On Becoming
a Better Teacher
Mark Householder
Mission Statement
It is my sole purpose in this book and
in this course to better-prepare young men and women for their roles as
fathers, mothers, teachers and, yes, as Christians. My aspiration, then, is to present this information in such a
manner that you will not only assimilate the ideas herein, but also to retain
and apply them.
To God be the glory.
The Basics
•
2 rules
•
3 Goals
•
3 Phases
•
Your job
The 2 Basic Rules
•
1) Respect.
•
2) Cooperation.
•
* Application of those rules is to be firm but fair.
s
•
Have fun!
•
Build skills!!
•
Learn or win!!!
The 3 Basic Phases
•
Instructing
– Teaching;
Informing
•
Skill building
– Practice
– Correction
– * Practice
makes habit
•
Application
– Team play
– Individual
play
– Free play
Diligence
& Patience (Reasons for)
•
Often, children will become discouraged when trying to learn the
proper way to do something (e.g. how to shoot a basketball). This is largely due to a simple fact: children will, out of habit, try of shoot
from far away with 1 hand. When they
try it the correct way, it sees foreign to them. This is when their diligence & patience are called upon.
•
Not to worry, most children are quite eager to try and to
practice their new-found skills. It is
quite encouraging to see them practicing.
Some Things to
Note
•
Belief in education as both an end and a means.
•
Conflict resolution.
•
Creating games.
•
Boy/girl differences.
•
Sharing.
•
Rules: simple, few,
direct, correct, explained. There is a
need for parameters; clear lines.
Some Things to
Note
•
Cheating.
•
Leader/follower (pecking order).
•
Voice – volume and authority.
•
Smiles – “difficult to cry if you’re laughing hard.”
•
Parenting & schooling.
•
Taking turns.
First Thoughts
10,
15, 19, 21, 40, 45, 46, 59, 63 à 91, 66, 67, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92,
93, 101, 107, 108, 109, 110
Second
Thoughts
16,
17, 42, 43, 48, 49, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 68, 69, 71
Some Things to
Note Cont’d
•
Teacher as:
– initiator
& leader
– facilitator
& guide
– *Room for both
•
3 types of authority
– Real <
ownership/leadership b/c title
– Legitimate
< being set into place
– Referent <
knowledge
•
2 rules: respect &
cooperation
Some Things to
Note Cont’d
•
Piaget had the simple idea of listening to kids and taking notes
•
Kids play at various activities: make-believe, house, zoo, teacher & class, mommy …
•
Complaining
•
Kids & teachers look to someone to resolve each conflict –
that is not your job, not every time.
Explain
Notes Cont’d
•
Usurpation of authority or theft
•
Persistence
•
Please & thank you
•
Greetings & goodbyes
•
Projection: what works
in 1 situation will work in another
Notes Cont’d
•
Transference
•
May I & could you
•
Personality types:
– Executive
– Legislative
– Judicial
•
Keep goals simple & direct
•
He did it! It wasn’t
me! That was on purpose!
•
Us vs. them problems
Notes Cont’d
•
Roll call, attendance – beginning of the day will often set the
tone. Use it to your advantage!
•
What I like about track & field. Discuss.
Ways to
Organize Information
•
Logically (I prefer this)
•
Thematically
•
Alphabetically or numerically
•
Chronologically
•
According to text
•
Whatever is given to you
Provide for
Various Types of Activities
•
Structured activities.
–
There are rules of play, taught to the kids by the teacher.
–
There are definite guidelines of proper decorum.
•
I.E.
Sportsmanship.
•
Respect.
•
Cooperation.
•
Semi-structured activities.
–
Children are guided as to what they may play, yet they have some
latitude with what they choose, i.e. “You may play with the basketballs or
footballs.”
•
Unstructured activities, a.k.a. free play.
•
* Discuss article “Will Boys Be Boys?”
About
Structured Activities
•
Each type of activity has its particular advantages. Structured activities serve the purpose of
teaching rules, penalties & objects of popular games. In addition, children learn that there are
boundaries, both literal and figurative, in life as well as specifically in
sports.
About
Semi-structured Activities
•
Semi-structured activities offer an opportunity for students to
choose from a variety of activities which, in essence, have been pre-selected
by the teacher. This ensures that the
children will 1) have some freedom of choice, 2) be more likely to choose an
activity they enjoy & 3) play games without all the structure, e.g. Just
shooting hoops.
Use Attention
Grabbers
•
Start speaking
•
Ask for attention
•
Use a well-planned, impactful introduction
•
Share personal experiences
•
Use funny stories
Be Human
•
Share personal experiences
– Not out of
vanity
– Out of
compassion
• Show that you,
too, have weaknesses
– Don’t be
afraid to show a weakness
– Don’t be
afraid to show your humility
– Don’t be
afraid to show that you’re not omniscient
Good Outline
Form
•
Introduction
•
Body
– 1) Supporting
data
– 2) Supporting
data
– 3) Supporting
data
•
Conclusion
•
*This works well for written work, oral (speech) & lesson
plans
Brainstorming
•
Write out topics & themes
•
Move from general to specific
•
* This can be an extremely powerful tool
•
Don’t discount ideas as you go along
•
Let ideas flow out like a river J
•
Write as fast as you possibly can
•
Use a tape recorder to get out more ideas
•
Go back and refine later
•
Organize later, too
Build Bridges
•
If you want their trust, be trustworthy.
•
If you want their compassion, be compassionate.
•
If you want them to share their joy & pain, share yours.
•
“Shared pain is half pain.
Shared joy is twice joy.”
Discipline
< Disciple
•
Related to the word “disciple.”
