Joanne Foster led an interesting session about the true causes of students’ procrastination. It’s more complex than simple laziness.
Year: 2014
The Don’t Do List
“Yes” is so easy to say, and it makes people happy, but soon you’ve built up the expectation that you’ll help with everything. If we say “yes” to every request, then we’re not differentiating between what’s important and what’s not.
Studying Ambiguous Sentences
This type of sentence has great possibilities for classroom application because of its two different interpretations. It’s a perfect tool to: demonstrate careful reading, showcase the need for editing while writing, and encourage creativity and divergent thinking.
Thinking, Not Merely Memorizing, In Math
Creativity and math may seem completely incompatible. Math is when students follow predefined steps to arrive at an exact answer! Here are four ideas for quick math warmups that encourage students to use divergent, creative thinking.
Jabberwocky, Parts of Speech, and Context Clues
Let’s see how we can use a classic piece of poetry to enhance a lesson on parts of speech or context clues. This provides exposure to a great work and also increases the complexity of a typical task.
An Image for Divergent Thinking Practice
I think this is an interesting way to practice our students’ divergent thinking skills. What else could this trash can’s icon represent?
Calvin, High-Energy, and Sports
This comic highlights an additionally unfortunate issue high-energy kids suffer from: they’re physically active, yet may not be particularly interested in sports.
Writing Mother’s Day Similes
Mother’s Day is coming up, and it’s the perfect chance to practice figurative language. Help your students create thoughtful cards, packed with rich similes and metaphors that relate directly to their mothers.
Comparing The Best vs My Favorite
Are bests the same as favorites? Can your class come up with a suitable definition of the difference?
The Mysterious Benedict Society – Book Study Ideas
After it was recommended dozens of times, I finally read The Mysterious Benedict Society and I wish I had read it sooner!