Recharge with new teaching strategies

 " In the middle of the school year my brain starts to feel stale. So it is really nice to have a short training with some new ideas to liven up my mind!"

That's how one person described our last online PD. If you are looking to recharge, I invite you to attend the final session in our online series, March 13 from 4:00 p.m.-5:p.m. The topic will be Integrating Montana History across Disciplines. Discussion will be led by Teacher Leader in Montana History Cynthia Wilondek, who promises a practical and applicable discussion to provide ideas on how you can integrate Montana history into any subject area. All grade levels are welcome. Register here.

Instructional Strategies You'll Love

Last month, Jennifer Graham led us in a discussion of teaching strategies for social studies classrooms that promote social emotional learning.

She particularly highlighted Think/Pair/Share and Jigsawing. Using homesteading as an example, she also introduced us to Brain Dumps/Retrieval Practice. The routine has students write notes after listening/reading rather than trying to do two things at once. It reminded me a little of Project Zero's Plus 1 routine and looks to be a good way to help students retain information.

Then, Jennifer suggested using those retrieval guides to create low-stakes mini-quizzes: 

1. Take anything discussed in the previous class or questions from Retrieval Guides, write clues on small slips of paper, cut up each clue, and put them in a basket.
2. Students number 1-5 on paper. 
3. Randomly choose five slips of paper from the basket of clues.
4. Read each clue twice.  (For example, which President enacted the Homestead Act of 1862?)
5. At the end of the Mini-Quiz, read all five clues one last time.
6. Students turn in Mini-Quizzes
7. As soon as students’ Mini-Quizzes have been collected, provide immediate feedback by going over the answers.  (Low-stakes or no grade)
8. All clues go back into the basket.
9. Hand back Mini-Quizzes after analysis and the next day.

I challenge you to try one of these a new teaching strategy--and if you want, share how it went. As encouragement, I'm sharing this coupon. I am not sure who to credit for this, but I think it's brilliant, so go forth and try something new! And join us March 13 for the last PD in our online series.