| Along with my full-timejob as a middle | | | | As the old saying goes, "You can bring a |
| school social studies teacher I also | | | | horse to water, but you can't make him |
| teach a college level course on | | | | drink". |
| classroom management. In that courseI | | | | I have been trying to stress this point |
| usemy own books ("eteach: A Teacher | | | | to my college students and I believe it |
| Resource" and "52 Teaching Tips")as well | | | | is finally starting to sink in |
| asHarry Wong's book "The First Days of | | | | During my last few college classes more |
| School" and Harry Wong's videos "The | | | | and more students have been telling me |
| Effective Teacher". | | | | what new teaching strategy they have |
| While I do not agree with everything | | | | tried. Nothing makes me happier than |
| that Harry Wong teaches, by and large | | | | this |
| our teaching philosophies are very | | | | One student flat out told me that she |
| similar. | | | | thought my |
| More than anything though, what I agree | | | | "giving-students-a-break-during-class" |
| with most is what comes at the end of | | | | tip was nuts. However, she followed my |
| the Harry Wong videosWong asks everyone | | | | advice and gave it try and was shocked |
| in the audience to say "Own It!" if they | | | | at the positive impact this simple |
| plan to go back to school and actually | | | | teaching tip had on her class. |
| implement the teaching strategies taught | | | | Another student told me that she took my |
| in his presentation. | | | | advice aboutusing movie clips, labs, and |
| Now, while it is not exactly my style to | | | | other hands-on activitiesat the |
| shout out "own it!" in front of a bunch | | | | beginning of the lesson rather than the |
| of people, I absolutely agree with the | | | | end of lesson and was thrilled at how |
| point he is trying to make | | | | excited her kids were to want to learn |
| The fact of the matter is, you can study | | | | more about the topic. |
| all the teaching tips and teaching | | | | I even had a student approach me about |
| strategies in the world, but they will | | | | how much she loved using the interaction |
| do you no good if you do not actually | | | | sequence (by far the most effective |
| implement these teaching strategies in | | | | teaching strategy I have ever used |
| your own classroom. | | | | explained in great detail in "eTeach: A |
| I tell my college students one of three | | | | Teacher Resource"). She described how |
| things will happen if you try the | | | | this simple teaching tip has literally |
| teaching tips discussed in my class and | | | | transformed one of her worst students |
| taught in my ebooks 1. The teaching tip | | | | andshe can't believe she ever taught a |
| will not work and you will never use it | | | | day without it. |
| again. 2. The teaching tip works, but | | | | What separates these effective teachers |
| needs some modification to fit your | | | | from other non-effective teachers? |
| teaching style and your student's | | | | Not much more than a simple willingness |
| learning style. 3. The teaching tip | | | | to take risks. |
| works like a charm and you can not | | | | All these teachers did was apply what |
| imagine how you ever taught a day | | | | they have learned. |
| without it. | | | | Rememberto be a trulyeffective teacher |
| However, the only way any of this can | | | | one must not just continue to learn new |
| happen is if you actually give the | | | | teaching strategiesto be a truly |
| teaching tips a chanceyou must try them | | | | effective teacher one must actually |
| out and test them yourself to know for | | | | implement those teaching strategies in |
| sure whether or not they work. | | | | the classroom. |