•
Means to make followers of.
•
Kids need structure & nurture.
•
Constantly hold up the mirror.
–
How closely am I following the standard.
–
Be your own critic, your own mirror.
–
Could include incentive/sticker charts
–
Mental lists of activities
–
Intrinsic (built-in) rewards
•
E.g. “If
you listen well, you’ll have much more time to actually play.”
–
Time out p.r.a. thinking time
More
Brainstorming
•
P=postulate, C=corollary
•
P. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
•
C. “It it’s broken, fix it.”
•
Ask many questions and expect answers. This gets the audience involved.
– Learn that
dialog & discussion is good
– Moves toward
application
– Offers chance
to contrast ideas
– Not merely
dissemination of information, rote memorization
Remember…
•
You’re teaching individuals.
•
Often, you influence the group by influencing the individual.
•
Ralph Waldo Emerson realized that the individual was more
important than the group.
Set
Expectations
•
Do this at the beginning (intro.).
•
Explain what you want.
•
Expect what you want.
– Ex. Jaime Escalante
in Stand and Deliver.
•
Kids will often rise to the expectations.
•
Re-iterate from time to time.
•
The self-fulfilling prophecy.
– “You are what
you think other people think you are.”
Get a Second
Opinion
•
Ask for feedback from those you can trust.
– Avoid those
who are abusive or always negative
•
Tape yourself.
•
Check out the notes of your students.
– Is what they
think they heard what I think I said.
•
Learn about how people think.
•
Have confidence!
Setting Limits
•
Kids need limits.
Period!
•
When setting limits, make them:
–
Clear.
–
Concise.
–
Consistent.
•
Personally, I feel the problem with our judicial system is in
its lack of consistency. Discuss.
•
Teach students to respect limits.
•
P. Know that you’re the leader.
•
C. Students need to have appropriate power, i.e. Offer choices.
•
Share example of Pam at NYHS.
Resolving
Conflicts
•
Start with the feeling:
– “I know you’re
angry …”
– “I want to
show you how to …”
Resolving
Conflicts
•
The type of communication is important as well:
– Body language.
– Choice of
words.
– Etc.
Resolving
Conflicts
•
Things which don’t work:
– According to
Mary Beth Aeh.
– Lecturing.
• Talking at,
not to and you aren’t listening.
– “You always…”
– “You never…”
– “You better…”
• These are
often fight starters, i.E. They incite negative responses.
Resolving
Conflicts Cont’d
– Threats
• “If you don’t
______ then you will stay in at recess.”
• Note: kids often want to do the opposite. Be careful!
• “Why cant you
_____.?”
– * Instead,
describe what you want them to do!
• “I’m noticing
you are…” Let’s try to _____ the next
time.”
– ** Share
graphic of freedom within limits.
– ** Share
hand-out & graphic of Why Kids Mis-behave.
Why Do Kids
Misbehave?
•
These are according to Ms. Aeh.
•
Frustration.
•
Failure to meet basic or primary needs.
•
Failure to understand rules.
•
Need for attention.
•
Unstimulated (not bored).
•
Negative self-concept.
Yet...Where
Are These?
•
1) Child fails to have proper guidance @ home.
•
2) Others have made excuses for poor behavior in the past and,
after a while, the student behaves accordingly.
•
3) “No” doesn’t mean no at home - the student rules the roost.
•
4) The child refuses to obey rules, follow instructions or
respect authority.
Poor Behavior
Cont’d
•
One of the tragedies I see is that many people in our country
blame teachers for the problems of the child.
While poor teachers can be a factor, many still fail to realize the
critical role which parents, et. Al. Play.
Poor Behavior
Cont’d
•
Consider:
–
Children are in the classroom an average of 1/4 their day. That leaves 3/4 to someone or something else
to influence.
–
Many homes have both, or the only, parent/s working outside the
home, leaving time to instruct, correct & cherish the child in the hands of
others. No one will be a better parent
for your child than you!
–
Most pre-schools are more like play-schools and little or no teaching
is involved. This is probably the #1
reason parents have cited in wanting to look at our (private) school.
Poor Behavior
Cont’d
•
The first 3-5 years of a child’s life are absolutely critical,
yet many parents do not capitalize on that time.
•
4 of 10 homes in America have no father at home.
•
A survey about 3 years ago showed that over 90% of t.v.
programming sheds a negative light on men.
Poor Behavior
Cont’d
•
Consider, too, all the violence, the “brainless” cartoons, etc.
which kids watch - and I do feel things are worse today than when we were kids,
even in the 60’s & 70’s.
•
* I feel it is very clear that parents are the child’s first
teachers and certainly play the 1st and most critical role in the child’s early
development. this carries through the
remainder of the child’s life. Yet, so
seldom do we hear of the responsibility placed in the hands of the parents
& the student.
•
“It takes 2 to make ‘em and it takes 2 to raise ‘em.” -mom.
Define Terms
Early
•
You can’t have a good discussion if no one knows what it is
you’re discussing or, for that matter, no one agrees on the definition. Often there will be dissention and verbal
disagreement.
•
“All the world is my superior that I may learn from them.”
Understand A
Little About Logic
•
True:
– All men are mortal.
– Socrates is a man.
– Socrates is mortal.
•
False:
– All men are mortal.
– Socrates is mortal.
– Socrates is a man.
•
If the/a premise is incorrect you can’t arrive at the correct
conclusion.
Discuss What à Why
•
Move from:
– Lower order
• To
– Higher order
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Be An H.R.
Person
•
Use others as references and ask how they’d do something.
•
Be open to where you might find an idea.
