Teaching Tips
Read these 8 Teaching Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Teaching Degree tips and hundreds of other topics.
Be A Flexible Teacher
You spent all weekend planning the perfect lesson. You have visual aids, manipulatives, a demonstration, a special speaker. Suddenly, RING! RING! RING! the fire alarm goes off. All your planning, your effort, ruined...Or is it? When you deal with unscheduled interruptions or unexpected events with grace, you're teaching your students to do the same. Besides, an interruption can become what educators call a "teachable moment". An unexpected assembly can be a chance to discuss good listening skills. A blown out overhead light bulb is an opportunity for extra review for tomorrow's test. Be flexible or you'll definitely snap in the eventful, unscripted life of a classroom teacher.
Teachers Must Learn To Work Well With Others
To the uninitiated, teachers are a solo act, planning for themselves, working by themselves. To the well informed, a hefty part of teaching is working with others--fellow teachers, administrators, parents, community representatives, student teachers, university researchers, literacy coaches, and more. Use good manners with everyone, from your students to school board members. You'll build a reputation of decency that will make others more willing to go out of their way to help you.
TOPIC SELECTION
By the time a student is in high school or college, it is time to reject topics that are too general in scope. Select a topic that is appropriate and legitimate for the academic level. As the academic level grows, the topic should become more specific and focused. For example:
THE CIRCUS—only for a 4th or 5th grade report;
RINGLING BROTHERS – 6th grade report;
HISTORY OF THE CIRCUS—7th grade report;
ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN THE CIRCUS—8th grade report;
ITINERANT LIFESTYLE OF CIRCUS PERFORMERS—9th grade report;
EVOLUTION OF THE CIRCUS CLOWN—10th grade research paper;
IMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUS LIFE ON “LITTLE PEOPLE”—Junior
research paper;
THE CIRCUS IN THE WRITINGS OF SHERWOOD ANDERSON—Senior
research paper;
CIRCUS POSTER ART: ITS HISTORY AND VALUE—college level;
THE CIRCUS AND FAMILY VALUES—college level research paper;
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CIRCUS ON COMMUNITIES IN THE GREAT
PLAINS DURING THE 1930s—college level research paper.
THESIS STATEMENT
The thesis statement is one of the most important parts of the research paper. Its purpose is to declare the subject matter and the plan of the paper. Regardless of how long or short the research paper is, a thesis statement is a requirement.
Some thesis statements are implied through statements made in the paper's introductory section; others follow a basic format that is acceptable to most high school teachers and college professors. By filling in the blanks of the following generalized statement, the writer can create a thesis statement that is also the beginning of an outline for the research paper: To better understand ______(a)__________, it is beneficial (or helpful) to consider (or study or examine)____(b)_____, ____(c)____, and _____(d)_____.
(a): insert the topic here.
(b), (c), (d): insert the name of three aspects of the subject you are writing about. You may use more than three, but do not use less than three. EX: THE CIRCUS: To better understand circus poster art, it is helpful to examine its history, noted artists and examples of their works, and their value in today's art world.
Making Childcare Work for Your Kids
Whether you're going back to work or just need an hour to yourself, every parent wants good child care. The problem is, even if you find the right sitter or day care, sometimes the child just won't stay. Believe it or not, there are ways to make it work without the screams echoing into the parking lot. One idea is to send a child size photo album to day care. Include pictures of mom and dad and other important family members with your child. It will help your child care provider if the tears start to flow.
Lesson Plans
The inevitable question "What are we doing today?" should only be asked by students. If you find that you are the one asking yourself that question every morning as the tardy bell rings, you need to step up your game. Teachers often complain that students arrive unprepared to class, yet some teachers show up unprepared to class and are shocked when behavior problems arise or students are uninterested in lessons. Planning is the cornerstone of good teaching. Some questions to consider while planning: What concept is the lesson addressing? Is this concept a required part of the curriculum? How will I assess students' understanding of this concept? How will I prepare students to be successful on that assessment? Prepare your students and yourself for success in the classroom by taking the time to plan ahead.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
Personal pronouns are pronouns that reflect the speaker; the most common ones are I, me, we, you, your, mine, our, and my. These pronouns do NOT have a place in proper writing. If the writer absolutely must refer to himself, he should use a phrase such as "this writer" or "this author".
Help Your Kids Eat Healthier (Without Them Knowing!)
It's no substitute for healthy meals but some days a parent just needs to sneak a few more nutrients into their kids' diets. How about adding bran flakes to you chocolate chip cookies. It adds some nice crunch and the kids will never know they're getting some extra fibre.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Sherril Steele-Carlin |
