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Five Ways To Improve Your Learning Environments

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HundrED is a global mission-driven organisation specialised in education innovation.

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5 Educational Learning Theories & How to Apply Them

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5 Educational Learning Theories & How to Apply Them

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5 Learning Theories in Education and How to Apply Them | University of Phoenix

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Find out more about the key learning theories in education, why they are important, how they influence learning and how to apply them as a teacher.

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Decorating the Classroom: How Much Is Too Much? |Education & Teacher Conferences

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Classrooms should do more than simply house our students. We want them to welcome students. To set an encouraging and academic tone. To reflect the values our schools champion.

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Heavily Decorated Classrooms Disrupt Attention and Learning In Young Children

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Maps, number lines, shapes, artwork and other materials tend to cover elementary classroom walls. However, too much of a good thing may end up disrupting attention and learning in young children, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Psychology researchers Anna V.

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Instructional Strategies That Use Action Steps

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Instructional Strategies That Use Action Steps

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Instructional Strategies vs. Learning Activities 

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Instructional Strategies vs. Learning Activities 

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Creating Inclusive Classrooms During the Holidays

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Creating Inclusive Classrooms During the Holidays

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Students of all backgrounds, religions, and upbringings require us as educators to strive for an inclusive classroom, especially during the holiday season. We know every classroom is made up of a unique group of kids, so it can sometimes be challenging to make everyone feel welcome and included. So how do you create a holiday classroom environment that will allow all students to feel included?

From Thanksgiving onward, the holiday season is centered around generosity, thankfulness, and anticipating new beginnings in the coming year and the teachers at Teach Starter have put together our favorite ways to bring that spirit into an inclusive classroom environment. Here are some ideas that may spark a new conversation, encourage open-mindedness with your students, and end the calendar year on a high note.

What Is an Inclusive Classroom?

This may feel obvious to some, but we would be remiss if we didn't talk about the meaning of an inclusive classroom before we start talking about how to celebrate the holidays in one. After all, holidays only come around once a year, but inclusivity should be embraced all year round.

Inclusive classrooms include all students of a similar age in a general education environment, inclusive of:

disabilities

special needs

social and economic backgrounds

minority languages

religious practices

sexual orientations

Think about this: About 32% of all public school students attended schools where students of color made up at least 75% of total enrollment in the fall of 2019. About 15% of the total public school enrollment in the US is receiving disability services. And about 12.3 million American kids are attending what the federal government considers high-poverty schools, where more than 75 percent of the students receive a free or reduced lunch.

It's a diverse nation filled with students of all different backgrounds.

The purpose of inclusive classrooms is to expand the cultural knowledge and acceptance of all students, regardless of their background and upbringing. When children feel equally valued, the more likely their classroom will turn into a thriving learning environment.

How To Create An Inclusive Classroom This Holiday

Holiday time is one when some of the more inclusive classroom practices get put to the test from holiday programs to tree lightings. So how do you make sure you have holiday practices that are in keeping with the environment you've been working to create for your class? Try some of these ideas to get started:

Organize cubbies, small groups, or lines by alphabetical order, birthdays, or clothing color instead of gender

Create a diverse classroom library

Display inclusive bulletin boards that don't lean towards a specific race or holiday

Enforce classroom standards consistently (i.e., using kind words, keeping hands and feet to ourselves, etc.)

Morning Meeting Discussion

Use this time to ask your students to share their winter traditions with the rest of the class instead of focusing on a particular holiday. You can ask them prompts such as:

What is your favorite part of winter?

What is your favorite smell this time of year?

What's your favorite holiday?

What's one food you want to eat this month?

What is the best gift you have ever been given?

What is the best gift you have ever given to someone else?

Keeping these questions generic will allow everyone in the class to feel like they can contribute to the discussion while giving your students some perspective on how their peers celebrate the season.
Teach Starter Teacher Tip: Download 180 morning meeting questions to keep the conversation going all year long.
Winter Decor

Take down that turkey-themed bulletin board, and have your class help you create a winter wonderland on your bulletin board. You can Warm Up With a Good Book, set up Twelve Days of Kindness or add a little fun with some deer mischief. The greatest part about winter bulletin board themes is that you can keep them up after the holiday break for January (and even into February before Valentine's Day rolls around)!

Winter-themed crafts are fun and inclusive too! Make pomander balls that kids can take home to hang for a fresh holiday scent. All you'll need are oranges, cloves, ribbons, and toothpicks (to help younger students place their cloves more easily). Students can get creative with their own clove patterns! Wrap a ribbon around the entire project at the end for a festive look.

Other fun ideas could include cutting out snowflakes, coloring a winter drawing, creating winter cabins, or turning toilet paper rolls into snowmen.

Giving Back

The theme of giving back and helping others is a universal winter theme that never goes out of style. It's never too early for children to learn how they can help their friends, their family, and their community, laying the groundwork for a more inclusive future.

One way to give back to the community is through a food drive. Make it fun by competing against other classrooms in the school! Reward the classroom that collects the most canned food with a PJ day at school with pizza and hot chocolate. Explore Feeding America 's website to see where your local food bank is located, and consider including that information in a newsletter for students to take home. Some families may want to contribute, while others may find it necessary during the holidays.

Other drive ideas include lightly used clothing and toys. You can set up a box in your classroom or school lobby then find your local clothing drive drop-off locations or use a company like Toys for Tots to get started.

Focus on Winter

Your weather might not change much from season to season, but there's plenty to talk about when it comes to winter, regardless. The season lasts quite a while, so your December winter preparations will be relevant for the foreseeable future, saving you time after the holiday break!

Depending on your geographic location, winter may look very different. Ask your students:

What changes do you see outside when fall turns into winter?

What's the weather like in winter? How do you keep warm when it's cold?

What do you think animals do during the winter months?

You can also try some Winter Would You Rather questions to prompt your kids into winter discussions.

If reading aloud is your style, here are some beloved winter-themed books for story time:

How Can You Celebrate Holidays in a Diverse Classroom?

Winter celebrations are beautiful and diverse. In the classroom, you can be inclusive by focusing on traditions and facts to introduce cultural awareness. Some holidays include:

Dec 8: Bohdi Day to Rohatsu

Dec 18-26: Hanukkah

Dec 21: Winter Solstice/Dongzhi Festival

Dec 25: Christmas

Dec 26-Jan 1: Kwanzaa

Some teachers use a theme such as Holidays Around the World to introduce various traditions and cultures. Focus on the dates and facts, such as where each holiday may be celebrated, instead of any religious aspect. Here's a video that may give you some inspiration or ideas:

New Year Goals and Wishes

New Year is right around the corner, and it's one December holiday that is celebrated by all. Now is a good time to reflect on the past year and set new goals. You can dedicate a Morning Meeting session to this topic or have it be a writing theme for the day. Prompt your class with questions like:

What's something exciting that happened to you this year?

What are some things you learned this year?

What is your favorite book or movie from this year?

What is something you hope to accomplish in the New Year?

To formalize these reflections, use this Goal Setting Workbook for resolution setting, crafts, and puzzles. This is a great activity to include in a newsletter to students' parents when they head home on the last day. Parents will appreciate seeing what their kids have worked on, classroom goals for the New Year and how they can help their child over the holidays through activities like reading.

Gifts for Students

Planning on student gifts for the holidays? Skip the Santa pencils and focus on items that have no connection to the holidays. This is a great opportunity to set them up for a winter break with something positive - after all, those vacations away from school can be especially rough for some children.

These positive affirmation cards are cute ways to end the year on a high note. Go a step further and attach each card to a packet of instant hot cocoa they can enjoy at home.

You can also encourage reading for fun with affirmation bookmarks that include a positive note every time they read.
Explore winter resources to celebrate this month with every child in mind!

