Top 10 Beliefs for … Effective Teaching Strategies

Number One… The belief that ALL students can learn … Teaching Strategy Use visual supports for students, such as graphic organizers to support learners who have difficulty with text. Diagrams, illustrations, pictures, graphics or other multimedia provide the visual cues that some students will need to engage with the content.

Number Two… Creating a community of learners … Teaching Strategy Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down… To determine student’s comfort level with a curriculum topic, an issue in the classroom or to get a general read of the classroom. Ask the students a question and from wherever they are in the class they can show you thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs sideways (in the middle or unsure) for their response. It is a quick and easy way to determine prior knowledge, what they did on the weekend or how they are feeling about an upcoming event and continues to build community as they see commonalities and differences in the classroom.

Number Three… There are a variety of different kinds of learners ... Teaching Strategy Support a bodily-kinesthetic learner by creating a human graph, going on a number hunt, shape search, or using manipulatives to show their thinking.                                                                           Making Math Happen in the Primary Years Released August 2005

Number Four… Using a variety of different teaching strategies ... Teaching Strategy The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner visit the website for a list of different strategies and their descriptions. http://www.ocup.org/

Number Five… Conversation and collaboration … Teaching Strategy Use literature circles to promote groups working together and talking about their reading in small groups.

Number Six… Learning needs to be relevant … Teaching Strategy Use a problem or issue happening at your school or in your community to encourage students to engage in the learning surrounding the issue. This can be incorporated across the curriculum. Find more information about Beyond Monet at http://www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/page.cfm?id=III000101

Number Seven… Effective teachers use good questions ... Teaching Strategy Read a story to your students and stop at a certain point to have your students discuss what questions they have, jot these on a chart. Continue to read the story, stop again to ask what questions have been answered and which have not. What new questions do they have? This will provide a starting point for discussions surrounding information in the text, information we can infer from the text, information we want to know more about, etc. For more information about Strategies That Work visit www.mcte.org/fallwork/archive/harvey/resources.html

Number Eight… Before, During and After … Teaching Strategy To watch teachers in action using before, during and after strategies in literacy and numeracy for K to 6 visit the eWorkshop website. It is an online training and leadership resource for teachers and educational leaders, developed by the Ministry of Education to support Ontario’s Education Foundations program. www.eWorkshop.on.ca

Number Nine… Assessment... Teaching Strategy For more information ask your administrator about the new Assessment and Evaluation resource from the Ministry of Education. There are strategies, tools and suggestions about how to use the resource to support you and your students. Ontario Provincial Elementary Assessment and Evaluation: A Resource Document to Support the Implementation of Effective Elementary Assessment and Evaluation Released September 2005

Number Ten… Flexibility – if it isn’t working, you need to change it… Teaching Strategy There may be times when you feel like “Gumby” stretched, pulled in one direction and then back. Remember that the focus is the student and how best you can support them and their learning.

Thank You!