Winning the battle.

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Home : 2002 : October : 16

Winning the battle.
By GC

Hello Mabeline,
Sorry to hear you are having such ahard time with some of your classes. Can I ask if math is your own favourite subject? i get the feeling that perhaps you aren't too keen on the other subjects yourself.
Sometimes if we are less than enthusiastic, this will transfer itself to the kids. You say you have no science books. Can you make worksheets for them instead to vary the work rather than lots and lots of note writing which you say they don't understand anyway. How about varying the notes. Could you include graphs, flow charts, diagrams, crosswords, pictorial representation? How about

asking the kids the best way for them to remember what you are teaching as different people have different ways of learning and do as much practical work and problem solving as possible.
I don't know if any of this will help at all, but I can tell from your letter that you are despairing. Do you have other teachers who teach the same subjects? Do they have any good ideas.
As for the French- pardon, mais je ne sais pas!! All I can suggest is that you give them something very simple to start with. Their behaviour may be because they are afraid of failure or feel they have already failed at this subject. How about taking one subject- off the top of my head, say fruit- give them the names of some of the fruit and then teach them some questions in french- Am I red? Do I grow on a tree? Am I sweet or sour? Then pin a card on the back of each child with the name of a fruit on it. They have to ask a partner questions to discover what is on their backs. You might do this with sports, animals, professions etc. Sorry to be so long winded. I hope I don't stress you out even more after you read this. I really wish you all the best.
GC