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How to Create Inclusive Classroom Holiday Celebrations: 7 Teacher Tips

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Here's how to make your classroom inclusive throughout the December holiday season.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching

Finding simple ways to celebrate different holidays in the classroom can create a culture of inclusion and deepen understanding.

Michael Wheatley / Alamy Stock Photo

I'm full of warm and fuzzy memories of holiday celebrations from my time as a student: the annual Thanksgiving dinner in the gymnasium, the Halloween parade of costumes, Christmas concert preparations and presentations, and Easter egg painting.

Holiday celebrations and traditions are often the most exciting part of the school year for kids and teachers, but how do we navigate holidays and traditions while creating a classroom that is inclusive and respectful?

Strategies in classrooms and schools allow teachers to navigate any holiday or special event respectfully with academic benefits as well. Select holidays and religious celebrations based on your classroom representation. When I get more diverse classrooms, I do my best to celebrate more prominent holidays, learn about ones that would be new to most of my students, and at least share a quick video or do a small activity to acknowledge them.

Learn About Each Other

Knowing and learning about classmates' and teachers' cultural backgrounds, religions, families, and traditions at the beginning of the school year reduces fear and increases empathy. It also creates a platform where students can ask questions and break down stereotypes. Because some students and parents may be resistant at first, I send a message home at the beginning of the school year outlining our purpose in celebrating different holidays as part of my general introduction letter. I usually include a section that reads: "We are excited to learn about each other's families, cultures, holidays, and celebrations throughout the school year. If you would like to volunteer to share a cultural holiday, meal, or celebration with us, please contact me via the signature information below."

As a result of my invitation through the introductory letter, I have had many parents come forward to share and take part in celebrations with us. We've burned sweetgrass, displayed traditional costumes from various cultures, danced to traditional holiday songs from many areas of the world-and of course cooked and tried many holiday dishes.

Identity Collage: Students can create and present a visual collage that represents their ancestry, religion, and family. Teachers can also complete and present this activity.

How many places have you lived?

Where have you traveled?

What's your favorite pastime?

What's your favorite holiday?

Do you play sports?

What's your favorite subject in school?

What's your cultural background?

How many people are in your family?

Do you have any pets?

What's your favorite food?

10 Questions: Ask students to create a list of 10 get-to-know-you questions, and then allow students to interact with each other. Each pair of students then introduces their partner to the class. Often, students will require example questions to get them started. I usually start with a brainstorming list of questions students can use and leave them on the board throughout the duration of this activity.

Possible questions might include:

Line Game: Use a tape to create a line on the classroom floor. Then ask students questions such as "Who has a sibling?" or "Who has lived in another country?" and have any students with that experience stand on the line. Students can ask questions, and the teacher can participate as well. The game provides a low-risk way for students to share information about their experiences and backgrounds.

Incorporate Academics

Why do we celebrate or acknowledge holidays and traditions? How did these holidays and traditions develop? Often, students have no idea about the origins of the holidays or traditions they celebrate. Learning about them allows for academic study and discussion about why they exist.

Expand the focus beyond North American holidays and traditions. My favorite way to expand our focus is to start with a History Channel video about holidays and traditions from a variety of cultures and religions. I find that they are short and engaging, and often come with activities and resources for teachers. Once viewing is complete, you can follow up with a variety of different activities to deepen learning. For example, after viewing, I will ask students to write a paragraph about an element of the film. Group discussions about the content can also be a good starting point for understanding different holidays and faiths.

Films are not the only mechanism for fostering better understanding. Inviting leaders of different faith traditions to the classroom to share their experiences can be a personalized way to improve understanding. I invite a local indigenous leader to my classroom to share about his traditions and oral creation stories. He usually also burns sweetgrass as part of this activity, and my students have always been interested and engaged in this experience that is foreign to most of them. Students gain a more nuanced understanding of the neighboring indigenous traditions by hearing in person from a local leader.

Celebrate Everything

If you're learning about a variety of holidays and traditions around the world that have specific celebration dates, they should be celebrated in your classroom the same way you would celebrate traditional North American holidays and traditions. Simple strategies such as inviting students to dress a certain way, create a piece of art, share food, sing a song, or write something related to the holiday or tradition can help students appreciate others' holidays and traditions.

Whatever method of celebration you choose, the fact that you are stopping your regular classroom activities to show respect to all holidays and traditions celebrated by your students creates an environment of acceptance and inclusivity.

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Sharing Holiday Traditions in the Classroom

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Finding simple ways to celebrate different holidays in the classroom can create a culture of inclusion and deepen understanding.

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Goal: Growth Mindset Poster I Want in My Classroom 

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Goal: Growth Mindset Poster I Want in My Classroom 

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20 Minute Lesson Plan on Choreography Unit

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20 Minute Lesson Plan on Choreography Unit

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ELA.WHST.9-10.7

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

WHST: Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12

9-10: 9th & 10th Grades

7:
Conduct short as well as more sustained research
projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated
question) or solve a problem; narrow or
broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize
multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

|

ELA.WHST.9-10.8

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

WHST: Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12

9-10: 9th & 10th Grades

8:
Gather relevant information from multiple
authoritative print and digital sources, using
advanced searches effectively; assess the
usefulness of each source in answering the
research question; integrate information into the
text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard
format for citation.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. What specific skills are students learning to better prepare them for college and careers?

2. How is 'refocusing the question' important for 21st century students?

3. What strategies does Mr. Carpenter use to monitor and assess self-directed learning?

School Details

Queens School Of Inquiry
158-40 76th Road
Queens NY 11366

Data Provided By:

Teachers

Science / 9 10 11 12 / Teacher

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Real-World Problem Solving: Designing an iPad Case

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Ninth grade students at the Queens School of Inquiry learn about research and design skills used by engineers as they design an iPad case for teachers. Mr. Carpenter facilitates research and supports students as they collect information about teacher needs and technical specifications for the new iPad case.

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As educators, we all know the importance of building positive relationships with and among our students. Good relationships can help students develop a growth mindset, encourage kindness in the classroom, increase students' learning, improve students' self-confidence, and make your classroom feel welcoming. We also know, however, that creating these relationships in our classrooms can be challenging, especially when we have limited time and resources. That's where these quick relationship building activities come in! In this post, I have created a list of 8 relationship building activities that can easily fit into your busy schedule, will help you connect with your kiddos, and will help your students bond with one another.

These relationship building activities are super quick, so they can fit into any short gaps you have during the day. Each one takes 5 minutes or less and requires no prep.

1. Non-Academic Turn & Talk

If you're a teacher, you have probably have heard of "turn and talk", a strategy where students turn to each other and answer a question or discuss a topic. Usually, "turn and talk" is used in an academic context. However, you can use it in a non-academic way to boost relationships in your classroom! To do so, you ask a non-academic question, such as "What is your favorite color?". Then, students can turn to a partner and answer! This is an easy way to get your kids sharing with each other and takes very little time.

2. Hug, High Five, or Handshake

For this activity, each student can choose to give you a hug, a high five, or a handshake. This is used most commonly as students are arriving for the day or leaving at the end of the day, but it could be used at any time. For example, as students are leaving for specials, at the beginning of recess, before students go into the cafeteria for lunch, at the beginning of each small group, or any other time you want a quick dose of connection with your kids.

3. End-of-the-Day Exit Slip

We all know that exit slips are given at the end of lessons to check for student understanding. End-of-the-day exit slips, however, are not about academic context. Instead, an end-of-the-day exit slip is a non-academic question that students must answer before they go home. They could answer in writing or in person (e.g. tell you their answer as they walk out for dismissal). Either way, an end-of-the-day exit slip is a great way to bond with your kids after a busy school day. Some questions you could ask are:

What was your favorite part of the day?

