the writing process, I write papers with my students. Model the writing process and change your class' writing attidues.
SAT is distinguished college admission test that allow the student show colleges what he/she knows and how well the student can apply that knowledge. SAT is a 3
When typical classroom management does not work, what do you do? This year I had a particularity challenging class. I was desperate for a solution.
Every neckline should be as tidy as the one on the right. Unfortunately, most are written like the one on the left. Since I can't travel to every corner of the world to teach this in my European Finishing class, I'm posting instructions for the Proper Cocoknits Neckline for every knitter to use and enjoy If you are leaving your neckline raw, these techniques are a must. Even if you are picking up stitches to finish the neckline, look how much easier picking up stitches will be around the neckline of the sample to the right. I have worked this sample in Stockinette stitch but the technique works just as well when working in stitch patterns. These Cocoknits patterns use this technique; Leonie, Nieve, and Veronika.
My suggestion would be to serve this just as it is, but with some pillowy naan warmed up in the oven for dippage as you eat. But if you want to, by all means rustle up some rice or — let me be a middle-class cliche — quinoa. This is, anyway, what you could term a Multi-Culti Curry: it fuses Thai and Indian flavours (and you could indeed use an Indian curry paste in the place of the Thai one here) but with honourable intent, and to most pleasing effect. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Using positive classroom management is important in establishing a safe environment in which students can learn, collaborate, and create.
Many schools are implementing math intervention classes geared to help students master the math content. I am sharing my favorite math intervention schedule.
