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Teaching history: Methods?

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  • 10-10-2020 6:38pm
    #1
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭


    Hi all, so with new COVID19 restrictions I am finding the delivering of lessons quite boring and repetitive. Particularly one class which has two weak students who can be easily distracted, they find it very hard to take down a lot of notes , we are not allowed to use photocopies so handouts are not great. I used a video with in built quiz in another class which really livened things up. Just wondering how too differentiate the likes of notes etc. Or what I can do to deliver lesons without over reilance on notes, they also have no textbooks or workbooks.


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    #2
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    2nd year classes naturally enough of course!


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    #3
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Flip the classroom? Get them to research the topic during the class and give a lecture to the other kids, then you step in and fill in the blanks or correct the misinformation. Not something to be done every day but can change it up a bit. They can have a bit of fun with it by finding pictures, pick a song to go with it etc. First effort will be poor, but the next one will be better


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    #4
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    yeah sounds an idea. thanks ,keep them coming? anyine want to share how they actually deliver a class , by step bystep?


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    #5
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    yeah sounds an idea. thanks ,keep them coming? anyine want to share how they actually deliver a class , by step bystep?

    How long are you teaching?


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    #6
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    3 years


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    #7
    karlitob
    Registered Users Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭karlitob


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    Hi all, so with new COVID19 restrictions I am finding the delivering of lessons quite boring and repetitive. Particularly one class which has two weak students who can be easily distracted, they find it very hard to take down a lot of notes , we are not allowed to use photocopies so handouts are not great. I used a video with in built quiz in another class which really livened things up. Just wondering how too differentiate the likes of notes etc. Or what I can do to deliver lesons without over reilance on notes, they also have no textbooks or workbooks.

    Why can’t you use photocopies?


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    #8
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    3 years

    Right. Open with a recap of previous class, try ask each kid a question as you do so. Then get them thinking about what you're gonna teach,do they know anything ahead of time. Then teach, then recap. Tends to be how I go!


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    #9
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    Principal really dosent like the money issue before this and i understand that too, id be the same with ink and paper, i hate waste. but covid19 says has to be a 72 hr non contact on paper before students get them


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    #10
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    i have found myself using youtube videos and giving questions to answer on them quite good justs wakes them up a bit. With two or three weak kids who cant take notes quick i told them read them , understand them then take down in a short version that they will understand.


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    #11
    karlitob
    Registered Users Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭karlitob


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    Principal really dosent like the money issue before this and i understand that too, id be the same with ink and paper, i hate waste. but covid19 says has to be a 72 hr non contact on paper before students get them

    Where is that advice? Do you have a link?


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    #12
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    sorry no, just what we were told in a meeting. thank you for that. anyone else got anything for weaker kids who cant take notes at the same pace as others? is a shorthand version a good idea for them? I sometimes write the homework on another whiteboard in the room or give it on teams and students who have notes down go onto start that , usually leaves them all mad to get notes down but still no good for weak kids to actually understand it. I was told my another member of staff to teach the top half of the class and forget the weak ones they wont be the ones in complaining the class is moving too slow.


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    #13
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    sorry no, just what we were told in a meeting. thank you for that. anyone else got anything for weaker kids who cant take notes at the same pace as others? is a shorthand version a good idea for them? I sometimes write the homework on another whiteboard in the room or give it on teams and students who have notes down go onto start that , usually leaves them all mad to get notes down but still no good for weak kids to actually understand it. I was told my another member of staff to teach the top half of the class and forget the weak ones they wont be the ones in complaining the class is moving too slow.

    You have to differentiate, you can't just teach the strong ones...

    Use group work, pair a strong with a weak and give them a few mins to go over the material. Allow the weaker ones to take pictures on their phone of notes, or upload notes to schoology or edmodo rather than spending a class just writing up notes.


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    #14
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    yea i was thinking there was something strange with that advice but its a pretty academic school, i always put the days notes up on teams.


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    #15
    Alex86Eire
    Registered Users Posts: 330 ✭✭Alex86Eire


    Some fill in the blanks type notes may help weaker students. They have to try and understand what they are writing then rather than blindly copying something down.


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    #16
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    yea i like that idea,how well do people think kids learn by looking at pictures or reading notes and a teacher telling them things ? do they really need to write down notes for everything in new junior cycle?


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    #17
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    yea i like that idea,how well do people think kids learn by looking at pictures or reading notes and a teacher telling them things ? do they really need to write down notes for everything in new junior cycle?