•
Be prepared to record
your ideas or you WILL FORGET THEM!
(I like a legal pad and a mini-recorder)
Magician or
Teacher?
•
A magician’s set of rules include 3 very important rules:
•
1) Never reveal a
secret.
– 2) Never
repeat a trick.
– 3) Practice.
Practice. Practice!
•
The goal is to mystify.
Magician or
Teacher? Cont’d
•
By contrast, a teacher’s rules are more like this:
– Share all your great ideas and tricks.
– Repeat the things that work as often as
possible.
– Be a pack rat – another man’s trash can be
your treasure.
•
The goal is to clarify.
•
* You see, I’ve just used tricks to exemplify what you can do.
“Love Is All
You Need!” – The Beatles
•
Love, love, love!
•
Jesus said that the two greatest commands were to love the LORD
your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor
as yourself.
•
The new command given was to love one another as Jesus loved us.
•
Love, love, love!
•
Never forget that love is the prime source and motivator.
Your Catalog
System
•
Your notes become your catalog system.
•
It’s not simply important to write things down but critical that
you are able to retrieve it!
•
Go back over your notes.
Your Catalog System
•
Personal growth, mood, other ideas, further knowledge,
technological advances and many other factors can all spur you on to different
ways of looking at an idea.
•
Look back over an idea at different times to get different
perspectives.
•
Double space your notes to provide space for further ideas.
•
Take notes from others’ lessons in the margins of your lessons.
•
* This is a fantastic way to build your ideas and skills
exponentially! No kidding!!
Don’t Talk So
Dumb
•
Improve your English
– Written
– Oral
•
Improve your use of pausing, tone, volume, gestures, eye
contact…
•
“Never, ever…” share
Churchill anecdote.
•
What will make you a good teacher in one area will likely make
you a good teacher in others.J
Is It Love or Desire?
•
Love
–
God is love.
–
Love seeketh not its own.
•
Desire
–
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Brainstorming! Harness the Power!
•
Learn to brainstorm.
•
Move from the general to the specific. Not the other way.
•
See the big picture first à then move to specifics.
•
Else, you can’t see the forest for the trees. -Shakespeare
Desire
•
Desire is absolutely critical.
•
The student holds the key.
•
I didn’t want to believe this when I was a young teacher. Discuss.
•
You hold the key & must desire to do this good
work, be it as a teacher, song leader, minister, deacon, elder – even mother or
father, sister or brother.
L.D.D.D.E.P.E
•
Love
•
Desire
•
Delivery
•
Discipline
•
Experience
•
Preparation
•
Effort
L.D.D.D.E.P.E.
•
Love.
–
Nothing else can overcome hate and evil.
•
Desire.
–
Not the same as love.
• I love
watching football.
• I have no
desire to train to play college or pro.
• You’ll train
and work at that which you love and desire.
•
Delivery.
–
“A good speaker is a good man speaking well.” - Aristotle.
L.D.D.D.E.P.E.
•
Discipline.
–
Lack of classroom discipline (control) is, in my opinion, the #1
reason for stress and dissatisfaction among teachers.
•
Experience.
–
Absolutely nothing can take its place.
–
Respect your elders.
L.D.D.D.E.P.E.
•
Preparation.
–
Boy scout
motto.
–
Tae kwon
do.
•
All
movement is broken into 2 phases:
preparation and execution.
•
Without
you cannot carry out anything for which you don’t first prepare.
–
“To fail
to prepare is to prepare to fail.” – John wooden.
–
Preparing
your rules (limits), goals and notes.
•
Effort.
– Yergonnahaftawannadoit.
•
“The world will follow a man who knows where he’s going.” – Spencer’s
Mountain
Proverbs Pack
Punch!
•
Write down famous quotes, proverbs, anecdotes.
•
This is a classic way to remember a whole slew of thoughts!
•
E.g. “Beaten paths are for beaten men.”
•
These will give your audience a nice cookie to chew on &
remember.
A Picture
Paints a Thousand Words
•
“…then why can’t I paint you?” – Bread
•
Use graphics to convey a mass of ideas.
•
Use imagery – speech which will give the listener vivid and
clear understanding and remembrance of what you are teaching.
•
* Always use praise & sarcasm sparingly. Explain.
•
The goal is to get a student to know you care but also to
“internally” motivate.
Learn from the
Cows
•
Be more ruminatory. J
•
To ruminate, for a person, is to reflect on something over and
again.
•
A cow ruminates in a different sense of the word.
•
But… a cow doesn’t try to digest & assimilate everything all
at once. Learn!
Brainstorming
•
Be firm but fair.
•
Understand something about the attention span of the audience.
–
Purported to be 7 to 15 minutes!
•
Use a flip chart with notes, references, …
–
Give the example of my communication class.
•
Have flash cards for scriptures but give audience time to
look them up.
Brainstorming
•
Create a scripture or reference database on the computer.
•
Polish up that old speech.
•
Try your hand at someone else’s lesson or speech.
•
Sit down & talk.
Learn to enjoy it.Exercise the mind.
•
Take care of your body, especially fresh air, light, water,
balanced nutrition & rest.
Brainstorming
•
Any type of training requires recovery (a rest period).
•
Use mnemonic devices – devise your own.
– Planets –
MVEMJSUNP.
– Spectrum – Roy
G. Biv.
•
Subscribe to a professional journal; Borrow one from the
library.
•
Examine other’s notes/outlines from which they’ve taught.
Brainstorming
•
“Education isn’t a goal, it’s a process.”
•
“Teaching isn’t a putting-in process; It’s a drawing-out
process.” – Uncle jack.
•
What can you learn from your mistakes?
