How to stretch and challenge your students There are two ways to interpret the phrase “stretch and challenge”. On the one hand, it relates to whole-class teaching and the importance of stretching and challenging every pupil’s thinking. On the other, it relates to individuals and the importance of pushing the thinking of the most able pupils. Both interpretations are equally valid and essential components of great teaching. Stretching and challenging all pupils As teachers, we know it is not enough for our pupils to coast through lessons, picking up the minimum they need to get by. Planning When creating your lessons, ask yourself if the content is sufficiently demanding. Ideally, you should be aiming for material that is just beyond the point pupils have already reached – something just at the edge of their capabilities. To judge whether your content is sufficiently challenging, elicit information from your pupils. Do not be averse to plunging your pupils into the realms of uncertainty from time to time. 1. 2. 3. Evaluation
ProfHacker It’s no secret that around ProfHacker headquarters, we value writing. In fact, we spend a good number of ProfHacker posts devoted to the subject. We write. We write about writing. We teach writing. Let me explain: Last week, I was sitting in the campus Starbucks listening to students. Indeed. The student at Starbucks likes writing songs, but he still has to write that “boring” essay, as there are skills he needs to learn, skills writing that essay will teach him. What kind of fun writing do you do? In case you have missed the other posts in the Writers’ Bootcamp series: [Image by Flickr user Pink Sherbet Photography and used under the Creative Commons license.] Return to Top
Questioning Toolkit Essential Questions These are questions which touch our hearts and souls. They are central to our lives. Most important thought during our lives will center on such essential questions. What does it mean to be a good friend? If we were to draw a cluster diagram of the Questioning Toolkit, Essential Questions would be at the center of all the other types of questions. All the other questions and questioning skills serve the purpose of "casting light upon" or illuminating Essential Questions. Most Essential Questions are interdisciplinary in nature. Essential Questions probe the deepest issues confronting us . . . complex and baffling matters which elude simple answers: Life - Death - Marriage - Identity - Purpose - Betrayal - Honor - Integrity - Courage - Temptation - Faith - Leadership - Addiction - Invention - Inspiration. The greatest novels, the greatest plays, the greatest songs and the greatest paintings all explore Essential Questions in some manner. Why do we have to fight wars?
Mindfulness Quiz | Quiz Do you savor life or let everyday stresses control you? In other words, how mindful are you? The practice of mindfulness has been linked to happiness, health, and psychological well-being, but many of us may not know exactly what it is, let alone how to cultivate it. The quiz below draws on a mindfulness scale developed by researchers at La Salle University and Drexel University, led by psychology professor Lee Ann Cardaciotto. Please answer as honestly as possible about how frequently you experienced each of the following 20 statements over the past week. When you’re done, you’ll learn more about what mindfulness is, how much you currently practice it, and how you can promote more of it in your life. Source: Cardaciotto, L., Herbert, J.
Applying the Zone of Proximal Development in the Classroom - What is the zone of proximal development? | HowStuffWorks To apply the concept of the zone of proximal development, teachers instruct in small steps according to the tasks a child is already able to do independently. This strategy is referred to as scaffolding. The teacher should also support and assist the child until he or she can complete all of the steps independently. Before teachers can begin guiding students through the steps necessary to learn a concept, they should get a grasp of how these tasks, referred to as scaffolds, are applicable to everyday life. The teacher then builds on these scaffolds to develop the child's zone of proximal development. Connections between the task being learned and how it's applicable to the skills needed in everyday life might not become apparent immediately; in fact, they might take several lessons to develop. Here's a look at the step-by-step process by which a teacher can apply the zone of proximal development: First, a teacher should identify what a student already knows.
Gratitude Quiz | Quiz Are you truly grateful for the good things in your life—or do you take them for granted? Grateful people are happy people, research shows. But how grateful are you? To find out—and discover steps for promoting even more gratitude in your life—take this quiz, which is based on a scale developed by psychologists Mitchel Adler and Nancy Fagley. Please indicate how frequently you experience each of the items listed in the first seven questions; for the final eight questions, indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement. When you're done, you'll get your gratitude score, learn more about the benefits of gratitude, and find resources for cultivating more gratitude in your life. Source: Adler, M.
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Why Gratitude Is Good With Thanksgiving approaching, we’ll all soon be taking time to acknowledge what we’re grateful for. It’s a nice gesture, of course, but why do we do it? What good is gratitude? For more than a decade, I’ve been studying the effects of gratitude on physical health, on psychological well-being, and on our relationships with others. digitalskillet In a series of studies, my colleagues and I have helped people systematically cultivate gratitude, usually by keeping a “gratitude journal” in which they regularly record the things for which they’re grateful. Gratitude journals and other gratitude practices often seem so simple and basic; in our studies, we often have people keep gratitude journals for just three weeks. Physical • Stronger immune systems • Less bothered by aches and pains • Lower blood pressure • Exercise more and take better care of their health • Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking The second part of gratitude is figuring out where that goodness comes from. 1. 2.
Challenge of identifying learning disabilities July 4, 2013 : Children need to be observed for the discrepancies in their activities and performance so as to diagnose learning disabilities, writes Shivananda Nayak. The most common challenge for parents and teachers is to recognise the ‘symptoms’ of Learning Disabilities (LD). Subject specific n Reading: Children with LD may not be able to read fluently. n Writing: Hand writing of such children may be illegible, poorly organized with lots of spelling errors. n Mathematics: A child with LD can get confused with numbers, in simple operations like addition, subtraction, etc. Age specific n 4 to 9 year olds: They may show poor or lack of attention along with restlessness. n 10 years and above In this age group, children may show poor ‘discipline’. Here is the good news. With excessive focus on academic achievement, children are deprived of indulging in their interest. Go to Top
Facilitating Reflection: A Manual for Leaders and Educators About Reflection "Reflection" is a vital component of service-learning. This manual was designed for educators and leaders of service groups who have an interest and a commitment to provide reflection opportunities for students and community partners alike. College professors, K-12 teachers, community organization leaders, and leaders of service organizations have all found, "Facilitating Reflection: A Manual for Leaders and Educators," a useful supplement to their work. This manual was written during the summer of 1995. Special thanks go out to Sharon Morgenthaler, and the Georgetown University Office of Volunteer and Public Service, for their permission to finally post this manual on the Internet. Christopher Koliba, Ph.D.