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Apr. 18th, 2009 04:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
learnteachI've had some interesting conversations about some of the non-standard teaching methodologies I employ. Here they are:
These were developed mainly teaching summer tech classes for SVEC at SJS. (These ones: http://www.techacademysv.com/)
1. LECTURE LIMITS. I know I love to talk, to explicate, but more than about 15 minutes of lecture and you can see that only the desparately bored in life and the really, really well trained are even partway paying attention. So, I inform the students of the length of the lecture, never to exceed 15 minutes (not including questions at the end, but including questions as I go along.) After giving a time mark, the students are allowed to throw balls of paper at me if the limit is exceeded. To test for attention, at the end, I ask semi-randomly questions of the audience to test comprehension. If they don't get it, I get to repeat my lecture. Of course, I intentionally go over time occasionally.
This serves 3 purposes: 1. I don't get technical rabbitholed and go on and on, so my lecturing is much more focuses and follows the rule of 3 (I tell you this, this is what it is, this is what you've been told). 2. The students self police: if someone is not paying attention, the other students will get them to be more alert. 3. The class sits closer to the front of the room, especially the ones who would be dozing in the back, for better shots.
2. STUMPING THE TEACHER If I am asked a question relevant to the topic area that I cannot easily answer, that student has "stumped" the teacher and gets a little stump tag. Stumps are useful for three things: extra snacks during the snack break, extra water balloons at the water balloon fight, and possibly negotiated privileges. Privileges have included everything from picking an experiment, to duct taping me to a dumpster. Stumps are also given out for being very successful in a project.
3. REDOING THE PROJECT In engineering, it is a constant cycle of design, build, test, rebuild, retest, repeat. For the projects that can be engineered, it's very worthwhile in an engineering class having the students redo them to really get the ideas solid. In a science class, allowing them to redo labs for extra credit, while more work, is very good for comprehension.
4. MATERIAL ON THE WEB Putting the class material on the web, providing explanations, and extra credit exercises, is a great way to help out students who have access to a computer lab. In case of a substitute, I have been able to throw it all onto the web page, and have them go down to the lab and do individual work.
5. CELLPHONE USE CLASSES All schools have policies of no cellphones in the classroom. Enforcing those policies is always a large difficulty, fraught with difficulties, causing much upset. So, rather than just emulate a policy I don't completely agree with, I give the students a quick training in how to text indetectably, and things not to do with your phone. Don't slide it between your legs, get it in a pocket, I'll make you stand up. Don't stuff it down your shirt or pants, I'll make the whole class do the hokey pokey, and then it falls out. Learn to text onehanded. Learn to not jerk when it goes off in your pocket--if you can, turn off all notification and just look when you can. Use peripheral vision, and use you other hand to hold a pen or pencil, so I think you're writing if I just glance at you.
After the training, I find it a personal affront if you can't do it correctly, and so I'll take the cellphone not because of the school rule, but more because of the disrespect to me.
(This same technique, modified slightly, works well to get stoned students to work more in class.)
WHAT I NEED TO DO:
1. PARENT CONTACT METHODS: If I plan it out at the beginning of the year, and put it on the schedule, I do write contact notes, and also make calls for general contact. This is an incredibly powerful technique, but also
2. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: omitting the stories, it's good to talk to fellow teachers. I need to join a few. And, like Dave Orphal, one of my guiding lights of teaching (teachers I find successful and chose to emulate) I should spend some time being involved.
3. MORE GRANT/PROGRAM WRITING. One a month at the minimum. Some of the best programs I have done (SCU Solar House Outreach comes to mind) are because I fill out a grant and go talk to people. It's not the money, (although that helps) but the ability to reach out into the community. Again, this is something that has to be scheduled before the hurly-burly of the school start.
Just some notes. Opinions, Hive LJ mind?
These were developed mainly teaching summer tech classes for SVEC at SJS. (These ones: http://www.techacademysv.com/)
1. LECTURE LIMITS. I know I love to talk, to explicate, but more than about 15 minutes of lecture and you can see that only the desparately bored in life and the really, really well trained are even partway paying attention. So, I inform the students of the length of the lecture, never to exceed 15 minutes (not including questions at the end, but including questions as I go along.) After giving a time mark, the students are allowed to throw balls of paper at me if the limit is exceeded. To test for attention, at the end, I ask semi-randomly questions of the audience to test comprehension. If they don't get it, I get to repeat my lecture. Of course, I intentionally go over time occasionally.
This serves 3 purposes: 1. I don't get technical rabbitholed and go on and on, so my lecturing is much more focuses and follows the rule of 3 (I tell you this, this is what it is, this is what you've been told). 2. The students self police: if someone is not paying attention, the other students will get them to be more alert. 3. The class sits closer to the front of the room, especially the ones who would be dozing in the back, for better shots.
