Teaching K-12 isn’t always about adding new concepts to the weekly instruction. Teach this concept on Monday, teach that concept on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, teach something new.
Teaching isn’t lecturing every day, either. You, student, listen while I talk (and talk), and we’ll get along fine. Sort of like college does, right?
Half the time students don’t even care about the subjects in school. I know this because I’m asked frequently with some attitude by my 6th, 7th, or 8th graders here and there, “Why do I need even need to know this?!”
Sometimes I reply, “Because you’re in public school,” for the lack of a good answer in the heat of the moment.
With all the tasks we have as teachers, I forget we are preparing a child for their future selves. Students never think this is the case of why they must learn. They aren’t thinking about how it will apply to their lives in the long run. They just want school over. I did, too, when I was a K-12er.
However, some lessons need to be discussed in a way that students will understand it may be useful information at some point in their lives; something they will use in their future.
This became more real to me just recently.
In 8th grade Reading, I chose a lesson on the structure of a magazine.
It wasn’t necessary to teach, and I could have easily skipped over it, but I decided to make it a mini-lesson.
I’ll tell you why later.
On the first day I gave the lecture, showed examples, and then gave a pop quiz to see how much they retained in my detailed lesson.
The pop quiz was partly because they were acting really, really, bored; laying your head down and slobbering on my desks isn’t allowed.
I love pop quizzes. Hated them in college but love them as a teacher. In this case, it was passive revenge for sleeping in my classroom. Muuuwahh.
The quiz grades sunk like a rock to the bottom of the F ocean, and it proved they weren’t interested in the structure of a magazine. So, I trashed the bombed quizzes (with some reluctance but reasoned the pop quiz was a bit unfair.)
I think they thought the lesson didn’t fit into my Reading class; like who cares about the structure of a stupid magazine?
On the second day, I gave out a variety of magazines as props for the lesson.
I could tell by my student’s reactions, they rarely thought about magazines because lots of conversations ensued between me and them, and them and their peers.
My instructions were:
- Write the name of the magazine.
- Find a leading article within it and write its title.
- Write its subtitle.
- Find the central illustration. Write its caption.
- Search the contents and find the title and the page number.
- Lastly, find a sidebar and write its title.
We discussed the design of the magazine and how several magazines had different layouts, and what kind of jobs were related to publishing a magazine.
This is the part where I told you I’ll tell you later comes in.
One very good reason for deciding on the mini-lesson instead of skipping it is because I suspect two of my 8th grade boys could be future designers.
That is if they know professions like graphic designers, creative directors, advertising designers, user experience designers…and on and on exist.
I found this out a few weeks earlier by having them create a name for a restaurant and design the menus, with the appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks they wanted to serve.
This is what I mean about teaching lessons that become useful to their future selves. If we approach our lessons as we are extending useful information to those entrusted to us, we will become superheroes-even if no one calls us that. Well, that may be stretching it a bit.
To end my thoughts, I know not every lesson merits the time to go into detail about how it applies to everyday life, but we can slip it in here and there. You know, proudly putting the intelligence of a Highly Qualified Teacher into practice.
One more thing…and I’m only mentioning it because…the children I work with need extra help and public school can’t possibly do it all.
If your child is struggling in reading, written expression or arithmetic, I’m just going to say it; don’t expect public school to get your child’s gaps filled.
There isn’t enough time in the day to help every child packed in a classroom-as much as I wished it were the one-size-fits-all answer.
Please help them. Give them an extra 15 minutes a night, get a tutor, provide supplemental material. Anything to build their confidence and skills.
If they had any other kind of disability, like needing a wheelchair or medication, you’d get them that wheelchair or medication, right? Same with learning disabilities.
Give them the opportunities to succeed in school with the extra help they need. It’s your responsibility as a parent to help them strengthen areas they struggle in.
Why? Because I see two future designers in my classroom who may eventually change the world with their ideas.
Much love,
Sharon