10 Comments
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Dr. Lois Jeremy-Greene's avatar

Being a teacher is fun and enjoyable. As much as a teacher brings to the classroom to teach students, the students bring a lot for teachers to learn about as well. In designing our lessons, we should plan learning activities to engage students cognitively and culturally. It’s teaching and learning for everyone.

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Adam's avatar

Great post! I fall to the extended timer trick. But ever since the virus, students have worked slower and slower and slower. Their time management skills are nonexistent.

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Jack Watson's avatar

I wasn’t teaching yet pre-Covid but I know what you mean. They don’t yet seem to understand what a minute, ten minutes or few seconds really feels like. Is this something we can instill?

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Adam's avatar

That's one of the many questions that, if we could answer, we could retire on. 😂 🤷‍♂️

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SEMH Education's avatar

Great post Jack! Timers are useful in all sort of scenarios.

During your lessons do you adopt the "I do, we do, you do" technique? I've found that really helpful and once you and the class get used to it. The introductions to the lessons become much smoother!

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Jack Watson's avatar

I do use that and actually I make it really explicit on things like lesson slides. That’s something I’ve picked up from a combination of the academic research I did older my teacher training and my Masters and something I’ve seen in practice with my colleagues so I can definitely do a post about that because - guess what - IT WORKS!

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SEMH Education's avatar

That'd be a great post! I love it when something from research actually works 🙌🏼

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Jack Watson's avatar

I actually already want to start posting pieces of research for people to look into and how it can inform practice… food for thought!

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SEMH Education's avatar

Definitely! That sounds like a really good idea to me!

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Teaching against the tide's avatar

This absolutely works! One of the new teachers I am mentoring was struggling with pace in lessons. She tried lots of things to help and the one that made the difference - a timer!

Now it's the first thing I recommend to anyone claiming there's not enough time to get through everything. Plus, it has really helped post-Covid to improve pupil's focus and working speed.

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