2. STUMPING THE TEACHER If I am asked a question relevant to the topic area that I cannot easily answer, that student has "stumped" the teacher and gets a little stump tag. Stumps are useful for three things: extra snacks during the snack break, extra water balloons at the water balloon fight, and possibly negotiated privileges. Privileges have included everything from picking an experiment, to duct taping me to a dumpster. Stumps are also given out for being very successful in a project.
3. REDOING THE PROJECT In engineering, it is a constant cycle of design, build, test, rebuild, retest, repeat. For the projects that can be engineered, it's very worthwhile in an engineering class having the students redo them to really get the ideas solid. In a science class, allowing them to redo labs for extra credit, while more work, is very good for comprehension.
4. MATERIAL ON THE WEB Putting the class material on the web, providing explanations, and extra credit exercises, is a great way to help out students who have access to a computer lab. In case of a substitute, I have been able to throw it all onto the web page, and have them go down to the lab and do individual work.
5. CELLPHONE USE CLASSES All schools have policies of no cellphones in the classroom. Enforcing those policies is always a large difficulty, fraught with difficulties, causing much upset. So, rather than just emulate a policy I don't completely agree with, I give the students a quick training in how to text indetectably, and things not to do with your phone. Don't slide it between your legs, get it in a pocket, I'll make you stand up. Don't stuff it down your shirt or pants, I'll make the whole class do the hokey pokey, and then it falls out. Learn to text onehanded. Learn to not jerk when it goes off in your pocket--if you can, turn off all notification and just look when you can. Use peripheral vision, and use you other hand to hold a pen or pencil, so I think you're writing if I just glance at you.
After the training, I find it a personal affront if you can't do it correctly, and so I'll take the cellphone not because of the school rule, but more because of the disrespect to me.
(This same technique, modified slightly, works well to get stoned students to work more in class.)
WHAT I NEED TO DO:
1. PARENT CONTACT METHODS: If I plan it out at the beginning of the year, and put it on the schedule, I do write contact notes, and also make calls for general contact. This is an incredibly powerful technique, but also
2. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: omitting the stories, it's good to talk to fellow teachers. I need to join a few. And, like Dave Orphal, one of my guiding lights of teaching (teachers I find successful and chose to emulate) I should spend some time being involved.
3. MORE GRANT/PROGRAM WRITING. One a month at the minimum. Some of the best programs I have done (SCU Solar House Outreach comes to mind) are because I fill out a grant and go talk to people. It's not the money, (although that helps) but the ability to reach out into the community. Again, this is something that has to be scheduled before the hurly-burly of the school start.
Just some notes. Opinions, Hive LJ mind?
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-19 04:53 am (UTC)I've used something similar to your Stump the Teacher, but without nearly the creative rewards! Heh, heh, it was in a vocabulary-building class at Summer Institute for the Gifted, and they sure didn't succeed often.
I have mixed feelings for the cell phone policy, although I suppose that combined with your lecture limit motivator, it probably doesn't cause you any problems. I guess I just think it rude to communicate with someone who's not even in the room when you're with other people.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-19 05:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-19 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-20 06:40 am (UTC)2. Stump tag rewards should not be negoiable. You will encourage the ligitous students and waste your time. If a student comes up with a good use for a tag, implement it at the start of the next term.
4. Class web pages are a great resource. Be sure to check out (and steal) ideas from colleagues for ways to utilize the web. Check into the necessity of password protection; we are dealing with minors here.
5. If you want students to take you seriously, you gotta strictly enforce the cellphone ban. It's a respect issue. If the phone is out, even in hiding, the kid is being rude to you, their classmates, and their own selves (by dissing their blessing of a free education). Take it personally. My students learn from Day 1 that if I see or hear a cellphone it becomes mine. No warnings, no questions. I may or may not give it back at the end of class depending on my mood. But I also tell my classes, if I don't see or hear the cellphone I won't know it's there, and they are safe. (I feel kinda strongly about this issue.)
1. Parental Contact. Is good, parents like being kept in the loop. Be specific about what's going on though. If needs be make specific recommendations about what parents can do at home to help. Make sure your administration is kept informed about your contacts in a general sort of way, so they can back you if needs be. Document in detail every discuss you have with parents just in case! Don't forget to make the random good call home too, your students will love you for that.
2. Professional organizations are good. They are also expensive, and your employer will probably not pay for membership (although they may reimburse for conference expenses). Belonging to your field's biggest state/national association is worth the out-of-pocket though. You will get magazines with articles, the ability to attend conferences, and probably some kind of online forum/bulletin board in addition to more web resources than you can shake a stick at. All good stuff.