    I think it is necessary that all students have evidence of learning. Just to inform you, in the event of an inspection (probably not this year) but as a classroom teacher, you are responsible for the learning of all students in your class. The inspector will want to see what you did to differentiate for students with additional needs. You should have learnt about the different learning styles in your PME but it is also a normal question to deal with at interviews - we don't all learn the same way. I would move away from using words like weak when referring to students - additional needs etc.


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    #18
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    i find differentiation very hard to do, has anyone found any good websites or books that deal with it?


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    #19
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    i find differentiation very hard to do, has anyone found any good websites or books that deal with it?

    You have no choice, you have to teach all students in front of you. I can't think of any books, a Google search will suffice. Think of the way you question the students - you wouldn't ask a difficult question to a student who struggles at your subject or an easy question of a high achieving student. This should be the method you use when creating resources and assignments - make it achievable for everyone. Another one for assignments, write an essay on something, the minimum is half a page.... no maximum - that's differentiation. I always work with the strugglers in my classes - the high achievers will get there on their own. You could ask them to include x or y to challenge them, ask them about the next topic/assignment - what do they know?

    Have you completed Droichead? It might be no harm speaking to the nipt mentors on how to answer your questions as they will be aware of the culture of the school and may even have the same subjects.


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    #20
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    yea Droichead done, harmless enough tbh, PME is ok but I suppose thats what CPD is all about, one course will never give you all the answers you need to adapt and improve what your doing all the time in conjunction with the students in front of you in different classes. Great tip though thank you. Ill start using some . Feel free anyone to chip in


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    #21
    Smacruairi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭Smacruairi


    I'd look back on the suggested reading from your pgde etc and ask the colleagues in your dept and staffroom. The pdst runs a ton of workshops too, and the jct have loads of webinars.


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    #22
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,111 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Many of the students I had were not literate (among their many other issues). I used story a good deal, with lots of repetition and for assessment I used a 'talk to type' style app.


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    #23
    fed_u
    Registered Users Posts: 90 ✭✭fed_u


    Stacy Stout author of Making History shares fantastic resources on twitter. Also has a number of YouTube videos.


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    #24
    Leftwaffe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,548 ✭✭✭Leftwaffe


    I don't bother with notes in 1st year. In 2nd year I get them to make chapter summaries and the notes on a lesson by lesson basis in 3rd year.

    In regards to COVID friendly activities, the following may help although they will need devices for some:

    Mentimeter - They love this for word clouds and polls.
    Kahoot
    Quizlet
    Plickers (Laminate sheets and leave for 72 hours, students keep them then).
    Microsoft Forms - Great for short tests/assessments, self correcting.
    Prezzi - Get them to create a Prezzi on the chapter.
    Group powerpoint project. Students can collaborate on the one pp file from different devices, social distanced friendly.
    Video worksheets - Excellent but they need prepping.
    Mind maps
    Last man standing quiz
    Knowledge/Graphic organisers
    Gap fills

    Will think of more tomorrow its late!


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    #25
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    brilliant thank you! i may need further clarification on some thank you again


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    #26
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    So i used some differentiation in two seperate 2nd year classes this week, went very well. Used some exercises based on workbook style activity and used KWL and linked with research on ipads. The Want to Know more section they came up with questions they wanted to know more about in the Age of Discovery so used ipads to find out more etc. You need plenty of time though.


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    #27
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    So i used some differentiation in two seperate 2nd year classes this week, went very well. Used some exercises based on workbook style activity and used KWL and linked with research on ipads. The Want to Know more section they came up with questions they wanted to know more about in the Age of Discovery so used ipads to find out more etc. You need plenty of time though.

    That's brilliant! Well done! I bet you felt so much better after those classes as all of your students had involved themselves in their learning. You now have developed a skill which you will use in the future.

    I meant to tell you to check the PDST for CPD and the History Teachers Association (I assume there is one).


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    #28
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    yes i was looking out for those, thanks keeping an eye on it. Its all about trying to learn from challenges and improve on them.


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    #29
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    also used an exercise where the students had to fill in on a map of the world the voyages of discovery and the lands they went to and colour code them, they had a map on board to guide them, some weaker ones i feel really benefited from that . they will now see that map they coloured in their minds eye more than notes they wrote down.


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    #30
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    also used an exercise where the students had to fill in on a map of the world the voyages of discovery and the lands they went to and colour code them, they had a map on board to guide them, some weaker ones i feel really benefited from that . they will now see that map they coloured in their minds eye more than notes they wrote down.

    Perfect. That's what I was on about - you have to teach all the students and cater for their way of learning. If you have an exam or even questioning in class, ask them to imagine the map in front of them - is it at the top, bottom, colour etc - you'll be surprised how that technique will work.


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