Using What I've Learned

Hi all,
I finally got my suitcase unpacked this morning. I'm slow but sure. I realized I hadn't made a to-do list in six days. I now have about 25 things on my new list, and life goes on! I once heard a quote that said we should thank God every morning that we have something to do each day that must be done. Some days I'm better at that than others.

I want to thank all of you for the wonderful teachers you are, and for sharing your expertise and kindness with me. I learned much and hope to be able to apply it in my classroom. They say you usually only apply 5% of what you learn at these kind of things. I hope my percentage will be higher.

That brings me to the teaching strategy and how I'm going to use it in my classroom. It's hard to decide which one to share because I want to try them all. The reason they will be so beneficial is because they can be used in pretty much any curriculum area. I like the 20-word summary. I could use this in summarizing a story in reading, a science unit or lesson, a social studies unit or lesson, or a math lesson. Summarizing is such an essential skill in every area. When you have to stop and think about what you've learned and encapsulate it in 20 words, you really have to think and review what you know.

The alpha boxes are also very versatile. They too can be used in every major curriculum area. They would be good for group or individual discussion. It gives the students a way to go back over what they've learned and review.

The biopoem could be used for any person in history as well as any character in a book. For sure I'm going to use it at the beginning of the year as a way for the students to get to know each other.

Have a positive, productive year!