–
Discuss
quote from George Santayana, posted on the gate at Dachau.
•
In your first year, pour yourself into developing your classes,
lessons & ideas to help convey information.
•
Use index cards to write down ideas, lesson components, etc.
which are organized thematically and, thus, can be pulled and used in many
lessons.
Suzie Q.
•
A girl at college wanted to lose weight.
•
She wasn’t actually much overweight to begin with.
•
“Do you run?” “No, I
don’t like to run.”
•
“Do you lift weights?”
“No.”
•
“Do you walk?
Aerobics? Tennis? …” “No, no,
no.”
•
She couldn’t change her weight because she wanted to do nothing
physical. Yet she made the excuse that
I had a high metabolism and gave me no credit for all the sports in which I
participated. (running, Tae Kwon Do,
cycling, swimming, weight training, soccer, basketball, frisbee, etc.)
Why Bother?
•
Who really cares?
•
Why learn this?
•
How does this apply to me?
•
What will this help me to do in the future?
•
All these questions are essentially the same. They desire to know the end result or
application of concepts to the daily lives of the individual.
•
I like to ask these questions to be pro-active, that is to say,
ask them before they can ask me.
•
Also a great opportunity to clarify the purpose for teaching.
• French – raison
d’etre.
Repetition
•
Use of repetition for emphasis.
•
Use it to drive a point home!
•
Winston Churchill anecdote.
– “Never, ever,
ever quit!”
•
Use it to drive a point home!
•
Songs repeat a chorus or refrain. Often this is the first part of a song we learn.
•
Use it to drive a point home!
•
Do you see my point?
Awareness
•
Pay attention to what you see.
– Gestures
– Nodding off
– Wandering eyes
– Doodling
– Pouting
– Etc.
•
Pay attention to patterns of behavior.
– Chronic vs.
acute.
Awareness
•
To help you become better teachers I need to help you heighten
your awareness.
–
Red face, eyes, sleepy, angry, sad, balled fists, heavy breathing,
etc.
•
Problematic behaviors which occur frequently and/or consistently
are what I’m calling a pattern.
•
The problem is in its chronicity, not in its acuity.
•
*These are usually recognized readily but are often difficult to
“unlearn.”
Brainstorming
•
Take a scientific approach to problem-solving.
–
Change 1 thing at a time and note the outcome.
–
Use & hone your powers of observation, Sherlock.
•
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing but
expecting different results.” – Pam Popper.
•
Why do we do this?
•
“Once you’ve eliminated the impossible, all that remains,
however unlikely, are the facts.” – Sherlock Holmes.
What’s My
Score?
•
Give yourself a scorecard.
–
What were my goals?
–
Were they sufficiently challenging, I.e. appropriate?
–
Did I accomplish them?
–
“A problem well-defined is ¾ solved.” – Henry Ford.
–
Poll the audience. See
if what you think you said is what they think they heard.
–
“The quickest way to solve a problem is:
•
1) Define
the problem.
•
2) Decide
what needs to be done about it.
•
3) Do it!”
Brainstorming
•
Pick just a few favorite scriptures, quotes, facts, etc. Memorize them & then add to your
repertoire.
•
Use mnemonic devices, repetition, visualize your goal or your
“performance.”
•
Engage as many senses as possible in learning. (Actively do this with the class.).
Brainstorming
•
Learn information in a song – edu-rap.
•
Coach the student how to do it.
Think of yourself as a coach and not only a teacher.
•
In ancient Greece, philosophers & orators would picture
themselves walking from room to room with each room representing an idea or a
part of the speech. This is a memory
aid. – Harry Lorraine & jerry Lucas.
•
Have a speech class.
That is, have students teach lessons.
Show & tell is actually an early childhood form of this, in my
opinion.
Brainstorming
•
Work to enhance your memory.
•
Think out of the box – no stale ideas, please.
•
I wish they’d taught me (how to) ______ in school. Then you teach them.
•
I sometimes have kids stand-up & breathe deeply. Funny, they almost always smile. J
“…Like One of
These.”
•
Learn how a child learns.
– Learn to learn
like a child.
•
Learn how a child loves.
– Learn to love
like a child.
Now Hear This!
•
“If you’re even just a fair teacher, your can teach a little
information to everyone!”
Brighten Up!
•
“Lighten up and your sales will brighten up.” – NSA.
•
Anecdote of Len Wilkens, NBA coach.
•
“Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you weep alone.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
•
“Shared pain is half pain.
Shared joy is twice joy.” – a German pastor.
•
Use humor as/in the introduction. This can disarm people.
Do it up front to set the audience at ease.
•
Lean on Me - Bill Withers “For no one
can know those of the things that you won’t let show.”
Brighten Up!
•
Ever think of using songs or music lyrics in your lesson? (Why not? J).
•
E.g. Pride (In the Name of Love). U2 lesson I taught.
•
“Be gone, J. Evans Pritchard!” – Robin Williams in Dead
Poet’s Society.
–
Meter,
rhyme, etc. “Rubbish.”
•
You should try to watch Dead Poet’s Society and Stand
and Deliver.
•
Rewards so great & punishment so severe that no one dared to
step out of line. – law in ancient China.
•
You can have all the knowledge in the world and still be a poor
teacher.
What Are You
Worth?
•
Should people be paid what they’re worth?
– Discuss
economic producers & consumers.
– Comparable
worth.
– Battle of the
sexes.
– What do Dr’s
produce? Attorneys?
– What do
teachers produce?
– Share the
article “Teachers Make Too Much.”
– Share my
lesson “20 Reasons Why You Can’t Teach the Gospel – Refuted!”
