One of the best things about being in the field of teaching is the fresh start that is offered to us each year. In fact we get a fresh start each term, come to think of it....every Monday! A fresh start is the right time to consolidate what you are already doing well in your teaching, and to leave off the methods that did not serve you or your students well. It is also a great time to try something new. And that is what I have done.
1. Streaming - putting apple with apples.
There are many ways to extend your skilled students, just as there are many ways to modify activities to suit your weaker students. By streaming my Yr 6 volleyball class into stronger and weaker groups I was able to do both. The details will be in my next post, so to keep it brief, I will simply say the results were amazing. Both groups were engaged, challenged and comfortable amongst their peers.
2. Throw them into a game and see what you get.
I didn't start my Yr 4 netball module with the usual introductory skills and drills, but instead threw the students into a game. I wanted to see where they were at in terms of skills and game knowledge. I discovered they did not need lessons of work on passing, pivoting and jump-stopping. Rather they just needed a little polish on using space, leading and defending. So this was my focus for the following lesson before returning to match play. I discovered that what they needed and what I thought they needed were quite different.
3. Edmodo
Last year our Yr 6 students used Edmodo in second semester. This year the Yr 6 teachers and I decided to introduce them to it from day one. Edmodo is used daily to share information regarding events at school, homework, group projects, youtube videos, pictures and general Q and A about classwork. The students have embraced this networking platform and it has already shown to be useful in our teaching and the students' learning.
4. Pinterest
Having discovered Pinterest at he end of last year I had all my Summer holiday to start 'pinning' photos, pictures and resources. My boards are a collection of images I use to share with students, teachers and parents. I have only scratched the surface with what I aim to collect, but it's a start. My students love to see what images I have for them to view every time I come into their classroom.
5. Wristbands - the best $4 I have ever spent on teaching.
Like you, I reward students to reinforce the positive behaviours they exhibit, such as using manners, helping others, displaying good sportsmanship, giving their best effort, helping pack away etc. I used to lose track of who I had earmarked for a reward throughout the lesson, but not anymore. I wear 5-6 hair elastics on my wrist. When I see or hear a student exhibiting those positive behaviours I hand them a 'wristband' to put on their wrist. At the end of the lesson I can say "If you have a wristband on please come and see me before you go for your reward". Simple, effective and the students have responded to it really well.
6. Theory Focus
I have added a 'Theory Focus' to my Yr 3-6 classes. This means that amongst the skills, fitness and sport during PE time, every few weeks a new topic is discussed which covers topics such as bones, muscles, how to be 'sun-smart', leadership, umpire appreciation, sports injuries, nutrition and many others. I spend just a few minutes using charts, quizzes and props to show students a little bit more than I used to. Soon there will be a screen and projector in the undercover area, so visuals off the iPad will follow.
7. Going full circle with checklists and anecdotal records.
I used to use clipboards and a class list, but didn't like taking my eyes off the class to find a name on an alphabetical list. Then I moved to a small handheld dictaphone to record notes. The speed and ease of note taking was great, but listening back to 6 lessons worth of notes everyday can be time consuming. Next I moved onto the iPad for videoing students in action. Great for collecting evidence but again very time consuming and the camera can never take in as much as the eye.
So what do I do now? All three!
I always take with me a clipboard and fresh class list, my dictaphone and my iPad. All three have their strengths and I use each one for whichever situation calls for it.
So there you have it - 7 innovations I have added to my repertoire. I would love to hear what you have tried different, or simply built upon this year. I will follow up soon with details of my Yr 6 volleyball class that I streamed successfully. Until then, keep those kids happy and healthy!