What was the best thing you learned today?

What is one kind thing you did for someone today?

What do you hope to learn about tomorrow?

What was the best thing you did during specials today?

These relationship building activities take slightly more time, but are still relatively quick. Use these whenever you need a boost to your student relationships, but only have a small chunk of time.

1. Just Like Me Game

If you want to spend some time helping your students learn about one another while having some fun, the Just Like Me game is perfect. Here's how you play:

1. Have your students stand in a circle.

2. One at a time, students step forward and say a fact about themselves (e.g. I have one sister.).

3. If that statement is true for other students, they come forward one step and say "just like me"!

4. The next student steps forward and says his or her fact. Continue until all students have had a chance to go (and you could keep going, if you have time).

2. Round Robin Share

For this activity, students also share something about themselves. Unlike the Just Like Me game, however, students can share a bit more during this activity. Here's what you do:

1. Have your students sit in a circle.

2. Ask a non-academic question. (e.g. What's your favorite season? Why?)

3. Go around the circle and give every student the opportunity to answer the question while the rest of the class listens.

4. Optional: If you want, you could give some other students a chance to make a comment or ask a question after each student shares.

These relationship building activities take a bit longer, usually about 30 minutes. If you feel your relationships with your students need a major dose of positivity, try these activities.

1. Mystery Student Lunch Bunch

This activity is super fun, and will improve behavior in your classroom! Here's what you do:

1. Each week, draw a student's name (or more than one, if you want). I recommend writing each student's name on a popsicle stick and putting the sticks in a cup/jar/etc (which you can also use to call on random students to answer questions during class). The chosen student is a mystery to the class - only you know who it is!

2. Throughout the week, you observe the mystery student's behavior.

3. If the mystery student had positive behavior the whole week, then he or she gets to have lunch bunch on Friday! You can also let the student (or students) choose friends to join them for lunch bunch, or you can make it a whole class lunch in the classroom. Also, if the mystery student does not earn lunch bunch, DO NOT reveal the student's name to the class. This will only make that student feel ashamed and may even lead to worse behavior.

Not only does this motivate students to behave during the week, but it also gives you a chance to bond with the students who earn lunch bunch. I call that a win-win situation!

2. Get To Know You Board Game

This activity gives students the opportunity to learn about one another and play a game at the same time! During this game, students take turns rolling a die and moving that many spaces. Then, they answer the question on the space they land on. The questions are all designed to help students learn about each other and create connections.
Click here to get the FREE game board!
3. All About Me Initials

These All About Me Initials are a great way to have students share more about themselves in a fun way. To do this activity, give each students a letter for each initial (so I would get a V and an S, because my name is Victoria Skinner). Then, students can write or draw about themselves in those letters. You can either give students specific things to write/draw (such as their favorites foods, their family, what they like to do, etc.) or leave it open-ended. After students complete their initials, you can hang them up in the classroom or the hallway!

All of these relationship building activities will help you build a positive classroom community. You can use them from the very first week of school until the very last day of the year. I hope you found something useful for you and your students to use! If you need some reminders, get this cheat sheet to help you out. Do you have any other great ways to build relationships in the classroom? If so, send me an email or leave a comment below!

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8 Quick Relationship Building Activities - The Inspired Educator

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Are you looking for quick and easy ways to develop positive connections in your classroom? If so, here are 15 great relationship building activities to use!

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Every teacher knows that they will usually have a student in class who is difficult to manage and work with. Their behavior is usually hard to control and it can be extra work to get them to pay attention and stop distracting others. If you're studying to become a teacher, your courses will help you learn classroom management techniques that will prepare you for difficult students. Additionally, it's extremely valuable to learn about learning theories and recognize that there are different methods and thoughts about how people learn.

Behaviorism or the behavioral learning theory is a popular concept that focuses on how students learn. Behaviorism focuses on the idea that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. This learning theory states that behaviors are learned from the environment, and says that innate or inherited factors have very little influence on behavior.

A common example of behaviorism is positive reinforcement. A student gets a small treat if they get 100% on their spelling test. In the future, students work hard and study for their test in order to get the reward.

Behaviorism is key for educators because it impacts how students react and behave in the classroom, and suggests that teachers can directly influence how their students behave. It also helps teachers understand that a student's home environment and lifestyle can be impacting their behavior, helping them see it objectively and work to assist with improvement.

Behaviorism started as a reaction against introspective psychology in the 19th century, which relied heavily on first-person accounts. J.B. Watson and B.F. Skinner rejected introspective methods as being subjective and unquantifiable. These psychologists wanted to focus on observable, quantifiable events and behaviors. They said that science should take into account only observable indicators. They helped bring psychology into higher relevance by showing that it could be accurately measured and understood, and it wasn't just based off opinions.

Watson and Skinner believed that if they were given a group of infants, the way they were raised and the environment they put them in would be the ultimate determining factor for how they acted, not their parents or their genetics.

Pavlov's Dogs is a popular behaviorism experiment. A group of dogs would hear a bell ring and then they would be given food. After enough time, when the bell would ring the dogs would salivate, expecting the food before they even saw it. This is exactly what behaviorism argues-that the things we experience and our environment are the drivers of how we act.

The stimulus-response sequence is a key element of understanding behaviorism. A stimulus is given, for example a bell rings, and the response is what happens next, a dog salivates or a pellet of food is given. Behavioral learning theory argues that even complex actions can be broken down into the stimulus-response.

In the classroom, the behavioral learning theory is key in understanding how to motivate and help students. Information is transferred from teachers to learners from a response to the right stimulus. Students are a passive participant in behavioral learning-teachers are giving them the information as an element of stimulus-response. Teachers use behaviorism to show students how they should react and respond to certain stimuli. This needs to be done in a repetitive way, to regularly remind students what behavior a teacher is looking for.

Positive reinforcement is key in the behavioral learning theory. Without positive reinforcement, students will quickly abandon their responses because they don't appear to be working. For example, if students are supposed to get a sticker every time they get an A on a test, and then teachers stop giving that positive reinforcement, less students may get A's on their tests, because the behavior isn't connected to a reward for them.

Repetition and positive reinforcement go hand-in-hand with the behavioral learning theory. Teachers often work to strike the right balance of repeating the situation and having the positive reinforcement come to show students why they should continue that behavior.

Motivation plays an important role in behavioral learning. Positive and negative reinforcement can be motivators for students. For example, a student may recieve praise for getting a good grade on a test, this is positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is still motivation to get the student to act in a desired way, but removes an element in order to get the student to do something. For example, a student may not have to do homework if they score well on a test. Both of these motivators are valuable for improved behavior inside the classroom.

If you're interested in educational learning theories, a degree from WGU could help you be prepared to advance your career in education!

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The behavioral learning theory and the social learning theory stem from similar ideas. The social learning theory agrees with the behavioral learning theory about outside influences on behavior. However, the social learning theory goes a step further and suggests that internal psychological processes are also an influence on behavior. Students or individuals may see things being done, but the social learning theory says that internal thoughts impact what behavior response comes out.

Behaviorism doesn't study or feature internal thought processes as an element of actions. Social learning argues that behavior is much more complicated than the simple stimulus and response of behaviorism. It suggests that students learn through observation, and then they consciously decide to imitate behavior. There are underlying emotions like peer pressure and a desire to fit in that impact behavior.

Teachers can implement behavioral learning strategy techniques in their classroom in many ways, including:

Drills. Teachers may practice skills using drill patterns to help students see the repetition and reinforcement that behavioral learning theory uses.

Question and answer. Teachers can use a question as a stimulus and answer as a response, gradually getting harder with questions to help students.

Guided practice. Teachers can be directly involved in helping students go through problems to give them the reinforcement and behavior demonstration you want them to follow.

