Logic is important, and can be hard to teach. I spend a lot of time with my writing students trying to get across to them the importance of logical reasoning, support for one’s claims, and providing evidence for things we say, but for many of them, it’s a new idea.… Continue reading
Sir Ken Robinson said, discussing creativity, “I don’t mean to say that being wrong is the same thing as being creative. But if you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” It is an inspiring speech. You can also read Sir Ken’s book, Out of Our… Continue reading
I love graphic organizers! I hope you do too. Here are some of the reasons that I love them: For many people, graphic organizers provide the fastest way to grasp information. You can expect that at least some of the kids in your classroom will fall into that category. Everyone… Continue reading
Two kids may seem to be very much alike, and yet be very different when it comes to learning style. One of the issues in differentiated instruction is teaching for different modalities, or sensory learning styles. Some people learn better through visual input, some through what they hear, and others… Continue reading
Pamper your memory by using your most comfortable learning modality when you study, but hedge your bets by using them all in the classroom. Continue reading
Studying about how we think and learn can make a difference to how we study, and even to how well we learn. Whether it’s part of your biology lesson or an unusual classroom theme, consider a little brain study to smarten up your classroom. The Virtual Body’s brain section has… Continue reading
Monsters make a good metaphor for fear. Small children are sometimes sincerely scared of monsters, but older students can relate to the idea of vanquishing the monsters in their lives. Approaching monsters, feeling the fear, deciding whether it’s wise to continue, and showing courage or prudence — these are… Continue reading
The Emperor’s New Clothes is a fun story, with little magic and nothing scary in it. The title links to Virginia Lee Burton’s classic picture book. The Emperor’s New Clothes: A Tale Set in China is Demi’s version. Susanna Davidson has done a simpler version with very funny pictures younger… Continue reading
“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is one of the stories from1001 Arabian Nights. This is one of the more complex stories among popular fairy tales. Ali Baba, a poor woodcutter, is in the forest one day when he hears a band of thieves coming. Frightened, he hides. He… Continue reading
