I don't teach Math so I don't know a lot of the right things I do because I don't do any. I will try to relate this chapter the best I can in what I do with ELA. As mentioned on page 207, I don't rely solely on textbook to give instruction. There are other avenues I utilize to deliver material. Another thing I'm good at doing in my ELA classroom is drill and practice. We obviously don't do this with math or numbers, but with other things like spelling words and literary elements. I agree that this is a good method to use in all kinds of ways. Another thing I'm good at using for ELA is mentioned on page 213. I ask the students to use highlighters or markers (whatever they have) to highlight the question they're being asked. A lot of times I've found they give good answers but don't really answer the exact question. This is a good way to get them to slow down and look at the exact question. By analyzing the exact question, they're also rereading and identifying relevant/irrelevant information that might be needed in their answers, as listed on page 215.
One thing I need to continue to work on is teaching and requiring self-regulation. Just as students need this in math, it can also be very helpful in the ELA setting. ALthough they're not computing numbers or a word problem, they can self-regulate as they read or write or spell. And one of the biggest ways they can learn to self-regulate is through speech! Even I have to do this! So this is a good tool that is definitely worth working on and increasing in my classroom setting. If I could improve on teaching self-regulation, this could help my students become better writers, speakers, and readers, which all align (in one way or another) to my standards. ANother thing I could use help in is identifying with students who struggle with semantic memory. This is one of my strongest areas, so I have a very hard time identifying with students who struggle with it.
I could continue to learn more about utilizing self-regulation. What's the best way to teach this through reading and writing? What's the most effective way to teach this so they will continue to do it outside my classroom door? I could talk more with math teachers to see the way they teach students how to deal with math problems and how it could relate and be beneficial in my ELA classroom setting. What do they teach that students could use in both our rooms?
I love how you related this chapter about math to what you do teach. I agree with you that is is never a good thing when teachers rely solely on text books. As a poor math student in school, I would get so frustrated and behind because the teacher would just follow the math book rather than finding other resources to enhance curriculum.
ReplyDeleteI also loved your idea a bout using highlighters. My second graders would love this when working story problems in math. They could use certain colors for addition words or subtraction words. This would help them figure out what operation to use.
Yeah, I know what you're saying. I had a very rigid math teacher in 7th grade and I swear she's the main reason I was so "scared" of this subject. She was one of those mean kind of teachers you see in the books lol. I hope I'm much more approachable and receptive as a teacher than she ever was.
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