Tag: Methods
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Teach Like a Pirate: Some Thoughts
Here’s why I wanted to like Teach Like a Pirate: There is so much enthusiasm for this book among my PLN, and I do love to see teachers enthusiastic about their work and looking for new ways to engage students and create excitement about learning. Burgess loves his work, and he’s incredibly enthusiastic about his…
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Teaching and Time Management
Lindsey wonders about using her time wisely in the classroom: Mystifying Question #1: How does one learn the art of time management? I’m really bad at estimating how much time different activities/lessons will take. How can I conquer this important skill? What are some tips and tricks for making the most out of the limited amount…
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That Little Wandering Lost Good Feeling
This week in Methods class, I’m going to read aloud one of my favorite picture books, Russell Hoban’s The Little Brute Family. The Brutes are a horrible family–crabby and cranky, they fight over everything and they are never content with what they have. They live in misery, until one day when Baby Brute finds “a…
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The Answer to Every Question
I had two experiences this week that made me think I don’t really need to teach Methods anymore, because my students have got it. First, Nikki and Reba came to my office and told me about their visit to a school full of Thugging Hards. They saw the tough exteriors that are designed to keep…
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Questions, Questions, Questions
It’s midterm, which means we’re halfway through our learning journey this semester in Methods. I have a million things I still want to talk about, but I thought it would be best to focus on what my students want to talk about. Last week, their homework was to come up with their final four questions.…
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12 Steps to Debunking the Myth of the Unreachable Student
I have written before about my naivete as a first-year high school English teacher. I truly thought that my good intentions would be enough to carry the day. I loved English, so my students would too. Because we all know that the teacher’s enthusiasm is all that’s needed to motivate students to learn, right? I…
the dirigible plum 