Regular review. Reviews are important to behavioral learning theory. Going back over material and giving positive reinforcement will help students retain information much better.

Positive reinforcement. Behaviorist classrooms utilize positive reinforcement regularly. This can be in the form of verbal reinforcement and praise, reward systems, added privileges, and more.

While behaviorism is a great option for many teachers, there are some criticisms of this theory. Behaviorism is best for certain learning outcomes, like foreign languages and math, but aren't as effective for analytical and comprehensive learning.

Other critics of behavioral learning say that the theory doesn't encompass enough of human learning and behavior, and that it's not fully developed. Other theories have come forward that take behaviorism further, implying that there are many additional factors to consider when evaluating behavior.

If you are hoping to one day become a teacher, it's important to get the right degree and credentials to help you be prepared for success. It's also important to understand learning theories to be ready to take on students and the classroom. When you understand more about psychology and how students learn, you're much more likely to be successful as an educator.

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Current teachers and those who are studying to become teachers need to understand how learning theories impact their students. The behavioral learning theory or behaviorism is a learning theory that greatly impacts students and how they act in the classroom. Learn more about the behavioral learning theory and how educators can utilize it to help students succeed.

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40+ Bell Work Ideas for Every Class - Teach 4 the Heart

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Whether you call it morning work, bell work, or bell ringers, having a start-of-class activity can work wonders when it comes to helping class start smoothly. Not only does bell work keep kids calm and help them focus, but it also gives you time to take attendance, answer the same question for the 1

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Quality bell ringers are crucial - quick activities to get students going at the beginning of class, when the bell has just rung.

For these first five or ten minutes of class (OK, probably more the five than the ten), we have our students' most attention. It's the most focused they'll likely be for us all day.

If we squander that time, the rest of our time with them suffers.

But if we seize the opportunity that it is, we can spark interest and hook students into a lesson.

One of the hooks from the book Teach Like a PIRATE that's most memorable to me is the Board Message Hook.

In a book about engaging students, the idea of meeting students with something that's eye-catching and thought-provoking - a statement or a picture or whatever - really resonated with me.

Put a photo of something seemingly random on the board that eventually ties into the lesson of the day.

Write a controversial or surprising statement on the board.

Display a QR code on the board and see if students scan it.

The idea here is to meet students in the first moments of class with something that intrigues them and makes them want to dive deeper into the day's work.

The traditional model for bell ringer activities - the first activities students do before starting into the substance of the class - is to do some basic, quick questions:

Simple problems in math

Verb conjugations in foreign language

Comprehension questions in English/language arts

Review questions from the previous day's history lesson

So, so forgettable. So easy to do without any real thinking.
Let's come up with some bell ringer activities that inspire students, that trigger thinking and discussion. When we pull some of the incredible digital tools available to us, we can kick these bell ringer activities up to another level.

10 digital bell ringer activities you can use tomorrow! FREE ebook

20 ideas for great digital bell ringer activities

Whether you have digital devices for your students or not, these should stimulate some new ideas for kicking off class in an engaging way:

1. Add speech bubbles to a historic photo.

Add a new twist to a lesson by letting students speak - or think - for the characters. My favorite way to do this is with Google Drawings (for creating individual images) or Google Slides (for having each student create a slide in a shared presentation). Do an image search for a historic photo and add that photo to the drawing or slide. Then add speech bubbles. (If using Drawings/Slides, it's in the shapes under the "callouts" category.) This is higher-order thinking! Students must know their facts and understand the people involved very well to be able to think for them. Kick the Depth of Knowledge level up even higher by having students justify their thinking and explain why they wrote what they did.

Example: Washington crossing the Delaware. Find the historic painting and add a thought bubble for Washington. (Then, add a thought bubble for a soldier too!)
Resource: Caption This! A fun, deep-thinking Google Drawings activity
2. Ask a character/historic figure a question.

What if students could ask someone they're studying a question? What would they ask, and how would that person likely respond? This is another that can be done quickly and easily in Google Slides or Drawings. Let students take a photo of themselves using Insert > Image > Take a snapshot. Then, use the image search to find a photo of the person to whom they'll ask the question. Add speech bubbles to ask questions. Students could ask one question with one answer from the character/historic figure, or they could do a back-and-forth with several photos.

Example: Asking Sir Isaac Newton a question about how he concluded that gravity was due to the pull from the earth.

3. Create a flowchart.

Sticking with the Google Slides/Drawings idea, have students express their understanding of a concept with a flowchart. This can easily be done with shapes and arrows (found under the line tool) in Slides and Drawings. A single line throughout a flowchart makes for more of a timeline and less of a flowchart, so any time it can branch off, the flowchart is made more interesting! (Pro tip: copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) the shapes and arrows to save time.)

Example: Go through the process of deciding what to have for lunch and all of the decisions made in that process.
Resource: Deeper thinking with timeline projects
4. Make comic strips out of webcam photos.

Those webcams don't have to be just for selfie-style photos (especially those with peace fingers and duck lips ...). Have students back away from the camera and pose to recreate scenes of what you're studying. Or, have them sit side by side and have a discussion. This makes the students the stars of their own comic strips!

Example: Recreating a scene from a story or having a discussion about something they're learning in class.
Resource: Crash! Bang! Boom! How to add Google Drawings comic strips to your class
5. Create a quick animation.

Google Slides (or PowerPoint or any presentation slide tool) can be turned into a simple stop-motion animation tool. Create the first slide in your animation, then duplicate it, then move something slightly in the second slide. Duplicate the second slide and move something slightly in the third. Continue duplicating and moving until your animation is complete. Once your students have the hang of this, they can make animations pretty quickly.

Example: Recreating historic battles with moving maps ( here's a brief, incomplete example of the Battle of Little Big Horn) or showing how a math problem is completed.
Resource: Learning in motion: EASY stop-motion animation with Google Slides Resource: 11 tips for creating stop motion in Google Slides
6. Create BookSnaps of what you're reading.

In BookSnaps, students find a passage from a book they're reading that resonates with them. They snap a picture of it and annotate on it, underlining and adding text reflections and including fun things like emojis and Bitmojis (optional). There are variations of these, like MathSnaps, ScienceSnaps and even GratitudeSnaps. Snapchat is one tool many teachers and students use to create these annotations. (If you use Snapchat to do them, you don't even have to follow each other or post it to Snapchat ... just use the app to create the image!) If you don't want to use Snapchat, a take a snapshot (Insert > Image > Take a snapshot) using Google Slides or Drawings and add the annotations. See more about BookSnaps on the Twitter hashtag (#BookSnaps).

Example: Reflect on a reading in a book with a BookSnap. Explain parts of a math problem with a MathSnap. Show what's happening in a science lab with a ScienceSnap.
Resource: #Booksnaps- How-To Videos
7. Shared slide presentations.

Google Slides doesn't have to be used just to do presentations in front of the class! Create a slide presentation with enough slides for each student in the class. Then share that slide presentation with the class using the blue "Share" button. (Be sure to use the "Get shareable link" button and choose "Anyone with the link can edit" or "Anyone from <your school district> can edit" from the dropdown menu.) Each student gets a slide where he/she can do his/her own work. But you're also creating a whole class file. Students love to see what each other has put on the other slides, and it's a great place to interact through comments. Here's a shared slide presentation I did in a workshop where participants wrote about their ideal vacation destination.

Example: Finding quick facts/photos online about a topic you'll discuss in class that day.
Resource: Student collaboration in shared Google Slides
8. Ask students "What if ..." using a Flipgrid video grid.

It's always fascinating to see what students imagine when their minds are allowed to wander. An educator from Australia, Bronwyn Joyce, has gotten in the habit of asking her students - and students around the world - "What if?". Her prompts have elicited more than 1,000 videos and have prompted interesting discussions about the world's problems. On a smaller scale (in the classroom with just your students), this can be an interesting way to kick off a class.

