Chapter 10: Uncover the compelling reason for every lesson you teach
So often in my planning I am screaming in my brain "WHYYYYY?!" Why do first and second graders need to know this?! Why do they need to learn this ,because I don't even know what it is? Why are they making everything so complicated? When I am asking all of these questions I feel as if my work doesn't matter, which equals me not caring about that content. I am being totally honest/ blunt so pardon me, but I really like conveying my real feelings about things. Bottom line: Sometime's I don't believe in what I'm teaching myself, so why should my kids? It's a question we all struggle with at one time or another.
I am currently getting my Master's and I had to write a paper the other week on engaging our students, and using the ARCS Model of Motivation. The R in the acronym stands for " relevance", which is so important to connecting to our students. This year I plan on showing my students and brainstorming with them WHY we need to learn certain things, and how things will benefit them RIGHT THIS SECOND. Posing questions to my students before a lesson, by just asking " Why is it important to learn this?" is a simple question, but it can really get my students brains turning. Before a money lesson asking them " Why is money important?" to your students can give you a wide range of answers, but have students think about how money can help them right now. You may get answers as: " I can count coins to buy ice cream at lunch!" or " I can use our money lesson to buy candy at the store with my parents!" This is when true engagement happens..when students know they can connect with the lesson immediately.
Angela also brought up a great point to join in on the learning with your students. So often we " know" the answer, but why not find the text evidence together? Why do we shy away from saying I don't know? Why do we have to know everything? Why not search for answers together?
I just touched on a few points in Chapter 10, but there is so much useful information in this book. I encourage you to pick up a copy from Amazon today! Click here for your copy!
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Next up is Jessica from Tales of a First Grade Teacher!
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