Table of contents for The Dynamite Teacher
Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks
Anything you give kids by way of your life’s anecdotes them they will happily absorb. It’s very helpful when introducing a new topic to tell them stories about your life as it relates to that new concept. Until a kid can visualize something and compare it to something concrete, he/she will never have a chance at comprehending it. It is vital to getting students to understand your message. In teacher jargon this is known as “comprehensible input.” For example, when I am teaching respect for authority figures, such as police officers, I can tell a story of when I was disrespectful to a police officer and got thrown into the back of a police car. Kids can learn from my mistakes.
A “Dynamite Lesson Plan” should have at least one engaging story that teaches. This can make the need for a discipline plan obsolete.
Your own kids, as well as your students, in many ways worship the ground you walk on. To them, you are an image of the real world they desire so desperately to enter. Telling them stories from your life full of comprehensible input can bridge the chasm for them. They have nowhere to go. They are all ears! Make storytelling a part of every lesson you do.
And if you think you have no interesting stories to tell, remember this: Everything you’ve done has value to kids. It’s all in how you tell it to them. Make it fun and tie it in to age-appropriate input be it SpongeBob or Twilight. You’ll teach them your objective without them even knowing it.
Do you have any life adventures you could tell your kids?
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2 Comments
Hi, Damien,
Your post hit home for me. anything that we can create in visually appealing terms but also stimulates the senses and challenges the mind is of great meaningful value.
I too was taught to start the lesson with a “bang” and use the story method as my way of building a connection with the students. As an ESL teacher, I use stories as springboards to teach new vocabulary, which is an engaging way of bringing a lesson to life and building a connection with students.
I’m bookmarking your site for my new teachers to read and enjoy. Would you consider being interviewed for my site? I think your expertise has great appeal for the new teachers who read my blogsite.
Have a happy weekend holiday.
Dorit Sasson
http://www.newteacherresourcecenter.com
The New Teacher Resource Center
“Helping you Become a Successful Classroom Teacher”
You are very kind. It sounds like we share a passion for teaching as specifically helping new teachers get into the profession. I’ll be in touch, I’d like to read more of your blog and an interview would be absolutely fantastic! Thanks again.
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