Example: Letting students speculate what would happen if history was different, or if a character did something differently in a story, or what they would do if ...
Resource: Catch the Flipgrid fever! 30+ ways to use Flipgrid in your class
9. Create Icon boards.

I created icon boards as a way to simplify the infographic process. Think of icon boards as "infographics LITE" or "infographics when you're in a hurry."

The "Great Big Icon Board." Click here for the template in Google Slides.

You can use Google Slides to create your own icon boards - or just use the templates included in this post to copy and distribute mine.

Icon boards include an open space for students to organize what they're learning visually, combining text and images. They include plenty of icons that students would likely use from sources like The Noun Project or Flat Icon.

The icons - as well as shapes, text boxes and other elements - are placed in the workspace around the board. They're not actually on the board until students move them there. Think of it like things sitting around your paper on a desk.

Whether you create your own icon boards or use my pre-created templates, there are a few simple steps to using them.

(If you're using one of my templates, you'll need to make a copy of your own using the links above first.)

1. Distribute the icon boards to students. The easiest way is creating an assignment in Google Classroom and attaching the file to the assignment (choose "Make a copy for each student"). Other options include using the blue "Share" button and getting a clickable link, then changing the word "edit" and anything after it to say "copy" in the URL ... OR ... creating a short URL students can type in with a service like TinyURL.com or bitly.com.

2. Students open their boards (through Google Classroom or the method you choose).

3. Students organize their ideas using the items you've placed in the space around the board.

4. Students add additional items, like icons, shapes, text boxes, etc. that they might need.

Resource: Google Slides icon boards for low-prep, visual thinking
10. Do a shared mind map brainstorm with AWWApp.

Students can interact in a shared whiteboard in AWWApp (awwapp.com). They can draw with their finger (or a mouse or a laptop/Chromebook touchpad). If you have a touchscreen available, this is a really easy, collaborative way for students to sketch out and share their ideas. Because the whiteboards are collaborative, they can share whiteboards with others - students in other classes or anyone around the world - so they can collaborate together.

Example: Jot down all of the words that best describe a character. Write out all of the questions they have about solving a certain kind of math problem.
Resource: 10 ways to collaborate digitally + visually in class
11. Tweet for someone.

What would happen if a character in a story you're reading tweeted about an event in the story? Or about an event in current events ... or in another story? What if a scientist or mathematician or notable character in history tweeted? Now, you can let students create those tweets as bell-ringer activities. Use this Google Slides template. (Make sure you make your own copy.) Create a slide for each student. Then share the slide presentation with your students (through Google Classroom, through a learning management system, with a link using the blue Share button). Make it "Anyone with the link can edit". Students jump on their own slides and add the following: a photo, the name of the person tweeting, the Twitter username (start it with @), and the tweet. Ninja tip: To turn the photo to a circle, click on the photo and use the dropdown button next to the crop tool to select a circle as the crop shape!
Resource: 10 social media-inspired learning activities: no accounts necessary
12. Draw with your finger (or a computer touchpad).

I doubt that the simplicity of a simple drawing will ever lose its relevance in a classroom. Images are powerful; they're how our brain thinks anyhow. Having students draw what's in their brains - or how they understand a concept - can be a quick and easy way to get them on track for the day. Formative (goformative.com) makes this easy AND digital with its "Show Your Work" questions. Create a new assignment in Formative and just add a "Show Your Work" drawing question with a prompt. Share the assignment with students. Then see what they come up with. Now, we don't want to go digital for the sake of going digital, right? The tech should elevate the activity. Here, all of those simple drawings can be displayed quickly and easily from the teacher's computer on a projector. Speed and simplicity.
Resource: Draw, choose, write or say: Fantastic formative assessments
13. Create a "What do you know about ..." Padlet.

Padlet (padlet.com) is like a digital bulletin board. Use it to tack digital notes to it with push pins. Those notes, though, can have links, files, images and other multimedia attached to them - much cooler than a regular bulletin board. Kick off class for the day by creating a collaborative "What do you know about ..." Padlet. Pose a question: "What do you know about dolphins?" and encourage students to add whatever they can - personal experiences, facts, images, videos, whatever. This is a great way to activate prior knowledge.
Resource: 20 useful ways to use Padlet in class now
14. Discuss an article digitally with Hypothes.is.

Popular culture, the news and blogs are great sources of relevant, up-to-date content we can connect to our classes. Hypothes.is ( hypothes.is) lets us share an article with students and start a digital discussion there. Imagine that the article is clipped out of a newspaper. (I know, old school stuff ...) Hypothes.is lets students digitally highlight and add sticky notes all over that article - but with enough room to have unlimited annotations. Discuss an article with your class - or even share the discussion with others outside of your classroom. (Example: The author of the article you're discussing!)
Resource:Try Edji, another text annotation tool. See how with 20 ways to analyze text, images with Edji.
15. Dig into fascinating writing prompts.

Need some new ideas to get students thinking - and then writing? Write About (writeabout.com) has a treasure trove of creative, thought-provoking writing prompts at www.writeabout.com/ideas. Choose one and then get the writing juices flowing, either on student blogs (Write About / blogger.com / kidblog.org) OR by giving students their own individual slides in a shared Google Slides presentation.

16. Record a short explainer video.

Sometimes, it's just easier to show someone what you're talking about than to write it. Students can fire up a screen recording video with Screencastify (screencastify.com) in moments using the tool's extension for the Google Chrome browser. Students can quickly record their screen, record with their webcam and/or record audio with their microphone to kick off class. It's easy for them to share those videos with others after uploading them to Google Drive - or to turn them in with Google Classroom or another learning management system.
Resource: 24 ways to create great classroom video with Screencastify
17. Play a quick Quizizz game.

Want to review some material? Go over content from a previous lesson? Even give students a fun way to look up new material? Play a quick Quizizz game to start class. (Ever played Kahoot!? Quizizz has many similarities.) When setting the game up, click the "homework" button instead of the "play live" button and set the completion time five or ten minutes into class. The game will display a join code and the Quizizz join site. Just display those to students and have them get started. They can start whenever they get in their seats ready to go, and it's not synchronous (i.e. their progress doesn't depend on the progress of other students).
Resource: Game show classroom: Comparing Kahoot!, Quizizz, Quizlet Live and Gimkit
18. Analyze books or articles with Flipgrid.

Flipgrid lets students talk about big world issues they'd like to tackle. Another way to use this platform is to let students talk about and analyze what they've just read. Give them a chapter from a novel, a short story or an article, a math problem they've solved - even something a fellow classmate has written! Flipgrid lets students record short videos (up to 90 seconds) about a topic. In this case, the topic can be what they've just read or worked on. When they're finished, they can view each other's videos. (The more interesting the prompt, the more likely they'll naturally want to look at each other's videos!)

19. Write emoji poetry or an emoji response.

Brevity is an important skill in writing. Instead of encouraging students to write to a minimum number of words, let's try constraining them to fewer words - and turn them into emojis! Have students summarize what they've been learning using emojis (maybe a maximum of 10?). The Google Chrome web browser has several emoji extensions (a favorite of mine is Emoji for Google Chrome). Mobile devices often have them built in. This encourages reflection on what they've learned and creativity in expressing themselves.

20. Write blackout poetry.

Have you ever seen those poems written by marking out all of the words in a news article or book page except a few with a black marker? This is blackout poetry. This can be a fun - and creativity-provoking - way to kick off class. Have students take a photo of a page of text (or a screenshot of an article online). Paste that image into Google Drawings or Slides (or a mobile app that lets them draw with their finger, like Paper by FiftyThree). In Google Drawings, they can use lines or shapes (long skinny rectangles work great) to black out words. (Do a web search for "blackout poetry" for examples.) Students could create them on their own individual slides of a shared Google Slides presentation (see No. 7). If each student has his/her own slide, the whole slide show becomes a big gallery of blackout poetry!

