-
-
- Follow Thematic Teacher on WordPress.com
-
Archives
- Art Themes Christmas Classroom Management Classroom Publishing Clip Art Colonial America Cooking Embryology Flannel Board Flashcards Heroes Holidays How To... Instructional Planning Integrated Instruction Just for Teachers Language Arts Learning Literacy Activities Plants Project Based Learning Savanna Science Themes Social Studies Themes Special Education Teaching Thinking Thematic Teaching Thinking About Teaching Uncategorized Winter
Category Archives: Thinking About Teaching
Structuring for Choice—The Teacher’s Role
In the last post, I wrote about the steps I took as I gradually gave students a greater stake in their learning. In my experience, giving students more choice requires a great deal of structure. Today I want to talk … Continue reading
Objectives and Inquiry
I don’t think directed, structured instruction has to look as if it is directed and structured. I believe in inquiry-based learning, learning where a problem is put out there and children dissect, investigate, observe, manipulate, explore, construct, test, analyze, evaluate, … Continue reading
Playful Learning with Classroom Museums
Classroom museums and research centers provide materials to set up classroom centers that allow students to study themes through exploration, manipulation, and inquiry, based on their curiosity and interests. Abstract concepts become more accessible by presenting them as concrete activities, objects, and … Continue reading
Kids as Teachers
I am always amazed at how proficient children are when they are given half a chance. Recently I was working with a group of first graders of varying achievement levels in reading. While I was working with one small group, … Continue reading
The Power of REAL
I learned about the power that REAL learning can have on motivating students during my Master’s Degree training and later experiences with my own students. I started my Master’s Degree in Special Education after I had been teaching elementary school … Continue reading
All About Me–Writing Lesson Plans
For the next few weeks I’m going to share some lessons which I’ve used with groups of students of widely varying ability and achievement levels. Since I teach thematically (no matter what grade or type of class I may be … Continue reading
Inclusion: Language at the Center
Language is the center of learning. In fact, it’s at the center of all we do. It’s how we express our needs, and work together. It’s not a strange idea that language should be the core of classroom life. Language … Continue reading
Inclusion: Try a Workshop Style Approach
Workshop style teaching involves presenting a lesson to the whole group, releasing students to practice the lesson skills presented, working individually with students and small groups during the work period in order to learn more about what the students can … Continue reading
Interdisciplinary Teaching Impossible in US?
I was really surprised to read on another teacher’s blog: “standards and testing have made interdisciplinary teaching almost impossible in the US.” HUH? Interdisciplinary teaching just requires that all subjects be organized to correlate with and compliment each other. Today’s … Continue reading
Inquiry, Project Based Learning
I have always found children learn better, faster, deeper, and stronger when they do stuff, real stuff. Curiosity, interest, desire, and control are the bedrock upon which true learning grows. Children who build, create, construct, and design in order to … Continue reading
Thematic Teacher 