The “How To’s”
of Teaching
•
Are you ready, willing & able to explore or discuss the idea
which is diametrically opposed to your own?
•
Ask yourself, “What could I learn from this?”
•
Discuss Hegelian philosophy.
– Thesis à antithesis à synthesis à new thesis
Brainstorming
•
Video-tape the lessons!
•
Playing chess, you would have an enormous advantage if you were
to know what move the opponent would make, especially so if you were to know his reasoning.
•
The same is true of debate and discussion.
•
Ergo à learn about your audience or student.
Brainstorming
•
A textbook is a tool – but it’s not the only tool.
•
Don’t use your brain as a weapon. J
•
So many people are frightened or anxious (Angst) to go out of a
text and criticize others for doing it.
•
We live our lives outside of a book, not inside a fairy tale. –
April 4, 2001.
It Lasts
Forever
•
P. Teaching is a way that I can be immortal. The effects could last forever!
•
C. Yet I am nothing.
Only thou [oh, LORD] art holy!
Brainstorming
•
The powers & pitfalls of conformity.
•
Get the bully, class clown or leader on board with you. Win him/her over to your side.
•
“You’re gonna have to serve somebody. It might be the devil or it might be the Lord but you’re gonna
have to serve somebody.” – Bob Dylan
•
P. In a sense, we are all followers. Whom will you choose to follow?
•
C. Use this to direct the leaders & they’ll help guide the
class.”
•
Ex. I use this all the time:
I ask specific ones to distribute papers, run errands, etc.
Question
Authority
•
P. Question everything you hear.
•
C. Don’t be critical of everything.
•
Explain, because these sound contradictory.
•
Have confidence. Be
bold!
–
Paul was – yet he NEVER lost sight of the fact that he was a
follower of Christ.
•
I give information a few pieces at a time so that you can
ruminate & digest it. J
•
“I don’t want to overwhelm you.
I just want to whelm you.” Pam Popper J
Brainstorming
•
Double-space (or even triple-space) your notes so that you can
easily come back and enter new thoughts, further study, etc.
•
What can you learn and share with your students from Roberts’
Rules of Order?
Super Lesson
Template
•
Title:
•
Unit:
•
Chapter:
•
* Also include Category or Topic, Date and Venue taught in upper
right corner for future reference and for filing.
•
Theme:
•
Reason for Teaching:
–
Remember: If you haven’t
got one (reason for teaching) then don’t’ teach it!
•
Goals:
–
1
–
2
•
Outline
–
Body
–
Intro
–
Supporting data
–
Supporting data
–
Supporting data
–
Conclusion
–
Materials Needed.
– Incl. Room,
projector, copies, markers & board, etc.
–
Follow-up objectives.
– A.k.a.
Extended Activities, projects.
–
Personal Comments.
– Incl. Notes,
suggestions, etc.
–
References, Bibliography.
– Give credit
where it’s due!
–
Suggested Reading.
Memory
Triggers
•
Use them!
•
Repeat the beginning consonant or the last syllable.
–
E.g.
desire, diligence & determination.
•
Use mnemonic devices.
–
ROY G.
BIV.
–
Mary’s Violet
Eyes Make Johnny Stay Up Nights Period.
•
“Householder’s Helpful Hints.” – Uncle Jay.
•
Think of catchy phrases to get student attention and aid their
retention.
–
No pain,
no gain.
•
No strain,
no pain.
–
Markimus
Beautimus (my students think this is hilarious) J.
Memory
Triggers
•
Use repetition of key points.
•
Rhyme.
–
“If the
glove don’t fit, you ____ ______?” – Johnny Cochran.
–
Do you
remember this?
•
Repeat the suffix.
–
“Success
is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.” – Thomas A. Edison (I think).
•
Use Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations & any book of
anecdotes for ideas.
–
Tell the
one about Monet who was going blind.
•
“You can’t learn anything which you aren’t told or taught, don’t
experience or read.” – April 4, 2001
•
Use stat’s. Quote resources.
Don’t plagiarize!
Graphic
Organizers
•
Tabs.
•
Bullets.
•
Indentations.
•
Colors.
•
Bold.
•
Italic.
•
*These are all memory triggers!
Brainstorming
•
Tell students at the outset that you will call on them.
–
But Mr/s ______, I didn’t have my hand up!” desperately
–
“I know, Janie/Johnny, I want you to answer.”
•
This usually works the 2nd or 3rd time
around, not the 1st.
Students will be ready next time.
Cool Quotes
•
“God says it. I believe
it. That does it!” – good
–
“God says
it and that does it whether I believe it or not!” – best
•
[Speak softly.] “It
doesn’t matter what I say to her. It’s
the tone of my voice.” – Tom Selleck in Three Men and a Baby
•
P. “Let me say that in another way.”
•
C. “Say it in a better way.” – Alan Probyn
•
“My job is not to trick you.
My job is to take you as far as I can in whatever time I have.” – Dr.
Charles Teckman
•
“My job is to set hurdles in front of you at appropriate times.”
– idem
Who Was Your
Favorite Teacher?
•
Let’s try an exercise.
–
Think of your favorite teacher.
–
Let’s the qualities that made him/her your favorite.
–
Let’s share those qualities.
–
What did the qualities
that made him/her your favorite.
–
Let’s share those qualities.
–
What did you get out of this?
•
My 4 best math teachers:
–
All were men.
–
All were coaches.
–
All paddled, it was said.
–
No one dared mess with ‘em.
More Quotes
•
Reader’s Digest used to have a regular page called Quotable
Quotes.
•
While reading books, highlight those concepts which really hit
home to you.