Are you looking for quality, meaningful professional learning that both equips and inspires teachers?

Matt provides in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops and breakout sessions that equip, inspire and encourage teachers to create change in their classrooms. Teachers leave with loads of resources. They participate. They laugh. They see tech use and teaching in a new light. Click the link below to contact us and learn how you can bring Matt to your school or district!

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20 digital bell ringer activities to kickstart class

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Quality bell ringers are crucial - quick activities to get students going at the beginning of class, when the bell has just rung.For these first five or

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1. Ask "What stuck with you today?"

Find out what made the most impact with one simple question. Sticky notes are fantastic for exit tickets; just have each student post theirs to the board on their way out the door.

2. Lunch questions

In elementary classrooms, there's no need to wait until the end of the day. Try using exit tickets before lunch or recess. Kids too young to write? Have them tell you their answer on their way out the door.

3. Have them "tweet" it

This cute "Twitter" board is sure to appeal to young social media fans. Laminate the cards so they can be reused each day.

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4. Gauge understanding with emojis

Here's another way to help today's kids connect and share their progress. Have them circle an emoji on this free printable and explain why it reflects their understanding.

5. Record a Flip video

Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a totally free online tool for schools, where kids record video answers to a question posted by their teacher. This is such a cool exit ticket idea for virtual classrooms, though it works in face-to-face classrooms too.

6. Collect exit tickets on a traffic light

Have students post their tickets on a traffic light to indicate whether they're doing fine or struggling a bit. That way, you can focus on those who need more help first.

7. Give them a prompt

Sometimes exit tickets are very specific, but other times you just want to know what students' general reaction was to the class that day. We like this simple option that offers a few prompts to get them started.

8. Use the "Post-It, Prove It" method of exit tickets

Here's an example of a more specific exit question. Try to ask questions that have more than one right answer, so students don't just copy each other's responses.

9. Let them teach others

Kids often surprise us by looking at things in entirely different ways but still getting the correct answers. Their thoughts on a subject may give you ideas for helping other students who need a bit more instruction.

10. Take a poll

Online polls make terrific exit tickets. Poll Everywhere is free to use, and kids can text their answers. Fun!

11. Encourage self-reflection

Valuable as they are to teachers, exit tickets are also important for helping students self-assess. This version lets them reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement.

12. Tell two facts and a fib

We love this interactive ticket idea! Kids write down two facts about today's subject and one fib. They trade with another student to see if they can guess the incorrect fact before turning them in.

13. Try them in any class

Oui, oui, les "billets de sortie" work in French class, or Chemistry, or Art History ... every teacher should try them.

14. Keep an exit ticket journal

Give exit tickets a bit more substance by having students keep them in a journal. This gives them a nice record of learning and can help when it comes time to review for tests or write a paper.

15. Post exit tickets on Padlet

Think of Padlet as an online bulletin board. Teachers post a question or topic, and kids add their answers. See our review of Padlet here, then give it a try.

16. Print exit tickets on sticky notes

Did you know you can easily print on sticky notes? This game changer means you can easily customize exit tickets for any topic.

17. Write a 3, 2, 1 list

The 3, 2, 1 method allows kids to self-assess, but it also lets them indicate a deeper level of interest in the topic at hand.

18. Make it a mini-assessment

You'll have to prep these in advance, but an assessment exit ticket is sort of like a no-stress quiz. Kids simply do their best, without worrying about grades, and you get a better feel for their progress.

19. Fill up a shopping cart

Here's a chance to really see what their takeaways were from a lesson. This will let you see if your learning objectives are coming through as they should.

20. Follow science lab with exit tickets

Hands-on science exploration should be followed up with written observations and conclusions. Use exit tickets to check for understanding.

21. Sum it up with one sentence

Help your students distill what the day's lesson was all about with a one-sentence summary. This requires students to prioritize the most important elements of the activity and reveals whether they are getting the "big picture."

22. Keep it simple

Sometimes you look out at your students and you see a lot of blank stares. When this happens, take a quick moment to use this exit slip. It will help you assess who's on board and who needs further instruction.

23. Change it up

If you always use the same exit tickets after a lesson, your students might go on autopilot. Change up your format by asking students how they're doing in a variety of ways.

24. Match your exit tickets with your teaching philosophy

These colorful prompts were developed to support the Habits of Mind framework. Choose from questions that encourage your students to observe, reflect, and explore what they're learning.

25. Collect answers on Google Forms

Teaching online or looking to save paper? Collect your tickets using Google Forms instead. This is especially useful if you're already using Google Classroom.

26. Take time to analyze exit tickets

Make sure your exit tickets are worth the effort. Spend a little time at the end of each class or day looking over student responses, and make notes about any needs they indicate.

Exit tickets are just one type of formative assessment. Check out our guide to formative assessment.

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26 Exit Ticket Ideas and Examples That Give Immediate Feedback

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Use exit tickets to check student understanding of what they learned and get immediate feedback on that day's lesson.

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Writers using APA Style must strive to use language that is free of bias and avoid perpetuating prejudicial beliefs or demeaning attitudes in their writing. Topics covered: age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality.

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The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the highlighted topic. For a full consultation, and personalized assessment plan, schedule an appointmentwith one of our specialists.

More about Variations Psychology

Variations Psychology is a group practice specializing in diagnostic testing to identify psychological conditions. Our primary focus is Educational Psychology, guiding families on beneficial pathways toward student success and training educators in effective strategies to maximize student potential.

Our comprehensive evaluations test for conditions that impact mental health and development such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, and developmental delays.

In addition to diagnostic services, we offer Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) of K-12 students to assess needs for accommodations in school and determine their appropriate placements. IEEs provide an objective second opinion on existing IEP and 504 Plans.

For K-12 and post-secondary students, we offer evaluations to assess needs for accommodations on standardized tests, college entrance exams (e.g. - SAT, ACT, AP Exams), and graduate and professional licensing exams (e.g. - MCAT, LSAT, GRE, CBEST, NCLEX, GMAT, CA Cosmetology Exam, CA Contractors State Licensing Exam, CA Bar Exam). Schedule your free 15-minute consultationto learn how our diagnostic services can support you and your family.

Variations Psychology is located in Newport Beach, CA and provides psychological testing to residents throughout Orange County and its surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Irvine, Shady Canyon, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Yorba Linda, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Pelican Hill, Crystal Cove, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Lake Forest, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach, and more.

