https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr Effective teachers keep learners engaged! en-us 2019-07-05 20:56:00 UTC 2026-01-19 14:51:13 UTC hello@padlet.com https://imgglb.padletcdn.com/v13/image?t=g_auto&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpadlet.net%2Ficons%2Fpng%2F1f929.png cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338742 Purpose:  Getting students' attention and giving them something to be interested in when you first introduce a topic will help gain and keep their attention and prepare them for learning.  According to Gregory and Chapman (2007), focus activities can "help the learner focus and pay attention, eliminate distracters, open 'mental files', provide choices, encourage self-directed learning, capitalize on 'prime time', and fill unallocated time" (p. 99). One focus activity to get students interested in thinking about math is a numbers game like this one from Gregory and Chapman (2007):
1) pick a number
2) multiple it by 9
3) add the resulting digits
4) subtract 5 from number
5) find corresponding letter
6) think of country which begins with that letter
7) think of animal that begins with last letter of your country
8) Think of color that begins with last letter of your animal.
Was the results an orange kangaroo from Denmark? 
Hooks like this will amazed students and get them talking about why this worked.

]]> 2019-07-05 21:02:45 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338742 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338846 Purpose: This strategy is designed to engage students with each other and the content being taught. The Wagon Wheel Teaming is a means to arrange heterogeneous grouping which can be easily changed up. There are rotating concentric circles with three or four levels with students of different ability levels. When the groups are given a task or question, the groups take a couple minutes of individual thinking and then turn and brainstorm suggested responses together including suggestions from all members of the group (Gregory & Chapman, 2007). This strategy allows for individual and collaborative efforts and the teacher can move around the room to ensure groups are on task.  

]]> 2019-07-05 21:05:10 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338846 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338929 Purpose: According to Gregory and Chapman (2007), "graphic organizers are useful thinking tools that allow students to organize information and allow students to see their thinking" (p. 101). They are a visual representation that show relationships of facts and concepts students are learning about. Venn Diagram, comparison matrix, and word webs are just a few types of graphic organizers. They can be used to brainstorm at beginning of lessons, to organize information in assignments, to put events or process in sequence, to relate new information, or to check for understanding. The can also be used for note take or summarizing material or even as the culminating assessment (Gregory & Chapman, 2007).]]> 2019-07-05 21:06:52 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338929 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338937 Purpose:  Having students work in groups with assigned roles encourages them to be more responsible to their team members and take ownership for their contributions to the group through the fulfillment of their individual role. Typical roles consist of encourager, clarifier, summarizer, questioner, recorder, reader, researcher, drawer, materials manager, or reporter.  Gregory and Chapman (2007) identified roles in a more modern form with "production manager, information manager, resource manager, personnel manager, technology manager, and time manager" (p. 113).  Each of the roles come with specified responsibilities and these must be well explained and practiced to ensure all students understand their roles.]]> 2019-07-05 21:07:06 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338937 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338951 Purpose: According to Rosenshine (2012), "students need to practice new material" (p. 14). Teachers should ask a large number of questions. Questions and their responses will let a teacher know how well the content is being understood. When a student answers questions, it is beneficial for the teacher to have the students explain the process of how they found their answers. The means by which students determine their solutions are indicators of how they understand the instruction. It is very important to include all students in the answering of the questions. Some ways to include all students is to use one of the following tactics: Students tell answer to a neighbor; Summarize idea on paper and sharing with a neighbor; Write the answer on a card that gets held up; Raising their hands if they know the answer; or Raise their hands if the agree with answer that was provided (Rosenshine, 2012). According to Rosenshine (2012), the purpose of all these procedures was to provide active participation for the students and also to allow the teacher to see how many students were correct and confident" (p. 14).]]> 2019-07-05 21:07:27 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338951 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338962 Purpose: When some of the students or groups have completed their tasks early, teachers don't want the students to be idle and cause distractions for the students who are still working.  Sponge Activities will soak up their extra time and keep them actively engaged in the learning process. Gregory and Chapman (2007) suggested giving the students broader or more general tasks such as: Develop a crossword puzzle on the computer to review topic; Use the computer to develop a word web on concept; Revise weekly agenda; Work on culminating unit task; Create a word web to organize material from the unit; or examine portfolio items and make adjustments. The tasks can be posted on wall or board for all to refer to if they find they have extra time that needs to be sponged up.]]> 2019-07-05 21:07:54 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370338962 cvigil2 https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370385311 Gregory, G. H. & Chapman, C.
        (2007). Differentiated
         instructional strategies; One
        size doesn't fit all (2nd ed.). 
        Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin 
        Press.

Rosenshine, B. (2012). 
        Principles of instruction; 
        Research-based strategies 
        that all teachers should 
        know. Retrieved from
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Rosenshine.pdf]]> 2019-07-06 18:37:55 UTC https://padlet.com/cvigil2/928mjnzax0xr/wish/370385311