•
“Give a man a fish and he’ll be hungry tomorrow. Teach a man to fish and he’ll never go hungry.”
– anon.
•
Play a game with proverbs, idioms, etc.
•
Have others write down there 3 fav’s and then swap.
Home - Where
the Heart Is
•
4 of every 10 homes have no father!!! Astounding and sad, isn’t it?!
•
50% of American marriages end in divorce.
•
So…
–
Give credit
where it’s due.
–
Work on
your marriage.
–
If you
want to help others, help yourself first.
Clean the inside of the cup.
–
Build up
your spouse or brother or sister.
•
The Bible
commands it.
•
Everyone
suggests it.
–
Work on
your marriage.
–
“Stand
by Your Man” – Tammy
Wynette.
Home Is Where
the Heart Is
•
P. Women, build up your husbands to be strong men.
•
C. Not at the expense of the women, however.
•
P. If you want your kids to respect their mother, you’ve
got to respect her.
•
C. If you want your children to love you, you’ve go to
love them. – MEH.
Home Is Where
the Heart Is
•
I conducted a survey in Europe as to why Europeans believed our
divorce rate was so high. The most
common answers were also the most compelling:
• Americans
don’t take marriage seriously enough.
• Americans get
into a commitment that they don’t understand.
• Americans
don’t know or truly love their spouses.
•
A survey conducted in 1999 showed that more than 90% of the
programs on t.v. shed a negative light on men! 90%!
Quick Hits
& Hot Tips!
•
Use 3rd Party Validation.
–
If one says it, it’s a lie.
–
If two say it, it’s gospel.
•
Ask kids how they’re doing as they come into the classroom. –
Terry Becker-Fritz.
•
3 steps to solving a problem:
–
Identification.
–
Clarification.
–
Application or Exemplification.
•
Do the trick of using Letzebuergesch to help students see that
listening is important but observing is critical.
Expectations
•
Some people assume that if they’ve never experienced something,
it doesn’t or hasn’t occurred. Some are
even adamant about this.
•
A prophet is never welcome in his own home town. – J.C.
–
How true! How true.
•
P. “You are what you think other people think you are.” – anon.
–
I.e. The self-fulfilling prophecy.
•
C. “Often, not always.” – MH.
Expectations
•
“You are what you were when.” - anon.
•
“Kids will rise to the expectations.” Stand and Deliver.
•
Share the story of Jaime Escalante.
•
It’s a matter of self-esteem & setting goals à thus
assisting students in achieving those goals.
Bearing
Grudges - DON'T!
•
The Fool’s Prayer by Edward R. Sill.
•
The War Prayer by Mark Twain.
•
Vengeance is mine, saith the LORD.
•
P. Don’t be vengeful.
•
C. I know it’s difficult not to do.
More Quick
Hits & Hot Tips
•
Use a D.Y.K. (Did You Know) session.
•
Use a Fascinating Facts session.
•
Play the Survival Game.
–
What are
our needs for survival?
–
How do we
fill those needs?
–
Why have
laws?
–
Why have
government?
–
Is
government necessary? Explain. Discus its purpose.
–
* Some
would conclude that, since we cannot deter ALL crime, we ought to abolish those
laws.
•
Cf. Locke, Hobbs & Rawls.
•
Use the “______ are stupid.” card.
–
Ask for
reactions, questions & comments.
–
Now, are
you still angry with me? Did the
context change?
Quick Hits
•
Students of all ages after about 2 years can learn
phonics and thereby improve their reading and spelling skills.
•
Use the same, good lessons which are tailored to each age group.
•
P. “Skills are things you can practice!” i.e. they are individual-developed.
•
C. “Ability is something
I can’t coach!” i.e. they are
God-given.
•
Ex. I believe great athletes are those who possess both.
•
Cf. Government class, sr. year at N.L.H.S. – discussion with
fellow senior.
•
Powers of observation are not dependent upon sight.
–
Ex. Monet.
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Learn what certain phrases mean. Use proverbs in your lessons.
•
Examine lyrics of songs.
Find ways to include them, too.
•
Use simple examples, e.g. the parables of Jesus. Aesop’s Fables are timely, too.
•
P. “You are your child’s 1st and best teacher.”
•
C. “Anyone else will be 2nd best.”
•
* No one else will raise your child the way s/he should be
raised.
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Teachers, use binders to organize notes & lessons,
materials, etc. and teach your students to do the same!
–
Simple.
–
Effective.
–
Readily available.
–
Visual cues & colors to categorize.
–
Use an index or table of contents and tabs.
–
Can add to it at any time.
–
Uses and organizes materials you have.
–
It’s neat and organized.
–
Materials last longer.
–
!!! Retrieval is a snap!
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
P. Know Why You Believe, Little.
•
C. Know what you believe.
•
P. Know what you teach.
•
C1. Know what to teach.
•
C2. Know why you teach.
•
Use the 3 R’s – it’s good, old-fashioned wisdom.
•
Keep a journal for great ideas, moments of inspiration or just
to write out you thoughts and feelings.
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Q. In what ways do we teach?
•
A. In speaking with others!
•
You can teach irrespective of the setting:
–
Around a table at Bob Evans.
–
In the church building.
–
At a grocery store.
–
Even on the phone or in a letter.
•
Share 10 Reasons Why You Can’t Preach – Refuted!.
•
Q. Why do we not speak with colleagues as we would with
children, i.e. with the same level of respect.
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Understand reinforcement.
– Ex. 1 –
Skinner Box.
– Ex. 2 –
Pavlov’s Dog.
– Ex. 3 –
Reinforcement Table.
– Use graphic.