References:

Shinn. M.M. (2018). 8 Tips to Create a Mentally Healthy Classroom. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/8-tips-to-create-a-mentally-healthy-classroom

Shinn. M.M. (2019). The Teacher's TCIT School-Kit. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/the-teachers-tcit-toolkit

Shinn, M. M., & UC Davis PCIT Training Center (2019) Course of Treatment Manual for PCIT-TC. Unpublished Manuscript. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5993624ea803bb955170130a/t/5c8e78b0c8302569d10fdb51/1552840881981/PRIDE+Skills+for+Teacher+-+Shinn%2C+2019%2C+Variations+Psychology+v.BW3.19.pdf

Timmer, S., Hawk, B., Lundquist, K., Forte, L., Aviv, R., Boys, D., & Urquiza, A. (2016) Coping and Relaxation Skills 1. PC-CARE: Course of Treatment Manual. Unpublished Manuscript. UC Davis Children's Hospital. Retrieved from https://pcit.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/47_Coping_LittleKids-Aubrey-edits-8.6.18.pdf

Timmer, S., Hawk, B., Lundquist, K., Forte, L., Aviv, R., Boys, D., & Urquiza, A. (2016) Coping and Relaxation Skills 2. PC-CARE: Course of Treatment Manual. Unpublished Manuscript. UC Davis Children's Hospital. Retrieved from https://pcit.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/48_Coping_BigKids_6-9yrs-Aubrey-edits.pdf

Timmer, S., Hawk, B., Lundquist, K., Forte, L., Aviv, R., Boys, D., & Urquiza, A. (2016) Coping and Relaxation Skills 3. PC-CARE: Course of Treatment Manual. Unpublished Manuscript. UC Davis Children's Hospital. Retrieved from https://pcit.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Coping_Older-Kids_9-13yrs.pdf

Urquiza, A., Zebell, N., Timmer, S., McGrath, J., & Whitten, L. (2011) BE DIRECT. Course of Treatment Manual for PCIT-TC. Unpublished Manuscript. Retrieved from https://pcit.ucdavis.edu/wp content/uploads/2012/08/48_BEDIRECTrevised.pdf

How to Cite This Blog Article:

Shinn. M.M. (2020). BE DIRECT! 8 Teacher Tips for Getting Students to Listen. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/be-direct-8-teacher-tips-for-getting-students-to-listen

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Psychologically Speaking: 8 Teacher Tips for Getting Students to Listen - Variations

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BE DIRECT! 8 Teacher Tips for Getting Students to Listen Calling all teachers! Do you struggle to get students to listen to instructions? Check out this week's blog for our top tips on giving effective commands and building student compliance.

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. Why does Mr. Grier pace during his lesson?

2. How does Mr. Grier use body language to convey approval?

3. How do you see students respond to the teachers multi-signal approach?

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Leveraging body language techniques is essential to being an effective classroom manager. One way to use body language is to establish and reinforce positive relationships with your students. Body language expert Chris Caswell uses this classroom observation video to highlight ways to convey positive reinforcement, draw in disengaged learners and communicate directly with students, all while seamlessly conducting the lesson.

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What makes a good teacher great? | Azul Terronez | TEDxSantoDomingo

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How to Address a Wide Range of Skills & Abilities

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How to Address a Wide Range of Skills & Abilities

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When it comes to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a teacher, you have to tailor your lesson plan to different learning styles, student backgrounds and a variety of other factors.

If this sounds like a daunting challenge, Eugenia Mora-Flores, EdD, has some reassuring guidance for you. Mora-Flores is the chair of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at USC Rossier.
(Prepare to make a difference in the classroom.)
As a Professor of Clinical Education, former K-12 teacher, author and consultant to K-12 schools across the country, here is her expert advice on how to educate students of varying skills and abilities in your classroom.
Use differentiation
Differentiation is the process of making education accessible for all students. It's a personalized approach to teaching that addresses individual learning needs rather than using one strategy to address everyone.

Additionally, differentiation is a useful tool for promoting equity in the classroom. It not only accounts for different learning styles, but student backgrounds and experiences as well.

Use differentiation to accommodate visual, aural and verbal learners, gifted students and students with moderate disabilities-all while acknowledging the unique cultural perspectives of historically marginalized students.
Differentiate at every phase of the lesson plan
Differentiated instruction means using "a range of strategies to communicate the same information in a lesson," said Mora-Flores.

Lesson plans are typically structured in phases. "In each phase of the lesson, there may be opportunities to accommodate [different] needs. [But we don't want] teachers to think they need to create 15 different lessons."

Here are some common phases with examples of accompanying differentiation strategies:
The introductory phase
In the introductory phase of a lesson, you may want to use visuals to recap the previous lesson, while asking a higher-level question to engage gifted learners. You can also break students into groups to discuss prior learning.
The research/Inquiry phase
In the research phase of the lesson, you can offer a variety of resources for students to learn more about a subject. By providing different modalities such as articles, podcasts, videos, models, experimentation opportunities etc., you ensure that everyone is able to connect with the topic.
The demonstration phase
Use think-alouds (i.e. ask questions and discuss how to understand the content that you're reading) to demonstrate how to acquire comprehension skills.
The practice/application phase
As students work on their own, you can address them individually. Support them by prompting their thinking and guiding them through challenges.
Explore other instructional strategies
Differentiation is a broad term that encompasses many different instructional strategies. In order to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, explore different tactics under the umbrella of differentiation to find out what works for you and your students.

Creating peer interaction groups for students can be effective. Whether it's partnerships, small or large groups, each has its own unique benefits. Switching partners or groups within group discussions can also help keep perspectives fresh.

For students who require support developing their academic language, teachers can use language tools such as sentence frames and key academic vocabulary words, as well as providing opportunities to talk to their neighbors or table mates to rehearse the language.

"We also have strategies that help students organize their thinking," Mora-Flores added. " Graphic organizers [help students] figure out just how to organize the range of information that's coming in."
Consider intentional grouping
Intentional grouping is when teachers organize students by common interests, backgrounds, or other criteria.

For example, students who demonstrate an interest in pursuing a topic at an advanced level or perhaps students with varying academic ability, can work together to tackle a specific question from your lesson plan. Through collaboration, they use their shared interests or attributes to better engage with the material as individuals.
Take a holistic view of students' needs
It's important to consider a wide variety of factors that affect students' ability to learn. Mora-Flores adds that teachers should "look beyond formal identifications of students in our classrooms to really think about students as individuals."

Here are a few important formal (and less formal) categories of students whose needs you should plan to accommodate:

English language learners.

Students with special needs. (This is a broad term-make sure you identify the particular need and plan accordingly.)

Gifted and advanced learners.

Students who prefer collaborative spaces.

Independent workers.

Home and family backgrounds.

Addressing diversity requires thorough planning
All students bring a range of cultural and social experiences and assets to build upon at school. To ensure that your classroom is equitable for everyone, first reflect on class subject matter as a whole.

For example, if you're tasked with teaching American history, compare the range of diversity in the United States versus the European perspective of your textbook. Does it represent the experiences and history of the students in your class?

Then, once you're organizing your lesson plan, determine how to engage students about equity and diversity. Allow them to have critical dialogue with each other so that they can understand different perspectives.
Collaboration enhances learning for everyone
Collaboration is a key tool to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in the classroom. "The opportunity to hear something from a different perspective helps us understand the bigger picture of what we're studying," said Mora-Flores.

Additionally, collaboration can have the following benefits for students with varying needs:

Self-reflection. Hearing about others' experiences can motivate them to refine their point of view.

Exchange of language. Hearing peers articulate their ideas can help students develop their academic language, and ability to share their own thoughts with a range of audiences.

Students feel valued. Collaboration makes students feel like they belong to a community of learners.

Increased empathy. Understanding different experiences helps students empathize with their peers.

A Master of Arts in Teaching empowers you to support more students
While there are other paths to earning your teaching credential, aspiring teachers can build an enhanced set of skills at an accelerated pace through a master of arts in teaching program.

For example, USC Rossier's MAT program prepares you to meet teaching profession standards, as well as standards for supplemental certifications. You acquire the knowledge to teach in a general education classroom, and can choose to pursue an Education Specialist Credential, California Bilingual Authorization for Spanish, or Gifted Education Certificate.

With your enhanced preparation, you'll be equipped to address more student needs in your classroom once you start teaching.

Ready to help all students succeed?
Become a Teacher

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How to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom

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When it comes to addressing a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a teacher, you have to tailor your lesson plan to different learning styles, student backgrounds and a variety of other factors. If this sounds like a daunting challenge, Eugenia Mora-Flores, EdD, has some reassuring guidance for you.

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I Need to Have a Growth Mindset ALONGSIDE My Students

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I Need to Have a Growth Mindset ALONGSIDE My Students

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One of THE BEST Books I have ever read. It teaches you how to utilize stress in effective ways and change your perspective on viewing stress as a good thing.

