When I saw the book 101 Relaxation Games for Children by Allison Bartl, I thought it might be a book about meditation or yoga for children. Instead it is a book full of short activities that can be used for many reasons – to calm a class, to wake up a class, to teach friendship [...]
Read the rest of this entry »These are just the hats I’m rejecting! The rest are in plastic boxes labeled by type. You may not have silly hats, but do you have an old baseball cap? How about a fun ski hat? A tennis visor? A sun hat? Hats can add a bit of fun to your usual routine. Match [...]
Read the rest of this entry »HUGE! TINY!
Would you notice a stretch limo parked in front of your house? Not only would I notice, but I would wonder who it belonged to, why they needed a limo, what exciting event they were going to, etc. etc. Now apply that to your teaching. Grab your students’ attention with something [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Here’s an age old tip: When you see that one of your students has checked out, just go and stand next to him or her as you continue your lesson. Proximity alone is an attention grabber. I just learned that this technique is called redirecting by some specialists. If you want to learn more about redirecting [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Don’t forget the power of movement. When you look out and your students’ eyes are glazed over, have them stand up and clap their hands along to the beat of a key phrase or a math formula. Just a few minutes will make a difference. As your students get used to it, they will not [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Watch the eyes of your students and you’ll be able to tell if their eyes have glazed over. If you notice that most of your students are looking out the window, it is time to change it up a bit. Do or say something a little silly and you will get their attention back. For [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Have you seen Air New Zealand’s in-flight safety video? Look for the “Bare Essentials of Safety” on YouTube. In the video, the pilot and cabin staff are wearing nothing but body paint. It is so realistic that you hardly take your eyes off the screen as you try to figure out if the clothes are [...]
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