– Proximity of
time is critical!
– Learning is
the manifestation of the desired behavior, repeated & over time. I.e. in chronicity & not in acuity.
– You’ve got
to find out what drives (motivates) your students! Got to!
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Keep a notepad or micro-cassette recorder handy to get out your
best ideas when they come to you.
•
Provide space in your notebook, binder, etc. to record those
ideas.
•
P. Be prepared ahead of time for your students to test you. And they will!
•
C1. It’s not a question of if but a question of when
they will test you!
•
C2. Knowing how to react & practicing it will help you to
remain calm and in control.
•
“I am the captain of this body of mine!” – Foreigner
•
“I buffet my body … into subjection.” - Paul
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
Learn the Law of Diminishing Returns.
– Use graphic.
– Why learn
it? It teaches us something about
teaching, doesn’t it?
•
“Do not cast your pearls before swine.” – Jesus.
Jump-start
Your Teaching!
•
P. Some would say that, if you throw enough money at something,
you can make it work.
•
C. I would point out that, if you’re wasting your precious time
and money and energy on something, you aren’t getting a return on your
investment.
•
Don’t forget – Christ taught and tried to teach all those he
could. Even the stubborn. Yet he invested most of his personal
training to those who would hear, that is, his disciples.
Notes
•
P. Absence of a negative is, in and of itself, a positive.
•
C. Something is not better than nothing if that something
is bad.
•
Practice makes habit.
Perfect practice makes perfect. – anon.
•
Why do we not speak with others (colleagues) as we would with
children, that is with loving kindness and respect.
Notes
•
“Incidence proves possibility.”
–
It’s always amazing how many people do not realize this. So many will deny that something is even possible
although you have done it or observed it.
•
Q. In what ways do we teach?
•
A. In speaking with others.
•
You can teach irrespective of setting:
–
Around a table at Bob Evans.
–
At the grocery store.
–
On the phone.
–
Even in a letter.
•
Share 10 Reasons Why You Can’t Teach(Preach) – Refuted!
Reward and
Punishment
•
Skinner Box.
•
Pavlov’s Dog.
•
Reinforcement Table.
•
Use graphics.
•
Ask students what they’re looking for or needing. If possible, work this into a reinforcement
schedule.
•
Proximity of time.
•
Consistency.
Ideas from
Henry Ford
•
Henry Ford gave 3 major contributions to industry:
–
Separation & specialization of labor.
–
Standardization of parts.
–
Assembly line production.
•
What can we learn from this?
–
We can specialize what we do.
–
The Bible is our only standard.
–
We know that one may plant and one may water but it is the Lord
that giveth the increase.
•
These led to mechanization and automation of labor and, most
recently computerization and telecommunication.
Notes
•
Have s.o. be your editor.
•
Learn to abbreviate.
•
A.o. = anyone
•
E.o., n.o., s.o., a.t., etc.
•
Get references 1st, e.g. when I’m taking notes, I
write down names, people, places, … first so that I might go back and examine
what was said.
•
Ex. book, chapter & verse.
•
“It isn’t the date that’s important – it’s what happened on that
date that’s important.” - Prof.
Jackson.
Notes
P.
Be your own worst critic,s.t.
C.
Don’t beat up on yourself.
Get
a Whack Pack! This is a deck of cards
which have ideas to help spark your imagination.
Visit
a school, library, gallery, even a toy store to get ideas.
Be
inquisitive, ask questions and think of ideas.
Notes
Anticipate
what the speaker will say. This helps
to keep your attention.
“The
more you learn about love, the more it means when you say, “I love you.”
“God
never put a limit on the amount of love you can have.” – David Stevens.
P.
“A man simply cannot conceal himself.” – Kung Fu Tzu (Confucius).
Notes
C.
Then don’t try to hide yourself. Also,
realize that others will see what you’re about anyway.
The
Breakfast Club – encourage women to do the same.
Don’t
provide excuses for students or they’ll use them.
It’s
an easy out.
It’s
the path of least resistance.
God
is watching!
Audio-visual
materials:
Overhead
projector
Chalk
board
Diagrams
& charts
P.
Use statistics to support what you say.
C.
Realize that some people use statistics to lie.
Video
tapes
Newspapers
Magazines
Periodicals
& tracts
CD’s
& DVD’s
Etc.
Notes
Use
a common format throughout your lessons and notes, e.g. a template or
data-base, etc.
Learn
and do what I say. Branch out later.
Standing
helps with breathing, singing and speaking.
Stand to teach (try it! J).
Be
silly once in a while.
Notes
Just
for today, I’ll do thus and so.
We
ought to say, “If it be God’s will, will will tarry and do business.”
“Sufficient
to the day the evil thereof.”
Be
happy in your work. “All that you do,…”
The
Lord loveth a cheerful giver.
People
follow s.o. who is or who appears sure of what he/she says, i.e. speak with
confidence and conviction and others will follow.
Ride
the wave. That is, if the students are
excited, eager…try to channel that energy à to where you want to go.
Notes
“Luke,
use the force.” – Obi Wan.
Walk
around others’ classrooms and see what/how others are teaching.
Re-art
is a company or group which provides recycling materials that you can use.
Notes
You
never have enough time. If you
want time – make it! – anon.
When
writing on a board:
Don’t
speak to the board.
Write
a little at a time.
Learn
to write sideways.
Use
various colors, c.f. memory triggers.
Also,
use a flip chart or a large note pad to write notes and use for lessons. Demonstrate.
Great Ideas –
Simple Ideas
Jean
Piaget watched children play and sat with them, asking them questions, taking
notes when they spoke. à what a revelation! J He was
considered to have been brilliant in the field of education.