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Inspirational Video- Be a Mr. Jensen- MUST WATCH!! - YouTube

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Inspirational Video- Be a Mr. Jensen- MUST WATCH!!

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10 Simple Ways to Motivate High School Students 

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10 Simple Ways to Motivate High School Students 

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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I like how they divided the school-wide expectations next to the specific teacher's classroom expectations. 

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Snow Canyon High School Course Disclosure

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Snow Canyon High School Course Disclosure

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Management Tips From Student Teaching Handbook

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Management Tips From Student Teaching Handbook

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MANAGEMENT

Since you will be in a classroom with an already-established management system, you will need to follow that system.  When you have your own classroom, you will probably use the best of many ideas or a specific system.  Do not become discouraged with discipline.  Remember you are learning and some skills take more time to develop.  Take advantage of this time and learn all that you can about discipline.  (You will find that even experienced teachers find management one of their greatest challenges.) You may find several of these ideas to be helpful in many situations:

1. Be Consistent and Equitable

At first you may find it hard to follow through with rules and consequences, however if you stick to it, your students will understand exactly where you stand.  The more consistent you are, the smoother your management program will be and the easier your student teaching experience will become.

2. Plan Well in Advance for Problems

Anticipate management problems so you will know how to react to them.  Minimize them by planning well in advance, varying instructional activities and responding quickly to meet student needs.

3. Get to Know Your Students

Treat all students equitably when dealing with problems.

4. Be Friendly, but Firm

You’re not the student’s best friend, nor are you a dictator.  Try not to lose your temper and embarrass a student in front of the class since this will cause resentment.  Always try to maintain your sense of humor, but do not use that humor to ridicule a student.

5. Be Active and Alert

Move around the room and be a part of it all.  This will discourage many students from misbehaving.  In addition, be alert to changes like temperature, external noises, illnesses, emotional upsets, etc.

6. Set an Atmosphere of Work and Plan for Active Learning

Active students will be less likely to misbehave.  Post “bell” work activities.  Make transitions quickly between activities.

7. Develop a Routine and Stick to It

Students perform better if they have consistency and know their routine.  Post the routine in the classroom in a conspicuous place.

8.  Be in the Classroom Before the Students Arrive

Greet students as they enter to set a positive mood/tone.  Provide “bell” work to minimize free time misbehavior.

9. Use a Variety of Teaching Styles

Consider using multiple intelligences as outlined by Gardner.

10. Never Send a Student out of the Room without Supervision

You are responsible and legally liable for your students’ actions.  You are responsible for the supervision of all students.  The student may be getting the attention he/she wants by misbehaving and being sent away.  That attention may encourage the student to misbehave again.

11. Don’t Punish the Whole Group for the Actions of One

Treat each student with respect.  If one disrupts the class, correct that student, not the whole class.

12. Give Alternatives to a Misbehaving Student

Suggesting alternative behaviors to the student may stop the misbehavior.

14. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help!

The Mentor Teacher, building Principal, and Teacher Education Supervisor can help and give you advice if needed.  Seek them out, listen to them, and implement their advice.

Ideas adapted from Dr. A.J. Yonke, Western Illinois University, 1989.

Continued

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Lesson Plan Template From Student Teaching Handbook

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Lesson Plan Template From Student Teaching Handbook

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LESSON PLAN CONSIDERATIONS

A Model for Evaluating the Teaching Process

Establishing a model for evaluating of teaching process requires that the evaluator address three basic areas:

1. Define the teacher’s philosophy of education

2. Define supervision of teachers

3. Determine what form supervision of teachers will take

A form which is consistent with the above definitions of “education” and “supervision” was developed by Madeline Hunter.  Her description of the components of the model is as follows:

1. Anticipatory Set – focus the learners’ attention, give brief practice on related learning previously achieved, and develop a readiness for the instruction that will follow.

2. Specific Objectives/Purpose – On the basis of the diagnosis, select specific objectives for a particular group’s daily instruction. Inform the learners of the objectives indicating why accomplishment is important and relevant to present and future situations.

3. Instructional Input – Select a variety of creative learning activities that promise to help the learner achieve the objective. Plan and utilized critical (high order) thinking questions.

4. Modeling – Provide both a visual example of what is to be attained (product or process) and a verbal description of the critical elements involved.

5. Check for Understanding – Check for the learner's possession of essential information and skills.

6. Guided Practice – Circulate among students to see that they can perform successfully before being asked to practice independently.

7. Independent Practice – Once learners can perform without major errors, they should be given opportunities to practice the new skill or process with little or no teacher direction.

8. Closure – Summarize and conclude the lesson, emphasize the objective of the lesson, tie together activities and give the student some ideas on what they could do on their own to extend what they have learned.

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Lesson Planning Components From Student Teaching Handbook

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Lesson Planning Components From Student Teaching Handbook

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LESSON PLANNING COMPONENTS:
PLAN YOUR WORK – WORK YOUR PLAN

To meet the needs of the LEA in which you are completing your student teaching the COEHD encourages you to use the district’s lesson plan format.  If the LEA does not have a standardized lesson plan format use the COEHD’s lesson plan form or select from the following components, applicable to your lessons, in formulating your lesson plans.  Make sure you are aware of and include elements of a good lesson plan.

1. Goals and Objectives:  What Do You Want the Learners to Accomplish?

Write                              Construct                          Record                Etc.

Identify                           List                                   Gather

Differentiate                   Compare                           Classify

Solve                              Contrast                             Design

2. Motivation:  How Will I Begin?  (Bell ringer, sponge activity, anticipatory set)

Leading Question

Surprise Idea (something in a sack or

box)

Thought-provoking Quotation

Word or Symbol on the Board

Question

Personal Experience

Capitalize on Some Experience From

the Group

Object

Interest Center

Story Headline

Door Chart

Inquiry Method

3. Vocabulary/Terminology  (See next page)

Determine which to teach before the lesson body:  Review material in closure

4. Method:  How Will I Proceed?  Which Combination Will I Use?

Story Telling Method            Buzz Session Method

Lecture Method            Group Dynamics Method

Assignment Report Method        Committee Method

Question Method            Unit Method

Activity Method            Object Method

Discussion Method            Teaching- Pupil Planning

Learning Code Method        Individualized Learning Packets

Guest Speakers

5. Include Key Higher Order Thinking Skills Questions (HOTS).

This type of questioning gets students to use higher order thinking skills.  Refer to Bloom’s Taxonomy for help in writing these questions.

6. Materials:  What Will Make The Experience More Interesting?

Pictures                Grooved Board

Objects                Blackboard

Charts                    Flannel Board

Posters                    Accordion Books

Maps                    Scrap Books

Graphs                    Moving Pictures

Tapes, CD’s                Diorama

Multimedia Kits            Videos

Programmed Material            DVD’s

Slides                    Textbook

Power point Presentation

7. Check Up: Finding Out What Has Been Learned?  Formative and Summative Assessment

Question Quizzes and Drills

Multiple choice questions

Matching Ideas

Bean Bags

Scrambled Games

Cross Word Puzzles

Tic Tac Toe

Creative Expressions

Writing

Discussing

Sharing orally

Recall Games

(I’m thinking of…)

Baseball

8. Daily Review of What We Did
(What did you learn today? How can you apply this in the real world?)

9. Materials/Equipment/Supplies Needed

10. Resources For Future Reference

11. Reflection:  How Successful Was It?

Did we achieve our objectives?    Have I improved myself?

How do I know?            Did we think?

Did everyone participate?        Was there evidence of improved behavior?

Did we have a happy time?        Did we learn something?

12. Plans for Next Time?

Those Who Fail to Plan……Plan to Fail