Here’s a list of interesting items to help intense students in a classroom setting. Fidgety tools, special sets, and even ear plugs!
Year: 2015
Four Types of Questions You Can Ask
Asking questions is such a basic tool of teaching, yet how many of us have ever been taught to ask good questions? In this opening to a series about questioning, we’ll explore how to get students asking each other questions.
Talking Less: Two Discussion Tics
Leading discussions is hard work. To grease the wheels, I developed two weird tics: re-stating and repeating louder. Both increase dependency on me, and enable students to become passive listeners.
Tennessee Keynote: So Much More Than Smart Kids
Here’s the last 20 minutes of my keynote from Tennessee’s 2015 state gifted conference. Live audio synced up with my slides.
Non-Examples are as Important as Examples
As teachers, we use tons of examples to illustrate concepts. But an example becomes even more powerful when paired with its opposite: the non-example.
Talking Less: Making Better Class Announcements
Many of our words are wasted not on teaching, but on announcements, directions, and updates. Imagine yourself waiting at an airport. Think of the constant stream of “important announcements” broadcast over the speakers. There are so many, that you simply stop hearing them.
Talking Less: Shocking Stats On What Students Can Hear
When you’re up speaking in front of a group, it’s so easy to assume that they’re hanging on your every word. The reality is we are incapable of hearing as fast as people speak. We can’t hear everything someone says, let alone remember, let alone understand.
Being a Healthier Teacher: Stopping Burnout
As someone who experienced burn out while teaching, and has watched friends and family members burn out as well, I know that it’s a real affliction, but one that is rarely addressed.
Being a Healthier Teacher: 3 Ways To Disrupt Your Status Quo
In this article we’ll look at why we allow ourselves to stay in unhealthy situations for years. Why don’t we make changes to better ourselves? The status quo bias has an answer…
Being A Healthier Teacher: 3 Ways To Set Limits
Almost every teacher I asked said they regularly leave school still feeling they have a lot of work to do. And almost everyone agrees to do things they don’t really want to do. This leads to burnout and cynicism! Let’s look at 3 ways to set limits