Word Sort: An Active Learning Critical-Thinking Strategy

Most college students struggle with the vocabulary of our disciplines. In their various electronic exchanges, they do not use a lot of multisyllabic, difficult-to-pronounce words. And virtually all college courses are vocabulary rich – unfamiliar words abound. Most students know that the new vocabulary in a course is important. They use flash cards and other methods to help them memorize the words and their meanings for their exams. Two days later, the words and their meanings are gone

Overcoming the Technology Resistance Movement

Despite many recent online learning inroads in schools, many professional educators and administrators remain hesitant, reluctant, and perhaps even highly resistant to try online learning and teaching with technology. However, with accelerating demand for online learning, significantly reduced budgets, and the emergence of hundreds of free or relatively inexpensive Web technologies, that resistance is coming to a sudden halt. While some may prefer to wait for massive instructor attrition, lightning to strike, or made-for-movie serendipitous events to occur to change this situation, I prefer more direct approaches. Listed below are 10 such ideas.

What’s Good Teaching If Students Don’t Feel in Control?

For 10 years Raymond Perry, a psychologist at the University of Manitoba, has been studying the relationship between attributes students bring to class and the quality of instruction they receive there. His studies unite two important lines of research, heretofore considered unrelated.

During the time they spend at our institutions, students face a variety of personal and societal pressures. There are also academic pressures, of course: They must write papers, work in groups, make presentations, and take exams. Their ability to meet these challenges successfully depends on certain attributes they bring to class.

Guest Speakers Run Wild

A few years ago, I invited our local daily newspaper’s popular columnist to my high school journalism class. When I let my principal know, I invited her to sit in on the class, too. After all, she was a big fan.

I had asked the columnist to talk about the difference between writing for the city desk and writing his column. He did, but the talk bordered on R-rated material and language (example: inappropriate Halloween costumes). He also put my principal on the spot and asked her about policies and controversies.

I squirmed the entire 84-minute block period.

5 Ways to Help ADHD and Special Education Students Organize and Manage Time

As secondary school teachers, we often assume that students come to our class with organization skills. They know how to record assignments in their assignment notebooks. They plan their projects to meet a deadline. They understand the steps to take to accomplish a task without direction.

However, many students need extra support to organize their work, especially special education and ADHD students. They might understand your class’s content, but have trouble organizing their materials, allotting their time, and understanding what to do.

Music as a Tool in the Secondary Classroom

Popular music and student’s preoccupation with it can be scourges of the secondary classroom. However, a savvy teacher can harness students’ interests in music and turn preoccupation into classroom community, commitment and comfort. Here are a few suggestions that have worked in my science, art and teaching methodology classrooms.

Avoiding Classroom Behavior Escalation with Students Who Have EBD

I had an EBD (emotional/behavior disorder) student who challenged me a lot. When the subject matter got tough, Elliot tried to engage me in an argument or heated debate. I struggled not to rise to the bait.

When working with students who have emotional or behavioral disorders in the classroom, you have to be careful not to be the spark to the EBD student’s tinder. This isn’t something I’m great at, but I’ve learned a few things to de-escalate behavior and redirect.

Using Service Learning to Close the Achievement Gap

It’s grim, but true: a student who has dropped out of school is likely to be poor, African-American or Hispanic, and from a school that has few resources and poorly qualified teachers. When compared with their higher-income peers, these kids under perform and are disengaged at school. (U.S. Department of Education, 2000.)

Teaching Strategies that Work for Students Who Have Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Teachers know: there’s no magic bullet. What works well with some students doesn’t work well with others. However, the closest we come to the magic are those golden, research-based teaching strategies that work well with most students.

Researchers Vannest, Temple-Harvey, and Mason reviewed 20 studies about teaching strategies that work well with students who have emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). They didn’t find a magic bullet or Shangri-la. They found those rock-solid teaching strategies that work with all students, but work especially well with the EBD population.