"class from H"

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Home : 2002 : July : 31

"class from H"
By Barb

I worked my first year in public school last year after 12 years in a parochial suburban school district.

I ran into problems just as you mentioned. I learned to look them in the eye, gain their trust and be honest with
them. Don't tell them what they are going to do....give them choices and allow them to select a certain project. I negotiated with my 7th graders. I teach Health and PE to K-8. In 7th & 8th grade the kids told me they just like basketball and that is it! I made a deal with them half the class was mine and the other part of class was their time. It actually worked.
The internet

is a great place to get some creative approaches to teaching a variety of subjects. What works in one school necessarily doesn't work in another school.

I got frustrated with the systems of the body. So, I figured that kids love sports. I made a baseball diamond and taught about each system of the body by running bases. Run to first was the cell and running to 2nd were the tissues and I continued around to homeplate. Boy, did those kids finally understand that it started with a cell and moved on from there.

Good luck and always find some positive in all that you do! Smile when you think there are no smiles, because someone is going to say "thank you"!