Notes
Use
themes to categorize your ideas:
e.g.
P.E. class
Computer
class
Even
pre-school à 12th
grade.
Ex. “Under the Sea” à “Why
have Government?”
“In the forest” à “Crime
& Punishment”
Themes,
which in my mind are categories, serve the purpose of showing commonality, that
is, a common denominator throughout a unit, a semester or even a year.
Many
teachers have had great success with activity centers which coordinate the room
thematically:
Ex.
Dramatic play, circle time, reading, computer…
Notes
“Where
there be no men, be thou a man.” – Bobbie Dinsmore.
You
can dissect a butterfly, breaking it down as far as the atomic level – and still
not see the beauty of that butterfly in flight!
Likewise,
one can break down words, grammar…and still miss the point.
See the Big
Picture
P.
“You can’t see the trees for the forest.” – William Shakespeare.
C.
Or vice versa, for that matter.
Some
find it rather easy to see the finite or immediate problem, yet struggle to see
the “big picture.” Of course, some are
just the opposite.
Notes
P.
Mind your words.
C1.
Don’t get hung-up on every little detail.
Ex.
“You’re takin’ it all too hard.” – Phil Collins.
C2.
Tell it like it is.
Practice What
You Preach
I
often use personal examples, saying:
I
struggle with _______.
I
can relate to _______ difficulty with ________.
I
have to be careful of ________.
Some
have mis-interpreted this as vanity. On
the contrary, I believe it to be a very compassionate act. Consider that com < with; passion <
feeling, emotion. After all, does it
not show that I am or you are trying to express empathy and sympathy; that the
student is not alone?!
Leading by
Example
One
very helpful situation is when someone validates your feelings. The contrary can be devastating.
What
you’re doing is so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying. – Anon.
If
you want luck for a lifetime, love your work. – a German proverb.
Motivation
Note
how other teachers have done “cool” things which were innovative, effective and
had a huge impact. Emulate them.
Ex.
1 Mike Garcia: distributed all
sorts of motivational papers, pictures and stories, e.g. Dan Gable, Jerry
Lindgren, kid with block in his lung, guy who tore a care roof off a burning
care to save someone inside.
Ex.
2 The Power of Focus: their
suggestion – use motivational materials, tapes & videos. Also, cut out some t.v. time = dead time.
Ex.
3 Miami Univ. Geog. Professor:
had a binder packed with information.
Motivation
“Whatever is good…cling to these
things.” – Bible.
From business, I’ve learned the
following:
–
Build value in the
product.
–
Discuss fear of loss.
–
Show a hope of tomorrow.
Games
Are
there good ones on the market which might help to teach a point?
Are
there some which you or friends have created?
Are
there spin-offs of popular games?
Ex.
Jeopardy board made by a student.
Flash
cards
Monopoly
“Rich get richer” < Sociology class at U. of F.
Class Time
Circle,
opening, pledge, prayer, attendance, …
Power
points, warm-ups, …
Some
Japanese kids have calisthenics in the morning.
Plan
for various activities within each academic time blocks.
Attention:
Get
it!
Keep
it!
Use
it!
Get Organized
Use HyperCard, Toolbook or other
program to organize your info. Here’s
why:
–
Easy retrieval.
–
Use for teaching (your
notes).
–
Use like a slide
show/presentation.
–
Can move card (pages or
slides).
–
Can do searches and
create indices with HyperCard and Toolbook.
–
The 1st two
are programmable.
Notes
Move
from what to why.
Don’t
let students badger you on either of these points.
Engage
as many of the students’ senses as possible, e.g. speak, have notes in hand,
use visual aids & instruct them to take notes.
Again,
share ideas. If you write them down and
swap them like recipe cards, think how many you can collect in a year!
Work Smarter –
Not Harder
Cut
1 hr. per day out of down time, e.g. watching t.v.
1
hr. saved each day or set aside to focus on something is 365 hrs./year. That’s 9 x a 40 hr. work week! It adds up!!
Suggested
Reading
•
About the Church, Cogdill, Roy E.
•
The Art of Loving, Fromm, Erich.
•
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, Bartlett, .
•
Child Abuse in the Classroom, Shlafly,
Phyllis, ed.
•
Dare to Discipline, Dobson, Dr. James.
•
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, Carlson,
Richard, Ph.D.
Suggested
Reading
•
Evidence that Demands a Verdict, McDowell,
Josh.
•
Hide or Seek, idem.
•
The Holy Bible, God, Almighty J.
•
The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes, xxxx?
•
Love, Buscaglia, Leo.
•
The Mysterious Origins of Man, Heston,
Charlton, narrator.
Suggested
Reading
•
The Power of Focus, Canfield, Mark, et. al.
•
Preparing to Teach Our Neighbors, Tice, Max.
•
Psycho-Cybernetics, Maltz, Maxwell.
•
The Sayings of Confucius, any good
translation.
•
Self-Esteem, idem.
•
The Seven Habits of Highly-Successful People, Covey,
Stephen.
•
The Social Animal, Aronson, Elliott.
•
The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato.
•
What is the Church of Christ, Howard, V.
E.
•
*Also, find & share some good web sites.
Selected Bible
Study Materials
How
to Study the Bible, Clarke, Ted.
Preparing
to Teach Our Neighbors, Tice, Max.
Thompson
Chain Reference Bible, Thompson Bible Publishers.
Discuss
how a chain referenced study works.
The
Christian Armory has all sorts of books which are summaries or commentaries of
the whole Bible, e.g. Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentaries.
Apologetics
paper by Runge and Pollock.