Apply a variety of teaching strategies to develop a positive teaching-learning environment where all students are encouraged to achieve their highest potential.
It should be every teacher's goal to see their students soar beyond their expectations all the way up to their highest potential. As I have stated many times, there are so many different students in a classroom that have different learning abilities. Some students may learn more through visuals and another through doing. It is our job to cater to their needs.
This is where multimodality and technology in the classroom is important. By incorporating technology, we are allowing students to express themselves through different ways and allowing students another portal into the lesson. Henry Jenkins states that student's online practices "are important gateways into larger learning cultures that help support young people as they construct their identities and navigate their social surroundings" (DIY Media). There is no denying or fighting the fact that students are deeply involved with technology outside of school from their cellphones to their facebooks, twitters, and video games. Why should we push out what interests them the most? We have to find ways to embrace the 21st-century and place them in our classrooms. Doing so will help us connect to our students and help us aid in their identity construction to successful citizens of not only the real world, but the digital world as well.
When I introduced Shakespeare to my 7th graders, I realized that I needed to find a way to make it intersting to them. I made a Prezi presentation instead of a powerpoint presentation and gave them a quick introduction through that. As they watched the presentation, I asked students to fill out a worksheet (attached below) that followed along with what I was showing. Students seemed to enjoy the Prezi presentation because it is more interactive than me just lecturing them and/or a powerpoint slide presentation. It is important to switch up how you show information to students becuase predictability may get boring!
This is where multimodality and technology in the classroom is important. By incorporating technology, we are allowing students to express themselves through different ways and allowing students another portal into the lesson. Henry Jenkins states that student's online practices "are important gateways into larger learning cultures that help support young people as they construct their identities and navigate their social surroundings" (DIY Media). There is no denying or fighting the fact that students are deeply involved with technology outside of school from their cellphones to their facebooks, twitters, and video games. Why should we push out what interests them the most? We have to find ways to embrace the 21st-century and place them in our classrooms. Doing so will help us connect to our students and help us aid in their identity construction to successful citizens of not only the real world, but the digital world as well.
When I introduced Shakespeare to my 7th graders, I realized that I needed to find a way to make it intersting to them. I made a Prezi presentation instead of a powerpoint presentation and gave them a quick introduction through that. As they watched the presentation, I asked students to fill out a worksheet (attached below) that followed along with what I was showing. Students seemed to enjoy the Prezi presentation because it is more interactive than me just lecturing them and/or a powerpoint slide presentation. It is important to switch up how you show information to students becuase predictability may get boring!
earlymodern.doc | |
File Size: | 248 kb |
File Type: | doc |
In addition, while teaching Shakespeare I like to switch up the modalities. While teaching Hamlet with seniors and A Midsummer Night's Dream with the seventh graders, I like to do all different ways of reading. With the seniors we did some reading aloud, the audio tape and the movie. They loved watching the movie because it was full of action. However, the seventh graders LOVE acting! It is so much fun! I bought a director's clapboard and we act as if we are in a play while in class. I like to be able to do some acting, some analyzing, and if time show them a movie clip or something so they can also visualize it. Shakespeare was meant to be seen; we cannot avoid that!
I also love to use music in class. Who doesn't like music? It is an excellent way to get students to instantly get excited about a lesson. For example, when doing A Midsummer Night's Dream with the 7th graders, I wanted them to relate modern day music to the text. So, the previous night I had them list 5-10 songs that can relate to the text and explain how/why they relate. The day of the lesson, I started with another Prezi Presentation in order to teach the students about music in the Elizabethan Era. The last video that is on there is called the Evolution of Music and I thought it was an excellent transition into relating modern day music to AMND because it shows how music has changed. However, I stressed how Shakespeare is timeless and just because his plays are hundreds of years old doesn't mean that we cannot make connections!
In class after the Prezi, we listened to "You Can't Hurry Love" and "Clarity" while reading the lyrics I provided. Students were then asked to choose two quotes from each song that can relate to AMND and then find a quote from the text that displays how the quotes they have selected do relate. Students loved this! When we were finished, students shared the songs that they chose: "Hot 'n Cold" by Katy Perry, "Beat it" by Michael Jackson, and "Why do Fools Fall in Love" are a few examples!
Below are several different lesson plans that incorporate different modes of learning as well as several CCS.
In class after the Prezi, we listened to "You Can't Hurry Love" and "Clarity" while reading the lyrics I provided. Students were then asked to choose two quotes from each song that can relate to AMND and then find a quote from the text that displays how the quotes they have selected do relate. Students loved this! When we were finished, students shared the songs that they chose: "Hot 'n Cold" by Katy Perry, "Beat it" by Michael Jackson, and "Why do Fools Fall in Love" are a few examples!
Below are several different lesson plans that incorporate different modes of learning as well as several CCS.
hamlet_lesson_1_.docx | |
File Size: | 168 kb |
File Type: | docx |
hamlet_lesson_5.docx | |
File Size: | 109 kb |
File Type: | docx |
hamlet_lesson_8.docx | |
File Size: | 120 kb |
File Type: | docx |
hamlet_lesson_9.docx | |
File Size: | 118 kb |
File Type: | docx |
hamlet_lesson_13.docx | |
File Size: | 121 kb |
File Type: | docx |