Strategies that you will LOVE using and so will your Students
- Developing relationships with your students!
It’s important I think as teachers to better understand our students. Knowing them better means we can teach them better and we can plan activities that work best for their individual needs.
- Door Intros!
I love this idea! It’s an idea I have had for a long time. When students come into the classroom in the morning they will get to choose between a gesture such as (hug, high five, thumbs up or dance move) Doing something as personal as this with your students, allows for your students relationship and comfortability level to develop.
- Class Talk and Share Discussions
Having a class wide talk can be a very beneficial strategy to utilize during a lesson. Or at the start of the day during a morning meeting. Class talks can allow for deep conversations and developing understandings.
- Cooperative Learning Opportunities
Working with others can be a great way for additional ideas to surface and understanding on certain topics to be developed.
- Hand Based Learning
This is a strategy I strongly believe in. A lot of students’ need that opportunity to touch and communicate their understanding with the use of their hands.
- Activity Based Learning
Hand Based learning and activity based learning are very similar. They are similar in the sense that students are able to participate in activities to better understand a topic. It allows for those students who learn better in hands-on communicative ways to flourish.
- Brainstorming
This is a great strategy to utilize at the beginning of a lesson. It allows for big ideas or new ideas to be mentioned and discussed. It’s a great pre-reading or understanding activity.
- Exit Tickets
Exit tickets are very diverse and work well for all grade levels. The questions can be altered to better meet the topic at hand. (example: 3 things you might not understand from the topic)
- Student Teacher 1-1 Work
Working with one on one can allow for deeper understanding. It can be a very helpful adaptation for inclusive education classrooms.
- Developing or Practicing Skills Time
In other words this is the time during the class or lesson, you will partake in working on the activities on their own. It allows for each individual to develop on their own, while the teacher has time to observe and integrate with the students who need that extra support.
- Feedback
The use of feedback is a fantastic instructional strategy. It helps the students understand the areas they may be struggling with or are doing well with.
- Use of expectations
Making the expectations (outcome) clear at the beginning of the lesson is a crucial element to a students overall understanding and comprehension. This way the students know exactly what they are supposed to be understanding from the lesson or class.
- Visual Aids
Visual aids! I love visual aids. They are crucial elements to the classroom. Visuals make the classroom a better and more inclusive space for all students. Having a visual schedule, pictures, powerpoints, videos, books and tons of other things can be very helpful for our students.
- Deeper Thinking Activities
In other words critical thinking or inquiry activities. This is the type of activity that allows for your students to think “above and beyond” the topic.
- Graphic Organizers
Utilizing charts such as the “KWL” charts allow for great pre teaching opportunities. It helps you as the teacher understand exactly where the students are at understanding the subject or topic at hand.
- Parking Lot Party and Question/Answer Time
This is another great activity to include at the beginning of the lesson. It is a great way to understand where your students are at. Plus it’s also a great management strategy at the start, end or after recess activity.
- Quick Write and Draw Check In
This is a great opportunity to have your students draw or write exactly what they are understanding on the subject. (example: what do you know about the word community?)
- Visual Hooks at the start of a Lesson
Using a visual hook or a quick saying at the beginning of the lesson can be very intriguing for students. It can help students get psyched to learn a new topic!
- Whiteboards
Whiteboards are great for quick check-ins with the student. It’s also a helpful student tool during the development time in a lesson. (ex: in math you can use it to help practice math questions)
- Doodle Time!
Allowing students the opportunity to journal while doing listening activity. In some cases this works great to help students stay on track.