In Biology, I put together PowerPoint presentations on every chapter. As we work through the chapter, I have them fill in a worksheet, watch videos, view photos and diagrams, conduct labs, and answer questions about the lesson; trying to use all their senses. I even throw in something totally irrelevant and sometimes outrageous just to "shock" them back to life now and then! Once I started doing using all the senses, their grades started improving.
In Composition class, I thought I would be lucky to have the kids write a 5 paragraph paper. Instead, most of them went far beyond. Some of them are even writing mini-novels and I am encouraging them to enter writing contests. I'm so happy to see these guys and gals enjoying writing even if it means staying up late to grade their papers!
I wasn't going to teach Marketing again because I didn't think we were having much fun. But things got better after we decided to do a class project on marketing our school. The kids interviewed staff, conducted surveys, and started creating videos, business cards, and flyers to advertise the school's services. They really got into the project. So, I guess I'll try it again next year with a few more tweaks and using a local nonprofit for our subject organization.
All in all, it's been a great year. We only have a few weeks left, but I can honestly say, I'm going to miss it over the summer. However, it won't be long before I have a brand new set of kids! Next year, I'm teaching Biology, three Composition classes, Marketing and Oklahoma History. I'll have students in grades 3-6, 7-8, and 9-12. I'll be pretty busy over the summer preparing!
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